Craigs list find

[Bill Bourque]

Greetings, I dont do craigslist.com much. Im a life long German WW2 combat collector and I found an ad for a German WW2 War Merit Cross a few miles across town from me. I called and he told me he had more. This is the grouping I bought from him, I wasnt sure of the Imperial items. Some research and I identified the Royal Order of Hohenzollen Knights Cross with swords. The second was identified for me on WA.com as the Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross(thanks Noor) A thrilling find for me and much appreciated. It was mentioned to me that thru more experianced members here that one could possibly identify the origional owner. All comments greatly appreciated. Best,Bill Bourque

[Bill Bourque]

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[Bill Bourque]

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[Bill Bourque]

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[Guest Rick Research]

Should be identifiable with the Schwarzburg rolls, which alas we do not have.

It exists. It's been copied. We don't have access to it.

[Bear]

Hello Bill,

Could you post a picture of the sword pin with the writing on it.

thanks,

barry

[Guest Rick Research]

Have been digging in the Miserable No First Names Prussian mines.

Best SUSPECT at this point would be one Hauptmann der Reserve SCHRECK

Leutnant der Reserve 18.12.01 K2k

Oberleutnant dR ca 1910/11

Hauptmann dR ca 1916/17

In Infantry Regiment 96 as a reserve officer before the war with LD2 in 1914 (given his 1901 Leutnant date, a post-war LD1 as is on bar extremely likely), as of 1907 a Gerichts-Assessor in Stadilm i/Th?ringen.

Hohenzollern gazetted to a (typically) vague "Hptm dR Schreck" 3 September 1918, and the only other one who might have reached that rank was a Regierungs Baumeister/ Oberlt dR Schreck from IR 95, killed in action with RIR 82 in 1914--but he had a Prussian Crown Order 4 awarded 1913/14 as well.

Best I can come up with at this point.

[Scott]

Wow - nice haul!

[Bill Bourque]

Hello, thanks for your help and info, Here is a pic of the sword. Can anyone tell me more about it? Best, ill

[Naxos]

R. Hesse s/l G. Jordan, Halle a. / S.W.S. 96/97

A gift from R. Hesse to his friend G. Jordan in Halle an der Saale (German city in Saxony-Anhalt) 1896 - 1897

Edited July 16, 2009 by Naxos

[gregM]

All of this from answering one Craig's list add.

WOW--Well done.

[Guest Rick Research]

Must be "W(inter) S(emester)" at university then.

Alas, no way to link college students with initials to later reserve officers, since Prussian Rank Lists don't show first names. Neither appear to be suspects for the medal bar.

Probably some sort of duelling club item... nice!

VERY odd Russian dingus there on the yellow and blue ribbon watch fob type ribbon.

The matching ribbon bar which goes with the medal bar can, I hope, be restored without much alteration, just by replacing the easily obtained original 1914 Iron Cross ribbon lengths. Is there a cloth backing on the reverse of the ribbon bar, or simply the ribbons sewn down? Let me know how it's made--

If you can't find original 15mm silk Iron Cross ribbons to fix that, I've got enough here to send you some.

[Eric Stahlhut]

is the 25-year vet's honor pinback cross to the left of the medal bar hallmarked to "r. conrad weimar"?

[Bill Bourque]

is the 25-year vet's honor pinback cross to the left of the medal bar hallmarked to "r. conrad weimar"?

Hello Eric, yes it is. Bill

[Bill Bourque]

Must be "W(inter) S(emester)" at university then.

Alas, no way to link college students with initials to later reserve officers, since Prussian Rank Lists don't show first names. Neither appear to be suspects for the medal bar.

Probably some sort of duelling club item... nice!

VERY odd Russian dingus there on the yellow and blue ribbon watch fob type ribbon.

The matching ribbon bar which goes with the medal bar can, I hope, be restored without much alteration, just by replacing the easily obtained original 1914 Iron Cross ribbon lengths. Is there a cloth backing on the reverse of the ribbon bar, or simply the ribbons sewn down? Let me know how it's made--

If you can't find original 15mm silk Iron Cross ribbons to fix that, I've got enough here to send you some.

Hello, here are pics of the ribbon bar. Bill

[Bill Bourque]

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[Paul C]

If all of the lapel bows go the the medal bar then I do not think it is SCHRECK because one of the lapel bows has a Hindenburg Cross ribbon from 1934.

[Guest Rick Research]

That one doesn't belong-- this is a mixture of "grab bag goodies." The medal bar, ribbon bar, mini Hohenzollern and single lapel bow for the Hohenzollern all go together as an exceptionally nice set.

Too bad there is a backing on the ribbon bar, since it would have ebeen easier to re-stitch if it had been the kind with just ribbons sewn together. I would NOT attempt to re-sew anything there since that would remove more originality than it would fix, but a couple of lengths of Iron Cross ribbon slipped in loose under the backing, and with the device (type normally used for Crown Orders with Swords, naughty man) placed in the new ribbon would look fine for display. Age unfortunately often "stretches" ribbon so the rough metal backing saws them off, which is what happened there.

I have every confidence that this combination will ultimately be name-able-- an HOH3X, SEK3X from Rudolstadt, and the XX will be distinctive enough with the complete Rolls eventually to pick him out... even if his first name remains lost. :(

[Kev in Deva]

Congratulations on a great find!

Some nice looking eye-candy!

Kevin in Deva. :beer:

[Daniel Krause]

Beside of Schreck, only 2 other Officers come in question:

Adam, no first name, or Otto Wolff, both SEK3X as OLtdR in IR 71, both MAYBE HOH3X as Hptm dR, both hab as well LD2 peacetime.

Best regards

Daniel

[Daniel Krause]

?hemmm...

if that funny little sword belongs to the group....

There was a HdL Jordan who got the HOH3X and a HdR Jordan who got the SEK3X, MAYBE it is the same and the Schwarzburg guys put in the wrong rank in the roll.

Greetings

Daniel