Mecklenburg-Strelitz Cross for Distinction in War 1914-1933 Rolls "Completed"

[Guest Rick Research]

I have "finished" transcribing the rolls for all 4 versions of this award and am now labouring through the process of correcting errors, combining duplicates, and adding personal data where that is possible.

Strelitz's rolls were rather disorganized:

The 1st Class Crosses are virtually complete, but on TWO separate rolls. Some post-war ones may have slid through unnoted by the Keepers.

The 2nd Class special "for Bravery" Crosses are all on one roll and are complete

The 2nd Classes on red ribbons for rear area/war effort are seemingly complete on TWO separate rolls though there are quite a few recorded as "blue" ribbons which would have seemed "red." Those will be so noted in the published version.

The normal 2nd Classes are found in FOUR rolls. The two MAIN ones are divided between a straightforward neat one which is fairly complete for names and units, but only 50/50 on award authorization dates. The other one I have always referred to as the Senile Insane Illiterate Drunkard Roll, abandoning all but last names and highest Vorschlag-submitters' unit levels-- but containing by far most of the award dates, and allowing matches in MOST cases for OBSCURE micro-units like Mortar Companies and Labor Battalions (Lines 590-592) with those names on the Good roll.

Here is a sample of the freshly Alphabetized Combined Semi-Final Product --

Among the fascinating "extras" are the marginal comments in the "Remarks" column. Elderly Georg Blanck worked himself up into a snit (Line 589) over his middle aged son NOT having received a 2nd Class and ... with due bureaucratic diligence (though the snit fit is immortalized) one was approved. There are still missing units (584) and first names (582) to seek out. But even careless duplications (Senile Insane Illiterate Drunkard ) have some merit. Line 580 reveals that this enlisted recipient was not only alive a year later, but had been promoted.

All Useful Information. :catjava:

[Steve K.]

Congrats!! What a fine accomplishment....and I thought you had given up on Strelitzer......

The other one I have always referred to as the Senile Insane Illiterate Drunkard Roll,....

This must be the one I have......which I accidentally and now permanently "borrowed" (with permission) from another Forum member.

Cheers,

Steve

[Guest Rick Research]

Yes, that "half" is like a code book with the instructions missing. Its entries like "Gefreiter M?ller, 235. ID" are ABSOLUTELY worthless without the "nonexistent" GOOD rolls which our local agent was able to obtain by his own on the spot digging. Both COMBINED make many many things literally come together. I had given up until the "Rosetta Roll" magically appeared via Daniel's network of agents-in-the-field.

Gnomes. EVERYWHERE!

The notations in the margins of the Insane Half are fascinating:

Somehwere Out There is a boring old policeman's medal bar... with a Cross replaced 6 years after the war to compensate for the brand new one taken off him by kilted souvenir hunters when he was captured.... :ninja:

[W McSwiggan]

Way to be Rick!

Huge task undertaken and well done!

Thank you!

[Guest Rick Research]

Some awards-by-units data:

IInd Btn/ Gren Rgt 89 which was considered "pure Strelitzer" got 993 MStMV2s

BUT

IInd Btn/ Res Inf Rgt 84 (!!!!) got 365 making THAT the second largest "Strelitz" unit !!!!

But for size and numbers

3rd BATTERY/ Field Art Rgt 24 got 265 2nd Classes, which must have been just about literally everyone who wasn't killed in that company!

The other Mecklenburg infantry regiment--

Gren Rgt 90 came off with a distant token 40 Strelitz 2nd Classes, though

Res Inf Rgt 90 got 80 2nd Classes, and while

Res J?ger Btn 14 got 93,

J?ger Btn 14 only got 49!

Mecklenburg's two cavalry regiments are so under-rewarded it makes me wonder if the personnel was actually non-native and "Mecklenburg" in name only--

Drag Rgt 17 got a mere 18 2nd Classes for the entire war and

Drag Rgt 18 merely 29 !

Landwehr Inf Rgt 76 from Hamburg got a whopping 230 2nd Classes and

Landsturm Inf Rgt 37 inexplicably picked up 88 !

And apparently Foot Artillery Regiment 20 was "Strelitz by adoption"-- with 65 2nd Classes going there.

Freakishly, although Inf Rgt 43 was named after and "chiefed" by the Grand Duke-- there were exactly 3 awards to that regiment-- all ordinary privates. Apparently despite the honorary tie, he NEVER visited and handed out courtesy awards-- which is so far unique in my experience of such affiliations!

Many notations particularly on rejections as to state citizenship, and another common ground for refusal was "already has Schwerin's."

[VtwinVince]

This is an accomplishment deserving of recognition. Congratulations.

