Feeling Blue About Ribbon Bar--Who The Fricke WAS This Guy?

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Just got this in. I'm going to leave the details on it to "The MASTER".

[Claudius]

Third ribbon is MK2 on non-combatant ribbon? ...in front of TWO combatant awards. I still don't understand how these guys get both non-combatant and combatant awards. Do some states consider their service to be "combatant" while other consider it non-combatant? Kind of like Dr.s and medics in F-P war.

Just checking... but have you put a black-light to the threads on the back?

[HeikoGrusdat]

...in my eyes N?3 is a "normal" Mecklenburg combattant ribbon - on the reverse you can see the very light blue colour

[Guest Rick Research]

Pale blue is combatant MMV2. Purply-red center is that noncombatant. Combination here of HOH3X, Mecklenburg war, EH3bX, and BrK is vital. There was an army general with same but EH3aX. The finish on these devices has evaporated and only shows strongly on the edges of the Xs. Classic wartime "popsicle stick" ribbon bar.

I oft cite these, now Officially Out of Print but STILL absolutely ESSENTIAL reference works:

and here ? the above he is-- one of the most obscure Pour le Merite "Blue Max" winners--

[Guest Rick Research]

[Guest Rick Research]

Fricke was also entitled (apparently received simply as a native of Brunswick) to the leaping horse in wreath device to his 2nd Class BrK ("BrK2a") and his 1st Class BrK1 is barely visible on his portrait above.

He did not serve in a Brunswick unit. This ribbon bar dates circa 1917 or perhaps the mini device was simply not readily available.

I've never seen a good portrait of him.

Ernestine award date in the 2008 published Rolls. Mecklenburg award date will be in the upcoming Rolls.

[Les]

I've never seen a good portrait of him.

How about this'un?

I noticed the date of death given as the spring of 1946. It's interesting that a fair number of junior officers awarded the PlM during WWI, and weren't all that old when WWII ended (mid or late 50's) seem to have keeled over before their "allotted" three-score and ten.

Les

Edited June 22, 2009 by Les

[Guest Rick Research]

Nice and sharp but... no ribbon bar.

I suspect, just as the wave of deaths early in 1919 (though that could have also been the influenza panemic) DEPRESSION was a major cause.

[Les]

Dan,

Note that during the "big one" he was an observer, not a pilot. There were only -eight- (nine if you count Schreiber) observers who were awarded the PlM. Pilots could run up their victory tallies to a predictable figure and assume the PlM wasn't far away if they survived. Observers who were awarded PlMs usually pioneered and established new methodologies or tactics over a long time period. For example, Hans Georg-Horn who was a "back seat" guy with FAA221(a), flew several hundred "Idfleg" missions in addition to standard observation flights. "Idfleg" for those who aren't familiar with the term, is low level infantry support ground attack missions. Against entrenched infantry with machine guns, these are nasty affairs... If memory serves me correctly, Fricke worked out methodology for the use of radio communications air/ground/air. I'll have to check my references on that, so till then don't quote me on that one.

Les

[Hauptmann]

Hope this is okay... this is his short bio from: German Knights Of The Air 1914-1918 The Holders Of The Orden Pour Le Merite by Terry C. Treadwell & Alan C. Wood:

Oberleutnant Hermann Fricke

(1890-?)

Hermann Fricke was born on 16 June 1890 at Munster, Westphalia. During the hot German summer of 1912, Hermann Fricke first took to the air as an aircraft passenger from a small airfield near Munster. The 22-year-old immediately realized that this was the element for him and applied to join the German Army Air Service. He was accepted and was assigned to Feldflieger Abteilung II. Two years later, on 1 July 1914, he realized his wish to fly as a pilot, and entered the German Flying School at Johannisthal for pilot training. In August 1914 he was awarded his pilot's certificate and rejoined his Feldflieger Abteilung unit in September as a reconnaissance pilot.

