Strange Ribbon Bar

[Paul R]

I have this ribbon bar in my collection. What do you think?

The problems I have are the swords present on the TR era Social Services medal and the lack of an HK... Unless the Social Services Ribbon is something else...

Please post your thoughts.

Thank you in advance

Paul

[Paul R]

back

[Paul R]

close up of the swords

[Guest Rick Research]

Those are classic WW1 style swords. They appear to be bronze, so I'm wondering if they have been PAINTED silver, which would be a no-no?

Without the swords I'd have no problems with this as a total civilian bar.

[Bob Hunter]

Here's one to a cop with later swords.

[Paul R]

Thank you for posting your bar Bob... I know that I saw this question addressed some time ago on the WAF, yet why would anyone have a Social Welfare medal with swords?

Rick,

I will have to take a better look of the swords in a better light later... I cannot tell if the silver is painted on or not.

Paul

[Stogieman]

Hi Paul, your 2-place bar could be as simple as a WW1 Civilian recipient of the Prussian War Aid Cross.... as a civilian, no Honor Cross.

[Paul R]

Thanks Rick, But waht do the swords represent?

Edited December 9, 2005 by Paul Reck

[Paul R]

Can someone tell me what the swords represent?

[Chris Boonzaier]

Maybe it is a 3rd reich welfare medal and a small village tailor just slapped whatever swords he had in the box on...

I will bet in a small village in upper silesia or lower bavaria noone would have cared what the local fireman/redcrossman/Luftschutzman had on his tunic.

If it was a soldiers bar.... maybe then it would be more strict....

[Paul R]

So, there was no standardized(authorized) reason for swords to be placed onto this ribbon?

[Guest Rick Research]

Well yes there was-- and that ain't it. That's why I reserve judgement and cannot account for it.

Lots of monkey fingers did lots of things bad over many long years. No way to tell WHAT that is actually supposed to be from just the ribbons.

I can't imagine a Volkspflege with Swords to some civilian with a WW1 Prussian War Effort Cross.. in that order and with nothing else.

The metal parts on the bar are Feldgrau painted stock from 1916+, "used up" into the 1930s from leftovers. I suspect the Red Cross/Volkspflege ribbon is actually replacing something from WW1 that both the outfitter and the wearer thought was "close enough for gubamint work."

[Paul R]

Man do I hate the little critter fingers!!

[Chris Boonzaier]

I suspect the Red Cross/Volkspflege ribbon is actually replacing something from WW1 that both the outfitter and the wearer thought was "close enough for gubamint work."

We live in a village that, during the war, had some red cross, some firemen etc. etc. Our old neighbour, an bitchy old woman, has never been more than 50kms form the village (she is over 80).

The village got tarred roads in the 50s, a doctor in the 60s, people used to keep pigs in their backyards until the 60s, and drive cattle through the village.

That may not go a long way to explaining the swords on this medal... but I think that in places like this... the ass end of the 1000 year reich... maybe they just stuck things together that looked "good enough" on a local level...

Of course... 100% guesswork, and you may never be able to prove the bar is good or bad... but I would say... grey area.