[David M]

This is an accomplishment deserving of recognition. Congratulations.

Hi Rick

Would there be any von M?ldner , M?ldner or M?ldner von M?lnheim on the list?

Thanks for checking

regards

David

Edited October 12, 2008 by David M

[Guest Rick Research]

None.

But here are the combatant von Oertzens for Andy. As you can see, I haven't been able to track down birth or death dates for most of them.

[arb]

Rick,

I've sent you a PM with the birth dates of all those mssing year of birth except Alexander- he is no where to be found in my records.

Andy

[Paul C]

Rick has put many, many hours into transcribing these rolls and continues to provide other award information on German officers. Rather then ask if a certain person is listed in these award rolls I think it would be best to purchase the book when it is available! This is just my opinion.

[saschaw]

Great work, Rick. Would you like to try that one? Possible to identify him?

I guess it is not. The bar was offered on eBay by a seller called "am-militaria". You know what I mean... ?

:banger: :banger:

[Guest Rick Research]

God, what an IDIOTIC combination! So much work to make GARBAGE out of original items just to sell to the ignorant! :banger:

[saschaw]

God, what an IDIOTIC combination! So much work to make GARBAGE out of original items just to sell to the ignorant!

Still "good" enough to sell for 699,- Euro...

[ccj]

Rick,

When do I get my copies of the new rolls? I've not received anything from you in a long time. Would offering money help??? :unsure:

[David M]

Rick has put many, many hours into transcribing these rolls and continues to provide other award information on German officers. Rather then ask if a certain person is listed in these award rolls I think it would be best to purchase the book when it is available! This is just my opinion.

Hi Paul

Youre right, I know, as I transcribed part of the L?beck rolls myself.

Although I dont feel like getting all defensive here; I am not a collector but a researcher to just 2 or 3 topics, of which my own family is one. So I am not going to buy the rolls because I am just looking for a possible award to a distant cousin and as a researcher have better means for my small funds.

So as far as I am concerned, let it be up to the people who transcribe the rolls to decide if the are going to answer such questions and not for others to criticise. It goes without saying that we all (myself included) cannot appreciate the efforts of Rick enough, the work again being mainly based on ideology.

Same reason I didn't buy your CD with DOA btw, because I am only interested in the -10 people who are in there with all their ODM listed including the CHWO I am working on at the moment. The other thousands just won't be interesting to my research.

Hope you understand a bit more now

regards

David

Edited October 26, 2008 by David M

[Guest Rick Research]

"When do I get my copies of the new rolls? I've not received anything from you in a long time. Would offering money help???"

LOTS planned for 2009, so save your pennies. Skimp on your children's food, cut back on winter warmth for your homes (I know I will be, since Published Author does NOT = mattresses stuffed with cash... ) and be prepared. Sales were, frankly, disappointing. We have correctly estimated the secondary market-- I am sure years from now people will be SQUEALING for our volumes like the earlier Neal O'Connor volumes from before most people were aware of them. But because of sales figures for the 2008 series of Rolls, the 2009s will be published in lesser numbers.

Those of you who HAVE bought sets God bless you and no fear that YOU will be left out next time around, but I fear the stragglers, lollygaggers, indecisive, and under-motivated (as well as those as yet un-born) will be SOL.

I'm never quite sure where Daniel is as the Mastermind behind all this activity, but SHOULD be the two Lippes, L?beck is also in final edit stages, hopefully by then both Mecklenburgs (and I know you've got a PARTICULAR ribbon bar interest there--not forgotten), Prussia, and ???? from Daniel's end.

I don't actually collect (much) from ANY of these states--

1) no money

2) can't find anything

but to me it is rather like that old Bruce Willis movie "the Seventh Element." Together, we are a Collective Research Gnome Entity, whereas separately nothing works.

CAN'T specialize without isolation.

I've been at this seriously for 30 years and am STILL finding out there are completely undreamed of sources that have been moldering on shelves since the Kaiser was still making victory parade plans--

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=31712

but it all comes down to this:

If not us, WHO?

If not us, WHEN?

The BIcentennial... in 2114 ?

Us. Now. (That might sound good in Latin. Hmmm....)

I should also belatedly note that I have FINISHED-- REALLY completed the Strelitz Rolls. Everybody on there is typed, corrected, alphabetized, annotated, and dispatched for inter-continental safekeeping with the Guild. Just found two junior Lakai types with first names in Strelitz that add to the pending Schaumburg Rolls...

it is ALL INTERCONNECTED.

I wish I could be as focussed as David, but every time that I find "X" data hidden away in "Y" or "Z" sources... it just all runs together and EVERYTHING benefits by the combined work we are all doing:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=31693

:cheers: