Order of the Rising Sun -to Imp. German recipients

[Claudius]

Hello;

Is there a Japanese list of non-Japanese award holders? Specifically, for Germans who were awarded the Order of the Rising Sun -6th class and above.

Did the Japanese even keep such records?

[Paul L Murphy]

The Japanese kept such a record (all awards were numbered consecutively in the award roll and there was a different roll for foreign recipients). Unfortunately all the medal and order rolls were destroyed in the fire bombing of Tokyo during WWII so the information is no longer available.

[Claudius]

Hmmmm. Thank you Paul for the information. It would seem an all-too-common fate during WWII.

[beriwilliams]

There were many awards to Imperial German Officers including:

Bismarck: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum

Caprivi: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun

Bernhard, Furst von Bulow: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, with Paulownia

Tirpitz: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, with Paulownia

Wilhelm II: Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum

Prince Heinrich of Prussia: Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum (he had earlier been decorated with the Grand Cordon of this Order)

Kronprinz Wilhelm: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum

Prinz Eitel-Friedrich of Prussia: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum

Prinz Adalbert of Prussia: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum

GFM Karl von Bulow: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure

GO Helmuth, Graf von Moltke: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, and Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure

there were many, many others

[Gensui]

Claudius,

Well, there are some (Japanese written) sources, e.g. at the (online) Japan Center for Asian Historical Resource (“JACAR”).

For Imperial Germany, you can put it the other way round: with some (obviously) heavy time-consuming effort, you may be able to figure out any German recipients by using German sources. You know about my PhD project and I can recommend you following (German-written) books:

DEUTSCHER OFFIZIERS=BUND (1926): Ehren=Rangliste des ehemaligen Deutschen Heeres auf Grund der Ranglisten von 1914 mit den inzwischen eingetretenen Veränderungen. Berlin: Ernst Siegfried Mittler und Sohn.

KRIEGSMINISTERIUM, GEHEIME KRIEGS=KANZLEI (1914): Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee und des XIII. (Königlich Württembergische) Armeekorps für 1914. Mit den Dienstalters-Listen der Generalität und der Stabsoffiziere und einem Anhange erhaltend das Reichsmilitärgericht, das Ostasiatische Detachement, die Marine-Infanterie, die Kaiserlichen Schutztruppen, die Gendarmerie-Brigade in Elsaß-Lothringen. Nach dem Stande vom 6. Mai 1914). Berlin: Ernst Siegfried Mittler und Sohn.

You will not only find any Japanese awards, but other non-German decoration as well!

BR, Chris

[Claudius]

Hello all;

I'm really glad to see my old thread alive. Thank you beriwilliams and Chris for your responses. When I posted my question I was buying an imperial German medal bar with a RS on it. I was hoping to ID the recipient by cross-referencing known recipients of the RS.

Unfortunately, after I purchased the medal bar online, the dealer lost my order and let someone else buy it from under me.

Nevertheless, these appear to be great sources and if I ever get a bar (in my hands) with a RS or ST, I will delve into them.

Thank you again.