With the First World War now in progress he was posted, with his unit, to the Western Front and immediately began flying reconnaissance and artillery spotting sorties. Having an interest in photography he began to apply this knowledge to taking aerial photographs of Allied positions. His efforts met with considerable success, which was recognised by the German High Command with the award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the Knight's Cross of the Hohenzollern House Order. Wishing to experience what the German infantry was going through on the ground, he asked to be allowed to command an infantry company for a short time. His unusual request was granted and he had a front-line ground command for several weeks. Rejoining his unit he was better able to understand the problems of the German infantry soldier - the principal ones being to get to know the positions of the Allies and the strength of the opposition.

During the battles at the Somme, Arras and Flanders, Fricke flew sortie after sortie taking aerial photographs of the ground struggle beneath his reconnaissance aircraft. Throughout the harsh, muddy winter of 1916-17 the German High Command instructed the now Oberleutnant Fricke to establish a War Photography Office at their Headquarters. Fricke was appointed to the command of a new unit - Group 2 Series Photography Unit. He equipped his unit's aircraft with "Reihenbilder" built-in cameras. These cameras were capable of photographing amile long strip of the ground below, and these were joined together to form an invaluable photographic aerial view of Allied positions. Fricke's aerial photographic maps provided the German High Command with the means to deploy and direct their forces on the ground to good effect.

Oberleutnant Fricke had by now flown well over 160 combat sorties, and his unit had photographed some 3,700 square miles of Allied positions with their aerial cameras. On 23 December 1917 Fricke's innovative aerial photographs gained him the award of the Pour le Merite - for outstanding combat service as both pilot and observer with Fliegerabteilung Nr. 2.

Oberleutnant Hermann Fricke continued to fly to the end of the First World War and he flew again in the Second World War in the Luftwaffe.

Dan :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

Is there by chance a full list of his awards by the end of WWII? On the pic of him in the Luftwaffe I can clearly see the PLM, that he was awarded the IC 1st and 2nd class again in WWII, he has the Luftwaffe Pilots badge but there's what appears to be another badge to the left of that and another to the right. The one on the left seems black and the one on the right I can't see well enough... could be a Luftwaffe badge or even his WWI Observers or Pilots badge perhaps.

Would love to know for sure.

Dan :cheers:

[Guest Rick Research]

That is his BrK1--

with observer badges from WW1 and the Luftwaffe. As far as his ribbon bar goes-- the 5 WW1s you've got, Hindenburg X, and two Luftwaffe long services 12 and 4.

[Hauptmann]

Rick... you are indeed a miracle worker!!!!

Many, many thanks!!!!

Dan :cheers:

[Daniel Krause]

Nice wartime-only bar of a brave soldier!!!! Congratulations!

Did somebody already noticed that he got a KO4 before the war?

Greetings

Daniel

[Deruelle]

Hi,

According to O'Connor, here is date of awards of Herman Fricke.

Observer's Badge : January 1914.

EK2 : October 22, 1914

BrK2 : March 6, 1915

EH3bX : March 8, 1916

MK2 : September 15, 1916

HHO3X : March 11, 1917

PlM : December 23, 1917

BrK1 : June 24, 1918

EK1 : no date

Here is the photo of the replication that O'Connor realized.

Christophe

[Deruelle]

I can't find the KO4 in the Rangliste 1914. He served with the I.R. Nr. 77 just before the war but there is nothing. He probably received this order between publication and the beginning of the war

Christophe

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch: Daniel-- what source says he got a KO4? He was a simple young platoon Leutnant in Inf Rgt 77 in June 1914-- not exactly the sort of job that earned anybody one.

I have NEVER been able to find GOOD portraits of him, but even in the crappy Luftwaffe Generals bio one above, there is not one shown on that ribbon bar.

[Les]

Daniel-- what source says he got a KO4? He was a simple young platoon Leutnant in Inf Rgt 77 in June 1914-- not exactly the sort of job that earned anybody one.

