3-piece chain

[Peter J]

My latest acquisition, the SS and HC are really in mint condition, the RAO has some wear to the colour on the enamel.

[Peter J]

reverse

[VtwinVince]

That is the oddest combination of awards I've seen in a long time.

[Paul C]

I would say that this combination is very unlikely. To have only a Red Eagle Order and no Prussian long service is very odd, as well as, no other award for WWI service and then to top it off with eight years of SS service, highly unlikely.

[Claudio]

I was thinking the same... plus that guy must have been quite old, if he was a father of the fallen son in WWI... just a RAO4 and no other pre-1918 decoration... mmmhhh.... I don't know about that!

Ciao,

Claudio

[HeikoGrusdat]

always the same problem......... nothing is as easy to change as a mini on a chain...... no chance for this one!!! :shame:

[Peter J]

Thanks for the input guys, you're more than likely correct that it's a put-together. I see no problems with originality of the decorations as such, please let know should you feel differently.

[Ulsterman]

I admit I know NOTHING about the originality of minis, but there were LOTs of people who ONLY got an REO and nothing else in their careers. These were often socially prominent businessfolk or professionals.

The SS medal though-that's a stretch.

[Valter]

Everything SS related is very prone to faking. And an SS LS award without NSDAP LS is even more suspicious. Since RAO mini is worn while hindy and SS are mint, it's very likely these two are replacements for something more common - prussian LS, centennary medal or whatever.

[Peter J]

Hi Valter,

"And an SS LS award without NSDAP LS is even more suspicious" I'm not sure why this should be an axiom, can you please elaborate as to why.

[Valter]

Hi Peter,

here is "my" explanation I owe you and other members. I have to confess that my concerns about seeing sole SS LS award (without NSDAP LS) is based on an article of Richard Lundström from Wehrmacht-awards forum:

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/related/ribbons/exotica.htm

Since Mr. Lundström's article is posted in general part of WAF page (not member-only) I took the liberty to quote the relevant part here:

"SS long service awards were only granted to three categories of personnel: career enlistees in the SS-Verfügungstruppe (later "Waffen-SS"), and staffs of SS-Junkerschulen (Officer Training Schools) and Totenkopfverbánde (Concentration Camp personnel). All other members of the SS simply received the same NSDAP long service awards that career uniformed personnel of any Nazi Party organization received. Members of the few SS branches entitled to their own long service awards also wore the Party awards, with the SS one (only a single SS award could be worn, though all three NSDAP awards could be worn together) first. ..."

Since the SS was (considered elite) part of NSDAP, and since SS LS awards were awarded only to a very limited portion of (career) SS members, almost all career members of SS were also members of NSDAP, and as employees of SS, they were technically also employees of NSDAP; so entitled for NSDAP LS awards too. (NSDAP LS awards were awarded only to career NSDAP personell, not to all party members!) So, it is the far most common combination that a person who was entitled for SS LS award got NSDAP LS too. There were very few exceptions when career SS members were not party members, but that was rare indeed.

Here's another part of mr. Lundström's article about this subject.

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/related/ribbons/good_bad_ugly.htm

If me (and my source) are wrong, I deeply apologize.

Regards, Valter

[Peter J]

Thanks Valter, another piece of the big puzzle discovered. :beer: