Paul C Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 When the doors opened to the public last Friday at the show in Gunzenhausen I did a fast walk through to look for medal bars or ribbon bars that I could research. This bar with the following awards caught my eye: 1914 EK2 HOH3X BMV4X MMV2 FEK WHDA25 WHDA12 ÖM3X After doing my initial research I was at the door the first thing Saturday morning and went in and bought the bar. My initial research, plus confirmation from 2 forum members who I will let chime in on this, confirmed the bar to GFM Walter Model! One of the keys to the ID was the BMV4X being LT grade so I knew the bar belong to someone in the Reichwehr because without the time in the Reichwehr that officer would not have had enough time for the 25 year long service which was instituded in 1938. The only person in the Reichwehr, army or navy, who had the above combination is GFM Model who earned the RKEK with Diamonds in WWII. So take a look at the bar and I will present more evidence for the ID. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS POST UNTIL I HAVE FINISHED AND SAID "OK TO REPLY" Thanks
Paul C Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 A pic of the back. the HOH3X is a Wagner and the FEK is a Godet.
Paul C Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 Below is the 1925 Ranklist entry for Model. The abbreviation "TH" is for the Turkish Star.So his entry matches.
Paul C Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 I was luckly enough to acquire a book about Model that was printed in 1991 by his son. I acquired the book from a fellow forum member and I want to thank him very much. The books helps bring the bar to life.
Paul C Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 The books is over 400 pages with documents of Model's career and over 20 pictures of Model. The best picture in the book shows Model circe 1926 with his medal bar. The picture was originally flip felt to right and I have corrected it. The bar clearly shows his WWI awards. It is an exist match minus the FEK and 2 long service.
Paul C Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 One of the interesting documents in the is the award document for the HOH3X.
Paul C Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 I also purchased a new book at the show which is just on Feldmarshall's and Grossadmirales. Below is a really good color pic of Model with his RKEK with oakleaves and swords.The pictures is dated May 1944 so it is before he received the diamonds to the RK. Any comments are welcomed. OK TO REPLY
Deruelle Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Paul, I want to be the first to congrat you for this very impressive purchase. Great research too Christophe
Guest Rick Research Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 If ever there was an example of WHY an Imperial German/Third Reich collector MUST have Rank Lista and Award Rolls this is it. We have seen other examples here at GMIC of "common" awards which are verifiably unique in combination but none will ever be more spectacular than this. Those of you who STILL are unable to see the advantages of tedious study and reference books... would have been among the thousands of others who have walked by this bar and seen no more than a chipped BMV4X, a damp-stained MMV2, and a Godet bar with red rather than gray backing. We saw all those things AND who wore it. :whistle:
dond Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Great find Paul. You've rescued his bar from obscurity. Congratulations. Don
Guest Darrell Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 .......... Those of you who STILL are unable to see the advantages of tedious study and reference books... would have been among the thousands of others who have walked by this bar and seen no more than a chipped BMV4X, a damp-stained MMV2, and a Godet bar with red rather than gray backing. We saw all those things AND who wore it. Paul, I assume from what Rick has said that the bar was NOT sold as advertised as belonging to Model?
Paul C Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 Darrel, That is correct. The dealer was selling without an ID.
Guest Darrell Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Darrel, That is correct. The dealer was selling without an ID. Well ... that in itself is almost positive proof in the pudding. You have to wonder sometimes when bars are "advertised" as belonging to somebody of importance is actually the case. Just like the collector can use the rolls to ID bars, the fakers as such to makeup "correct" groups.
Naxos Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 WOW! Congratulations Paul on the medal bar find of the decade!
RAO Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 Hi Paul, once again congratulations. Can you post me the number left down from the award document? Thanks + Regards Mike
joe campbell Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 i'll jump in, too!! what a find! i think this is a most appropriate reward for all the work you have done. can i at least borrow it for a few weeks???? joe
NavalMark Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 Yes, incredible. this method of identifying medalbars and to give them a name is incredible. Your conclusion that this bar once belonged to Model must include the proof that: -no other officer of army, airforce or navy could have had a bar with the same combination (please dont insist that no naval officer had a red backing on the bar) -this bar is a non altered version from Model between 1936 and 1939 without any 3rd Reich-award, no occupation-medals, no clasp 1939 on the EK. May be its from Model, may be from an other officer. But a nice bar at all. Regards Markus
Claudio Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 Nice bar Paul! It was nice to see it in flesh and personally... The MVO4x looks like a Jakob Leser with center Gold medallion (L)... Do you have the awards date, like for instance for the MVO4x? It would be nice to see if it was an early WWI awarded MVO... ;-) Now what you need is to find the photograph of Model wearing this bar... that might be a bit tougher! Good luck! Ciao, Claudio
Paul C Posted October 17, 2009 Author Posted October 17, 2009 Yes, incredible. this method of identifying medalbars and to give them a name is incredible. Your conclusion that this bar once belonged to Model must include the proof that: -no other officer of army, airforce or navy could have had a bar with the same combination (please dont insist that no naval officer had a red backing on the bar) -this bar is a non altered version from Model between 1936 and 1939 without any 3rd Reich-award, no occupation-medals, no clasp 1939 on the EK. May be its from Model, may be from an other officer. But a nice bar at all. Regards Markus The proof is in the Reichwehr, army and navy, ranklists. I have looked through the ranklists and there is no other officer with this combination. Also it was not uncommon for an officer to NOT upgrade his medal bar with the no occupation medals (flower war). In regards to the EK2 clasp, I have seen pictures of Model wearing the clasp on the ribbon in the tunic. Once the war started a General did not have much need to wear a parade medal bar so it was not upgraded with clasps.
Paul C Posted October 17, 2009 Author Posted October 17, 2009 The date Model was awarded the BMV4X was 29.03.1915. It is an early BMV and his award date was early war, so another piece of proof.
Claudio Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 (edited) Hi Paul, Yes, I saw it too!!! Auszeichnungen des GFM Walter Model (see Wikipedia: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Model ) Eisernes Kreuz (1914) II. Klasse am 20. September 1914 Bayerischer Militärverdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern am 29. März 1915Eisernes Kreuz (1914) I. Klasse am 19. Oktober 1915Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern am 26. Februar 1917Mecklenburgisches Militärverdienstkreuz II. Klasse am 22. November 1917Österreichisches Militärverdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration am 22. November 1917 Türkischer Eiserner Halbmond am 22. November 1917 Verwundetenabzeichen (1918) in Schwarz am 27. August 1918 Spanienkreuz am 31. Mai 1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz II. Klasse am 22. September 1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz I. Klasse am 2. Oktober 1939Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber am 29. August 1941Verwundetenabzeichen (1939) in Gold am 25. Mai 1942Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 am 15. Juli 1942Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten Ritterkreuz am 9. Juli 1941Eichenlaub am 17. Februar 1942 (74. Verleihung)Schwerter am 2. April 1943 (28. Verleihung)Brillanten am 17. August 1944 (17. Verleihung)Nennung im Wehrmachtsbericht am 21. Februar 1942; 3. September 1943; 5. August 1944; 19. April 1945 Edited October 17, 2009 by Claudio
M Hunter Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 I also purchased a new book at the show which is just on Feldmarshall's and Grossadmirales. Below is a really good color pic of Model with his RKEK with oakleaves and swords.The pictures is dated May 1944 so it is before he received the diamonds to the RK. Any comments are welcomed. OK TO REPLY Paul, My congratulations also! A great bar and piece of history to own. What is the title of the above mentioned book? Thanks Matt
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