Rick,

A few years back I researched Hans Georg Horn, FAA221(a). Horn entered service in 1913, but was not commissioned until the late fall of 1914, after the Aufmarsch. He was awarded the PlM on the same day Fricke received his (23 Dec. 1917). I located and acquired a complete copy of Horn's WWI and WWII military records, along with an assortment of political and related reports regarding him. During WWII, Horn became a Nationalsocialist-forschungs Offizer (NSFO), whose job duties included political indoctrination of the enlisted ranks, political fitness reports on fellow officers, etc. (Yes, he was a NSDAP member and I have a copy of his party application form, his party number, etc.)

Records for WWII (political and other) officers are available, but you have to know how the German "Affensachel" works and how to use it to your advantage.

When he was de-mobbed in 1919, his WWI service record was given in detail. The WWI awards however, were not complete. There is a date for his being awarded the EKII, EKI, and PLM. Nothing else for WWI. O'Connor's search of the rolls however turned up additional information.

Horn's records are a lesson that tells me, sometimes the official records miss things. When the personnel files (developed from the information entered directly into the Soldbuch and/or Wehrpass) are incomplete or never recorded, the Ranglisten which takes it's information from regimental records, may also suffer.

The Germans do, and did make mistakes. Anyone thinking otherwise, should ponder the events of late 1914, the invasion of Russia in 1941, and a few other mistakes that don't require much effort to turn into a list.

Les

[Guest Rick Research]

"official records miss things"

which is why period photos-- GOOD ones with NICE sharp clear ribbon bars -- are so important. There were MANY awards that were NEVER listed in Rank Lists-- but decorations were supposed to be.

[Les]

"official records miss things"

which is why period photos-- GOOD ones with NICE sharp clear ribbon bars -- are so important. There were MANY awards that were NEVER listed in Rank Lists-- but decorations were supposed to be.

Hallelujah, and amen from the peanut gallery. Use and pass the large format box cameras, Rolleiflexes and Nikon's along ! Those old medium and large format cameras were able to capture amazing amounts of detail, depth of field, and image clarity because of the type of lenses used then, but not no mo regarding the new stuff. Camera lenses ain't what they used to be.

Les

[Guest Rick Research]

Case in point:

1901 Rangliste WRONG, photo RIGHT

1902 Rangliste WRONG, photo RIGHT

1903 Rangliste WRONG, photo RIGHT

1904 Rangliste WRONG, photo RIGHT

you, ah, get the idea

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=37713&hl=

Now, a skeptical or cynical person would suspect that a Research Gnome who said 5 years of century plus old contemporary official military records are WRONG was... mistaken. And a Research Gnome who had NOT seen that photo would have had NO way to know that year after year after year the Prussian Army had screwed up and didn't fix the error.

Which is why Research Gnomes like to triangulate and box in data from numerous sources that check against each other. In this, our natural .. OCD ... is "assisted" by that fact that the obscure and arcane sources are innumerable and often fragmentary.

If there was just ONE place to look it would be "easy." But there isn't and it isn't. That is why Research Gnomes can and do fail to find things and make mistakes. But it's really not our faults. It's some long dead sloppy dumb **** of a proofreading clerk.

And, of course, if that One Source was the 1901 Prussian-W?rttemberg Rank List... :speechless1:

[Les]

Which is why Research Gnomes like to

Look Ma', no bars!

Monsieur Rickee....this photo is for you.

Note that every last man in the photo has one of those neck thingies on, but nary a ribbon bar in sight. You -know- they had more to get that thingie, but these guys didn't seem to be part of the flaunt if you got it mentality. It's almost as if these guys were thinking "yeah we know you're highly decorated but how few medals can you wear and still get respect."

These guys are easy to identify, and when others emulate the dress it down look, figuring out who they are gets harder if not impossible to do.

Les