Meiningen Updates For Owners of the 2008 Krause & Lundström Awards Rolls

[Guest Rick Research]

Please note the following additions to awards’ recipients in our German 1914-18 Rolls volumes published in 2008. This new data is from the Sachsen-Meiningen Medal for Merit in War (SMM) 1914-1919 Rolls. As of today I have completed transcribing ALL of the noncombatant ribboned SMMs and 6,538 combatant ribboned SMMs (to about May 1916). These soldiers received “Kämpferband” SMMs and should have that noted in their Krause System “remarks” columns for identifying medal bar groups—

Sachsen-Weimar: General Decoration in Silver X (GSAE2X or AEz2X)—

Ansorg, Uffz dL Friedrich

Bechler, VFw Karl

Fröbisch, Uffz Hugo

Fuchs, Uffz Karl (RIR 94)

Ihling, Uffz Adam (no first name on the Weimar Roll)

Müller, VFw Wilhelm (RIR 94)

Nestvogel, VFw Hermann

Otto, Uffz Armin (no first name on the Weimar Roll, IR 94)

Waldeck: Silver Merit Medal with Swords (WsVMX)—

Reum, Uffz dR Ernst

Württemberg: Recipients NOT gazetted in their Personal Nachrichten for the SMM appear to be the majority—of the first 29 found as of the Rolls line above, only 11 were so listed, and 9 of THEM had no first names in their own domestic gazette!!! For now, I will simply provide those LISTED recipients’ first names and their actual award dates (note the publication delay times). Pencil them in on your books—

Brachmann = Max (04.08.15)

Eyring = Paul (17.02.16)

Fischer = Max (28.09.15)

Hoßfeld = Erich (26.07.15)

Knauf = Edmund (10.02.16)

Meinunger = August (28.09.15)

Olbrich = Werner (28.09.15)

Spindler = Hermann (28.09.15)

Weyh = Otto ((28.09.15)

The sole enlisted recipient so far with awards from Sachsen-Meiningen and Mecklenburg-Strelitz has previously been mentioned in the ongoing Rolls Work thread pinned in this sub-forum. The Strelitz Rolls were completed early in 2009 and hope remains for those in a second round of our publications.

As can be seen from these remarkably few examples the incredible possibility of being able to identify ENLISTED RANKS’ medal bars with an SMM and some other DISTINCTIVE small state’s or UNUSUAL big state’s award(s) may actually be possible. Distinctions between regular army and navy non-commissioned officers and draftees or reservists will further sort out possible groups which contain Imperial military long service awards. But there were immensely many Saxons, and many more Bavarian “strays” than Württembergers, so those other two Kingdoms’ groups will be almost always hopeless barring some “trio” of awards that are known from other Rolls.

The sheer size of the combatant ribbon SMM Roll makes it painfully clear, as the dollar is deliberately ruined by its current masters, that it will most assuredly NOT ever be possible to publish THIS work—when completed I expect it to run over 700 printed pages (I have completed 193) as opposed to about 1,700 hand written ones. If and when possible, updated notes to our previously published rolls indicating award of an SMM will be posted for those Noble Lucky Few of you who have those printed Rolls, to note these awards combinations like the above in your volumes. In specifically requested recipients’ cases, award date and civil background can of course be provided from the SMM Rolls. Your support and patronage of our horrifically tedious and seemingly endless and futilely unremunerative labours in The Research Mines is all that keeps any of us in the Research Collective™®© going. Thank you.

[Daniel Krause]

great additions!!!!!

Greetings

Daniel

[Guest Rick Research]

SECOND UPDATE JANUARY 4, 2010—

Sachsen-Weimar: GSF4X—

Creutzberg, OffzSV IR 94—add first name Heinrich. Note that Reichsheer lists showing his awards are WRONG—he did NOT have an SMK, he had the SMM. Entries in those Rank Lists claiming “SW” and GSAE1X aka “SWA1X” are NOT verified by the Weimar Rolls and neither seems likely at all given the completeness of the SW Roll, the award of the GSF4X which would have outranked a GSAE1X, and the SMK ERROR. Period references are sometimes wrong and WE have to correct ancient mistakes! Creutzberg is last seen in my sources as a 1937 Oberstleutnant (E) in the May 1940 “B” DAL.

GSAE2X—

Reumann, Uffz IR 94—add first name August.

SMK in the Ernestine Duchies Volume—

For MORE period errors caught almost a century later by Yrs Truly--

Rhode—add first name Richard and note that he was actually a SAXON (See Roth’s Saxon Rolls and the Intendantur Ehrenrangliste). He was actually awarded an SMM on 01.04.15 which was NOT noted as replaced by the later SMK!!! There was another “missed replacement” among the Prussians, Kaiser, Arno: SMM in 1916 replaced but not so noted by his SMK in 1917. Conceivably these two Beamten could have cheerfully worn BOTH awards together, the vagueness of their award entries having caused the authorities not to notice they were supposed to give their SMMs back!

Württemberg Non-Württemberg Awards—

Wohlfarth, VFw—add first name Louis and his SMM actually awarded way back on 04.12.15 !

Note that all (and they were “all”) the Württemberg recipients of the SMM gazetted on 12.09.16 in Daniel’s Non-Württemberg awards to Württembergers in the WPN volume were awarded on 10.06.16.

These are the only five new additions to note up to SMM number 7,508, which is probably ABOUT 1/3 of the eventual final total on combatant ribbons.

Also, as a matter of statistical curiosity, of the 14 SMMS to this point which were replaced, cancelled, revoked, or returned—

1 was returned because the recipient was a frontline fatality (surprisingly no others are so listed!);

1 was revoked and returned for having previously received a Silver Medal with Swords of the Ernestine House Order (I know of no statutory requirement for this provision);

1 replaced a non-combatant ribbon with a combatant ribbon on his SMM;

1 award was refused by the recipient and returned;

4 were replaced by SMKs and the SMMs returned; and

6 were revoked by criminal court action: per a military tribunal in 1916, by a military court in 1917 (violation of hunting laws !), and Third Reich convictions in 1934 for 2 years, 1936 for 3 years, 1937 for 5 years, and 1939 for 3 years imprisonment. Except for the poacher (!) reasons are not noted.

SO FAR: 432 men in Saxon units were decorated, 311 in Baden units, 140 in Bavarian units, 76 members of the Imperial Navy, 40 soldiers (23 gazetted) in Württemberg units, 29 in Hessian units and… 22 civilians with “combatant” medals who would NOT have been eligible for a Hindenburg Cross in the 1930s.

Edited January 5, 2010 by Rick Research

[Guest Rick Research]

Here is another update at the 8,000 mark. If these seem... many and frequent it is only because my internet provider has announced they are going out of business, and I quote, "in 2010" so I never know from one instant to the next when that will be "it" for me online.

Coburg Ernestine Gold Medals X (EH5aX) recipients with SMM =

Baum, Albert

Ellenberger—Alfred is Vorname given in SMM Roll

Kirchner, August

Römhild, Wilhelm

Schlotter, Karl

Schnaus, Louis—Christian Louis per SMM Roll

[Guest Rick Research]

Just realized at this point (8,350) SMMs that I also had the 1914-18 Ernestine Medals in Silver with Xs from Coburg Roll and hadn’t done THEM because there seem to be about 4,000—I’d have been DONE then over a month ago. Aaaaaaaaaaagh.

In Combined Ernestines volume add to entry for his EH4X-Altenburg—

Krellert, Alfred, received EH4 without swords (!!!) from Altenburg on 13.05.16 (no return notation !!!) as FwLt “aus Rostitz, Kommandant Gefangenen Lager auf Flugplatz Leina”

Krellert did NOT receive an SMM, but the following did:

Sachsen-Weimar: General Decoration in Gold X (GSAE1X aka SWA1X or AEz1X)—

Schrön, Heinrich

Sachsen-Weimar: General Decoration in Silver X (GSAE2X aka SWA2X or AEz2X)—

Cyriax, Walter

[Guest Rick Research]

Mesdames et Messieurs

I am pleased to announce that the significant milestone of

entries have now been completed and by the end of this week-- assuming my internet provider emains in business

I expect to have all of calendar year 1916 completed.

Next update for Volume Holders to pencil in:

In combined Ernestines volume, add to SMK for

Otto, Armin—he also received the SMM (1916) which is NOT shown as returned and replaced, possibly because of his change in rank and unit. I wonder in cases like this whether he and others similarly confused as “two people” cheerfully wore BOTH awards forever afterwards….

Sachsen-Weimar: General Decoration in Silver X (GSAE2X or AEz2X)—

Lobenstein, Erich also received the SMM

Waldeck—under SVKX:

Kost—first name Albert. Received SMM and probably this same man is the Waldeck Silver Merit Medal X “Kost.”

Waldeck: Silver Merit Medal with Swords (WsVMX)— recipients of SMM =

Erbe—add first name Karl, Uffz in 1./ IR 83

Württemberg Non-Württemberg Awards—

Add to SMM entry for

Ehrhardt, Ferdinand: Uffz-- dL 6./ LIR 123 (actual date 30.11.16)

[Guest Rick Research]

Just crossed 10,600. Things have been going slowly, because the clerk who began the rolls retired or died in December 1916 and the new fellow....

Well, this is LIFE SIZE:

The "New Guy" wrote half his capital letters at a 45º angle on the start stroke, wrote h like ln and k like l< (I can't duplicate, but virtually impossible to distinguish his h and k), while writing the letter u identically with er. Microscopically, so that the tiny letters are often just blots of little round specks. I can't do these except in bright daylight and even then, often need a magnifying glass and all my years of experience decipheriung this stuff. 13,000 to go.

Have found 5 more MStMV2s (these latest all in same Alpenkorps unit with NO repeat NO repeat NO ties whatsoever to Meiningen) for a total of 6 Meiningen/Strelitz pairs.

Latest update for your volumes notation--

In Combined Ernestines Volume, under SMK to

Bittorf, Wilhelm—add SMM (no return notation) and killed in action 18.04.18 so would never have received or worn his SMK in any event

Sachsen-Weimar: General Decoration in Silver X (GSAE2X or AEz2X)—

Preißer, Ernst—also had SMM

Waldeck: Silver Merit Medal with Swords (WsVMX)—

Ramspott, August—as member of Jäger Regiment 2, received SMM

Edited January 24, 2010 by Rick Research

[IrishGunner]

Wow, that's incredible writing.

Even an Epson can't help you there! You are a better man than I... :ninja:

[Guest Rick Research]

That's why we do our nice neat alphabetized, data-added Rolls volumes.

Posterity will thank us, even though MY posterior, lumbar region, and typing-blunted fingies do not. :whistle:

[Guest Rick Research]

A very small update, but at a significant milestone. I've finished the first of two bound volumes of the hendwitten Roll, up to spring of 1917. Took 3 months, but have typed out 11,376 "K-Band" SMMs.

Pencil in that these NCOs got an SMM too:

Sachsen-Weimar: General Decoration in Silver X (GSAE2X or AEz2X)—

Hartmann, Otto—of 8./ IR 94

Richter, Gustav

Thielemann, Max