"Heeres- und Marine-Luftschiffen" badge & group of decorations

[larsb001]

Hello All.

I have recently bought this group. It comes directly from a private family and have not been on the market before. This is not really my area of collecting but sometimes I see something that I really like. I may sell it later on but right now I'm quite excited with this.

It consists of of fine example of the "Erinnerungsabzeichen für die Besatzungen von Heeres- und Marine-Luftschiffen".

Obverse ..

and reverse. I cannot find any markings ..

[larsb001]

And it comes with the related document to "Obersignalmaat Ruskowski".

[larsb001]

It also consists of his full size medal bar with no exceptionel awards, a EK II, 1914, a Hamburg cross and a LS cross and a smaller medal bar which also contains the ribbon for the 1914-18 cross.

[larsb001]

Fortunately the award document for the Hamburg Cross is present and from that I got the information, that he had been on board the Marine Airship L4. The document have been folded many times and is not in the best condition, but perfectly readable.

[larsb001]

And fortunately the is available information about the L4 – and L3 which fates are closely linked.

L 4 was stationed at Fuhlsbüttel outside Tønder and has an interesting story. It was the Imperial Navy's 4^th Airship but as L1 and L2 crashed in 1913 it was the second to see action in WW 1. Together with L3 it was the first Airship to bomb England.

On it's last mission L 3 departed from Fuhlsbüttel together with L 4 on February 17 1915 to do surveillance off the Norwegian coast. Due to hard weather the L3 crashed on the beach of the Danish island Fanoe. L 4 had a similar fate on this day; it suffered from lack of fuel and had to land north of Blaavandshuk in the western part of Denmark. When the L 4 hit the beach 11 of the crew jumped off but relieved from this weight the Airship took off again and disappeared with the remaining 4 crew members. L 4 was never found.

The crew from L 3 and the 11 surviving crewmembers from L 4 were detained in the town of Odense for the rest of the war. Or was they?

(Picture copied from the below mentioned museums homepage without permission, but I'd placed a little promotion instead!!)

It appears that one of the officers from L 4, lt. Lt. z. S. Kruse, became officer on Zeppelin L 60 from 01 April 1918 to 19 July 1918. So maybe the detention didn't lasted throughout the war, and maybe Karl Ruskowski rejoined as well?

It is obvious that Karl Ruskowski was entitled to the Naval Airship badge (the document is Navy stamped and signed) and it is a given fact that he had the Army version.

Could it be that he returned to active service in 1918 and could it be that he was transferred to an Army unit and thus later on purchased the Army version? I don't know if this could have happened but maybe someone here knows?

Or could the explanation for the Army badge be that someone bought the wrong badge for his as a gift or could he mistakenly have bought the wrong badge himself?

This is one mystery that I assume will never be solved!

What else do I know. It appears that Karl Ruskowski meet the girl that later became his wife during his detention in Odense and thus the Danish connection.

Apart from this I hope that someone here can supply other information on this man? Any information will be appreciated.

********

The town of Tønder is situated in the southern part of Denmark. After the war of 1864 that part was lost to Germany and thus the Airship base was German land during WW 1. In 1920 there were an election and a part of the land that was lost in 1864 returned to Denmark.

Today Tønder is Danish and last year a museum was opened on the old base. Much more information can be found on their homepage in both Danish, German and English. Have a look and pay them a visit if you're in that area one day.

http://www.zeppelin-museum.dk

[HeikoGrusdat]

:speechless1: Now that is a really really great thing you have there !!! Absolutely rare find - congratulations !!! :jumping:

[Wild Card]

Ditto.

Congratulations!

Wild Card

[Claudius]

Hello All.

I have recently bought this group. It comes directly from a private family and have not been on the market before. This is not really my area of collecting but sometimes I see something that I really like. I may sell it later on but right now I'm quite excited with this.

It consists of of fine example of the "Erinnerungsabzeichen für die Besatzungen von Heeres- und Marine-Luftschiffen".

Obverse ..

and reverse. I cannot find any markings ..

Hello larsb001;

Nice documents.

If noone else will mention it, I'll say it...the badge confuses me...you said the badge came with the group of documents? Directly from the family? The quality isn't what I thought it would be. For one thing, the loops on the top are shorter and filled in!?! More importantly, this is an ARMY badge. If the L-4 was under the Navy, wouldn't the badge be a navy badge?

[jaba1914]

This is absolute a original period badge. I know three groups with a bagde like this. No doubt. this is one of the common bagdes.

This is not the first time i see a army badge for an navy Luftschiffer.

Regards Alex

Hello larsb001;

Nice documents.

If noone else will mention it, I'll say it...the badge confuses me...you said the badge came with the group of documents? Directly from the family? The quality isn't what I thought it would be. For one thing, the loops on the top are shorter and filled in!?! More importantly, this is an ARMY badge. If the L-4 was under the Navy, wouldn't the badge be a navy badge?

[Claudius]

This is absolute a original period badge. I know three groups with a bagde like this. No doubt. this is one of the common bagdes.

This is not the first time i see a army badge for an navy Luftschiffer.

Regards Alex

Thank you Alex. I was hoping you would respond to this thread!

Army badge for a Navy guy...I guess it's just another example of post-war deviation from the rules.

[Ferg1]

first rate period badge !! Ferg1.

[larsb001]

... to those interested, this grouping have now been offered for sale in the "Best Offer" section.

Regards, Lars

[clifton]

Hi,

Karl Ruskowski was my Great-Grand Uncle. I know a little about him and his wife. I am very interested on a copy of his Honor of the Hamburg Cross.

Please contact me!

clifton

[Ulsterman]

Outstanding group!!!!