Pour le Merite question

[Bob]

Was visiting the Panzermuseum in Munster this weekend and (besides all the tanks, WW2 uniforms, orders/medals, Rommel death mask, Marshal staff of General von Kluge, etc. etc. etc.) there was also a tableu with range of older awards. One thing caught my eye and left me wondering:

- is it known which foreigners won a PlM?

- what is a "sovereign"?

Edit: interesting, didn't strike me until after rereading my own post... 1 "Kaiser" also got one:)

Edited August 17, 2008 by Bob

[Bob]

As a thank you, some more pics probably relevant for the people who know about this area of collecting.

[Bob]

Won't bother you with uniforms, weapons, etc. as I can't distinguish which is from what era to be honest

[Bob]

That's it for now

[Mike Dwyer]

- what is a "sovereign"?

A sovereign is the ruler of a state or country, such as the Kaiser, a king, prince, etc. :Cat-Scratch:

[Guest Rick Research]

All the recipients of the Pour le Merite are known. The WW1 foreign rulers were

The Emperors Franz Joseph and Karl and Tsars Ferdinand and Boris.

The German Kings and rulers also got these as dunsatic courtesies in the general trading around of "you give me yours and I'll give you mine."

The foreigners were almost entirely senior Generals-- Enver and Djemal in the Ottoman forces, Jekov and Todorov in the Bulgarian army, and 11 Austrian Generals 3 of whom were Archdukes.

The only "normal" foreigner was Austro-Hungarian Oberstleutnant Rudolph Popelka, commander of their Inf Rgt 5 (11.10.18 !).

The little museum sign has counted the 4 foreign rulers twice-- as rulers, and as foreigners (16/4 not 20/4).

[W McSwiggan]

Two points - I believe the numbers shown to be flawed - they do not even total correctly.

I recommend the following web offering where you will find the answers you seek.

http://www.pourlemerite.org/

[Bob]

thanks - seems like one award with exhaustive knowledge documented about it!