ID of Generalleutnant

[VJK]

Hi!

This pic was advertised on ebay.de. Can anyone please put a name to the man with the nice set of medals?

Many thanks in advance,

VJK

[Deruelle]

Seems to be General Erich W?llrath. But he wore only his wartime medals not his RAO4, not WF3a. But where is his BO3 ? Daniel where are you ?

Christophe

[Guest Rick Research]

I don't comment on items being sold by unknown 3rd parties since putting money in the pockets of sellers who are too lazy to do their own research is SUICIDAL among us as fellow collectors.

Please do not ask for identifications of items while they are being sold.

And please do not identify items while they are being sold.

AFTER such items are sold-- IF someone here HAS successfully bid on an item, we are thrilled to help.

I've never had a lazy seller yet share his profits with me for information volunteered or an unknown offsite buyer come along and thank me for posting added data.

[Deruelle]

I know the rules Rick. I have just bought it and wait for it. But I'm not sure of the id of this officer

Christophe

[VJK]

I'm not a seller and only infrequently try to buy something of special interest. In my naivety, it never even occurred to me that my simple request for help from the vast amount of expertise participating in this Forum could be misused by "unknown 3rd parties since putting money in the pockets of sellers who are too lazy to do their own research is SUICIDAL among us as fellow collectors". I will be more careful in future and curb my impatience for knowledge until such time the article in question has been sold.

I'm glad Christophe, that the picture has found a good home, and sincerely hope that with our combined knowledge we can put a name to the face. He certainly bears a strong resemblance to Erich W?llwarth.

Best regards,

VJK

[Deruelle]

Hello,

Picture arrived yesteday. Have a look !

Christophe

[Deruelle]

Here is the medal bar. You can see that there is no WF3aX

Christophe

[webr55]

Seems I missed this thread. Yes, this is char. General der Infanterie Erich W?llwarth (1872-1951). He is wearing only his wartime awards, so the WF3a (a peacetime award WITHOUT swords!) is left out, as well as his BO3 and RAO4.

The Reichswehr 1924 ranklist shows only a BMV3X, but the award lists confirm: BVM3XmKr on 11.6.1917 as KW Oberstlt and Chief of General Staff.

1929 aD as char General d Inf, BUT reactivated in 1939.

1940 Gen d Inf zV, Kommandierender General Stellv. GK IV. AK and Befehlshaber WK IV

1942 aD

And even got the DKiS on 12.6.1943 - at 71!

I also found out he survived the Bombing of Dresden and fled to his native W?rttemberg, saving only what he could carry. He then had to live on social welfare (72 DM monthly), from 1949 on he got a tiny pension of 160 DM. He was running low on wood, coal and potatoes during the winter.

And he was an anti-Nazi, strictly opposed to radical ideas propagated by people like Remer after the war.

A wonderful photo, Christophe!

[Alexandre]

Hello Gentlemen,

What kind of decoration he wear below the EK1 ?

and in other pocket ? Anyone could tell wich decoration is ? not visible , only has a sitck pin...

Cheers

[speedytop]

Hi,

below the EK 1:

W?rttemberg, Orden der W?rttembergischen Krone, Ehrenkreuz mit Schwertern,

on the other pocket:

Turkey, War Medal 1915 (Eiserner Halbmond).

Regards

Uwe

[Alexandre]

Hello Uwe,

Thx for the infos.

Cheers