Who's Counting, Anyway?

[Guest Rick Research]

Looking through the HORRIBLE Baden Z?hringen Lion 1914-18 Roll for Timo (no luck still, I'm afraid) I came across this rather interesting entry. Some long time back I know I posted another here on a Minister whose award was revoked when he was arrested by the Gestapo as an anti-Nazi.

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17210&hl=Kaufmann

Reverend Kaufmann was a premature anti-fascist, while the military medical not-quite doctor here was... a premature officer.

This is about actual size, so you see the problem. The idiot who "designed" the Roll pages for ALL classes ended up with vast wasted space and impossible to read microscopic places to ink in the award dates. If the fools had simply written each entry across a blank line by class (like the excellent MKFVO and MKFVM rolls) there'd be no problem. But enough complaining.

Assistenzarzt Wilhelm R?bsamen of Feldart Rgt 5(6?) "(yourguessisasgood asmine)" had his BZ3bX revoked and returned 10 May 1915 "because still an Unterarzt." WARRANT OFFICERS were not eligible for the ORDER.

Now here is the really DUMB part. He had obviously been recommended by his commander on the belief that by the time the award processing was done, R?bsam WOULD have been commissioned.

Indeed, he was-- on 29 May 1915, as Assistenzarzt dL II in Feldart Abt. Spangenberg (whatever and wherever THAT was). The gazette of his promotion in the 5 June 1915 Milit?r Wochenblatt--

Imagine R?bsamen's glee-- and then chagrin-- as his BEAUTIFUL green glass Order arrived... and was sent back again, cancelled.

He does not appear on Erhard Roth's published roll of Z?hringen Lion recipients, so perhaps he was simply

but WAS it "correctly"?

omitted from the list of recipients.

But R?bsamen DID receive his BZ3bX. Sure, it was taken away from him-- and as far as I've gone working through the entire war's Roll, never did get it a SECOND time.

BUT-

when people ask why there are so many different "totals" on awards...

it all depends on who counts what, doesn't it?

Awards made and then withdrawn "count" in my opinion. It was submitted, processed, approved, and delivered-- before being returned. I am not sure whether he'd have had to return the award Urkunde (probably)... but if NOT-- how else would anyone "explain" an award document for an award that was "never made?" :catjava:

[Wild Card]

Feldart Abt. Spangenberg (whatever and wherever THAT was).

Rick,

There is a Spangenberg about ten miles south of Kassel. Could this be the one?

[Guest Rick Research]

Or the name of a commander? I can't make out his numbered regiment, since it's been lined through, or the whatever is in brackets after that (Westerhagen? or ....bogen?) but the guy on the Roll above from "Ldw 8" had the same "(whateveritsays)."

Tiny, messy, AND crossed out ...

and we make such NICE awards rolls books! :catjava:

[WNickel]

Hi Rick,

maybe it is

Spangenberg,Heinrich

FAR 76 (+ Kdr. FAR 229 + 18.07.1918),FA

Pr M 27.01.1915 - 99.99.9999

Pr H 27.01.1908 - 27.01.1915

Pr OL 14.09.1900 - 27.01.1908

Pr SL 17.05.1892 - 14.09.1900

Bad BdZL 3b mEL J 06.05.1914

Pr PRAO 4 J 06.05.1914

Best regards

Werner

[saschaw]

Thanks for sharing, Rick! Very interresting things that seem still to come from rolls...

:blush:

[Guest Rick Research]

Thanks Werner-- that would seem to indicate some sort of ad hoc--but Baden-- unit under its commander's name.

Yup, it is always a good idea to pay attention to the scribbles in the margins. I've come across a number of "Leutnant Schmidt (unit illegible) " type entries which are noted that the Order could remain with his next of kin, dated. That will allow looking for fatalities near those dates as matches.

Lots and lots and lots of work down in the Clue Mines digging for Easy Instant Answers.

All being left for Sascha because we are old and he is young and what we don't do is allllllllllllllll going to end up dumped on him, circa 2030. Something to look forward too, huh? :rolleyes: