Freikorps Certificates...

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

does anyone have any nice Freikorps documents to share?

[kunsho]

...just only one year has past and now the first dokument will be shown :-)

Edited April 25, 2008 by kunsho

[Chris Boonzaier]

I dont really concentrate on Freikorps, but on occasion something turns up...

These two for one of the first members of Marinebrigade Erhardt...

[Chris Boonzaier]

And his verdienst abzeichen which seems to have been awarded to guys who had served for a year in the FK

[Chris Boonzaier]

This to a guy who served with von Brandis in the IR24, He got the EK1 as Unteroffizier in 1918 and continued on with von Brandis into the FK. Von Brandis wrote a book on his experiances in the Baltic, one day I hope to see if "my guy" gets a mention...

[Chris Boonzaier]

and how it was to be worn...

[Eric K.]

What the?!?!?! Am I reading this right? Could this possibly be the end to the "unofficial" pinback configuration?

Eric

[Chris Boonzaier]

What the?!?!?! Am I reading this right? Could this possibly be the end to the "unofficial" pinback configuration?

Eric

Hi,

from what I can see the pinpack seems to be the Official one, along with a buttonhole ribbon, and the ones on the bars seem to be unofficial....

[Eric K.]

Didn't see that coming, and all these years I thought it was the opposite way.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Eric K.

[Odulf]

Size: 38 x 29 cm

Issued to: Lieutenent Walther Pientka from Duisburg,

who served in the Freikorps: Freiwilliges-Landes-Jäger-Korps.

Signature: Wilhelm Reinhard, Bundesführer of the Deutsche Reichskriegerbund / Kyffhäuserbund, and organiser of the Freikorps Reinhard.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Odulf

[Odulf]

Baltenkreuz

Size: A5

to a Vize-Feldwebel of the I. Bataillon. 3. Kurlandische Inf-Rgt., of the Iron Division

Signature: Hauptmann Kiewitz

Edited April 2, 2011 by Odulf

[bolewts58]

Hi,

from what I can see the pinpack seems to be the Official one, along with a buttonhole ribbon, and the ones on the bars seem to be unofficial....

Sorry. The pinback was not the official version. The cross originally was to be worn on the ribbon. It says it right here:..."auf der linken unteren Brustseite getragen... Band is blauweiss geteilt"...on the lower left chest...the ribbon is blue and white.

Often, both were worn at the same time. The pinback came about because the Russian emigres serving with Avalov_Bermondt in the Russian Westarmee wore a screwback version, slightly smaller and with thicker, boxy arms; similar in style to Russian regimental badges. I owned one of these. But, unfortunately sold it in 1995.

This together with the fact that the medal was not popular with German members of the Russian Westarmee led to the German pinback version. This is why it is much more common, with more variations than the ribbon award.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Sorry. The pinback was not the official version. The cross originally was to be worn on the ribbon. It says it right here:..."auf der linken unteren Brustseite getragen... Band is blauweiss geteilt"...on the lower left chest...the ribbon is blue and white.

Often, both were worn at the same time. The pinback came about because the Russian emigres serving with Avalov_Bermondt in the Russian Westarmee wore a screwback version, slightly smaller and with thicker, boxy arms; similar in style to Russian regimental badges. I owned one of these. But, unfortunately sold it in 1995.

This together with the fact that the medal was not popular with German members of the Russian Westarmee led to the German pinback version. This is why it is much more common, with more variations than the ribbon award.

Sorry, it says on the left LOWER breast side, or the Blue white ribbon can be worn IN THE BUTTONHOLE (Like the EK2).

There are not many medals with ribbons that are worn on the lower part of the uniform.

Best

Chris

[bolewts58]

I know it says lower chest or breast. It actually says on the left, lower chest. I agree that it could refer to the pinback. But, I still maintain that the medal was originally supposed to be worn on a ribbon bar.

Knopfloch in this case, in my opinion refers to a miniature and ribbon, or ribbon alone being worn as a buttonhole device on civilian dress. But, it could possibly mean what you say.

However, in 50 years of collecting, I've never seen a picture of anyone wearing a Baltic Cross ribbon in the buttonhole like an EK, which doesn't mean it didn't happen. But, I somehow doubt it. Few awards were allowed to be worn in the buttonhole on the tunic along with the EK, except some State war merit cross ribbons.

But, it should be noted that they played pretty fast and loose with regulations during this period, expecially in the Baltic, and expecially in the 2nd phase of the operation when they essentially revolted and refused to return after being ordered home by the Weimar government.

It's fine to take what I or anyone says with a grain of salt. But, the bottom line is I wouldn't base a definitive opinion on the back of one award document, even if it is the standard issue document.

Fortunately, there's a lot more reference material available now, than there was when I first started collecting Freikorps material in the 70s. Then, there were only von Solomon's book, a few books in German by former Freikorps leaders like Erhardt and von Oven, Robert GL Waite's Vanguard of Nazism and the 2 self-published catalogues of insignia and awards by Verkuilen Ager.

I would rank Verkuilen as the leading world expert on the Freikorps, it's insignia and awards. His first book about Freikorps awards states that the Baltic cross with ribbon was the official award. Several references books since have used Verkuilen as a source of information. I also had an award document, bought from Verkuilen in 1978, (since sold, unfortunately) that stated in the citation - 'to be worn on the blue-white ribbon'.

Anyway, finding out the correct information is a big part of the joy of collecting. So, we can agree to disagree until there's difinitive proof one way or another.

cheers

[speedytop]

Hi,

"Could this possibly be the end to the "unofficial" pinback configuration?"

"Sorry. The pinback was not the official version."

"I still maintain that the medal was originally supposed to be worn on a ribbon bar."

There is only one class.

The original awarded cross is the pinback version.

von Hessenthal/Schreiber 1940, Nr. 210a.:

"Das Kreuz wird ohne Band als Steckkreuz an der linken Brustseite getragen."

"The cross is worn without a ribbon as a pinback version on the left breast side."

Cross without a ribbon!

You could wear the attached ribbon in the button hole (I think, that this was done very seldom).

The ribbon could be worn on a ribbon bar.

The version - cross with fixed ribbon - is a private practise for a medal bar, not official.

It was not meant, to wear the cross with a fixed ribbon "on the lower left chest"; that is the place for decorations without a ribbon.

Secondary sources like a book from Verkuilen are not helpful.

Uwe