The Ordensspange of PLM Tr?ger Ernst Sch?tz

[Paul C]

Some of you may have seen this bar a few weeks ago. I was able to acquire it and was wait to get the regimental history for IR 161 before I did some posts which I am doing now. This is a 7 place medal bar which was put together by Godet. The medal are:

1. 1914 EK2

2. HOH3X

3. RAO4

5. DA

6. 1897 Kaiser Centennial

7. BZ3a

8. 1902 Baden Jubilee medal

This bar belong to Oberst a.D Ernst Sch?tz and PLM tr?ger!! He was commander of IR 161 from March 12, 1915 to July 27, 1918. He then was commander of 38 Reserve Infantry Brig. It was with IR 161 that he was awarded the PLM (May 20, 1917) and HOH3x (November 7, 1916). Sch?tz pre-war decorations are in the 1914 Army Rangliste with IR 20 and I have pictured it below. The PLM and HOH3X are confirmed in the unit history and pictured below. His BZ3a was not upgraded during the war. That leaves the Baden Jubilee medal to confirm and this is done with the 1902 Army Rangliste. In 1902 Sch?tz was the adjutant to GM Eynatten who was commander of 82nd IB (see below) in the 14th Armee Korps. The 14th AK was Baden units. GM Eynatten must have attednded the Baden Jubilee celebrations as he is listed in the 1909 DOA with the Baden Jubilee medal. As an adjutant Sch?tz went to all official functions that his general went to so he also would have also been at the celebrations and received the Jubillee medal.

The unit history for IR 161 has several really nice pictures of Sch?tz and also includes the announment for his HOH3X and PLM. Sch?tz postings, promotion and award dates are listed below:

27.07.18-10.01.19 Commander of 38. Reserve Inf. Brig.

12.03.15-27.07.18 Commander of Inf. R. 161

18.04.13-1914 Commander I./Inf. R. 20

27.01.10-18.04.13 Adjutant 39. Division

18.05.05-27.01.10 Company commander of 2./Inf. R. 16

27.01.02 transferred to Inf. R. 159 while remaining Brig. Adj.]

16.02.01-18.05.05 Adjutant 82. Inf. Brig.

21.03.96-16.02.01 Regimental Adjutant Inf. R. 99

01.10.92-20.03.96 Adjutant III./Inf. R. 99

19.09.88 Second Lieutenant

15.11.87 ensign

29.03.87 entered Inf. R. 99 as a three year volunteer

Gen.Mar. 27-08-1939*

Oberst 25-05-1918

Oberstlt. 27-01-1915

Major 27-01-1910

Hptm. 27-01-1902

Oberlt. 12-09-1895

Leutn. 19-09-1888

*char

Awards:

Wartime: Pre-War:

Pour le Merite 20.05.17 RAO4 (awarded 11.09.07)

HOH3X gazetted 07.11.16 XXV (1912/13)

EK I and II 1897, BZ3a (awarded 1912/13), Bd 1902 RJM

Enjoy the pictures

Edited January 28, 2009 by Paul C

[Paul C]

closes ups o front and back

[Paul C]

back

[Paul C]

Oberst Ernst Sch?tz 1902 ARL entry

[Paul C]

1914 ARL Entry

[Paul C]

Oberst Sch?tz with his PLM

[Paul C]

In group photo

[Paul C]

close up

[Paul C]

Sch?tz hanging out at Christmas time and having a cigar with his buddies

[Paul C]

In the field

[Paul C]

HOH3X announcement from unit history. If someone can translate that would be great

[Paul C]

PLM announcement part 1 - if someone can translate this and the nexty page that would be great

[Paul C]

part 2

[scottplen]

Super !!!! love the bar !!!!!! wish i could find a named bar !!!! :cheers:

[VtwinVince]

Outstanding bar, Paul, where did you find this one?

[Paul C]

Outstanding bar, Paul, where did you find this one?

In the Arizona desert...no joking. I bought it from someone who's father traded for it when they went into Berlin as a translator with the first American troops. This makes sense as Sch?tz died in Berlin in 1944.

Edited January 28, 2009 by Paul C

[Guest Rick Research]

This was a tricky one to identify because at first glance the obvious suspects were Baden Majors in 1914-- by which time he had departed. I had to backtrack to find him and eliminate any other suspects. The final piece of the identification puzzle is Paul's linking the 1902 Baden Jubilee to Sch?tz's boss-- since his own entries do not show this "invisible" award.

While hardly a "celebrity" like the air aces, Sch?tz typifies the solid regimental commanders who earned their PLMs the long, hard way.

His HOH3X was for holding the line west of Morval against prolonged attacks by nuemrically superior British forces. Despite heavy losses, this regiment proved its distingusihed spirit during this fighting.

The Pour le Merite citation details his entire wartime service as a cumulative series of distinguished actions which ultimately earned him the Blue Max. Too long for me and my worn out fingies (I have been heaving snow and ice all daylight houtrs) tonight.

[Komtur]

:beer: Great bar found a good home! Congrats

Kind regards, Komtur.

[Steve K.]

Paul,

Nice bar with some great history! I'm happy to see it! I must have an imagination steeped in hues of grey. When you described it to me at the show, it looked nothing like this!!! I'm glad you got it!

Cheers,

Steve

[Wild Card]

Hi Paul C,

What a great group! It is even more meaningful when one realizes that it could have wound up wandering around the Arizona desert, unidentified, forever.

Congratulations and thanks for saving such an important bar from obscurity.

Wild Card

[MJC]

Congratulations Paul, a stunning acquisition. :jumping:

[P.F.]

Bravo Paul! :beer:

[nesredep]

Hello!

Congrats Paul.

All the best

Nesredep

[Paul C]

I appreciate everyones nice comments. I would like to emphasize that the research for this bar was not overly difficult. The source material is available. We used the following source to trace the bar to Sch?tz:

1. 1914 Army Rangliste

2. 1902 Army Rangliste

3. 1908/09 DOA

4. Published award rolls for the Baden Lion

If you want medal bars or ribbon bar that are traced out to the original owners then you must have the required reference books i.e. ranklists and award rolls. Many of the ranklists have been put on CD and are available for a very small price. You do not need to read German to use the ranklist, DOA or award rolls. The reseach is not rocket science. It is a matter of having the proper references, a sound knowledge of German awards and decorations (gained by studying posts in this forum), knowledge of German history and the time, effort and desire to learn.