Identification help

[joerookery]

Does anyone have any idea who this might be? Thank you in advance.

ps1927 by joerookery, on Flickr

[Greg Collins]

I may be going way out on a limb here, but taking the uniform and physical appearance into account, it appears to be a photo of a member of the Prussian royal family- perhaps Wilhelm II. An excerpt from Wikipedia states, "A traumatic breech birth left him with a withered left arm due to Erb's palsy, which he tried with some success to conceal. In many photos he carries a pair of white gloves in his left hand to make the arm seem longer, holds his left hand with his right, or has his crippled arm on the hilt of a sword or holding a cane to give the effect of a useful limb posed at a dignified angle." While it certainly might be the camera angle, his left arm here does look shorter than the right. My best guess.

[Glenn J]

Joe,

he is not dissimiliar to Rittmeister Emanuel zu Salm-Salm.

Regards

Glenn

[joerookery]

Thank you! Let me run with this for a little bit.

[joerookery]

While I am looking for that guy here is another one.

ps1938 by joerookery, on Flickr

Thank you for any help you can give me.

[Glenn J]

Joe,

I do not have a positive ID but possibly we could narrow this gentleman down to being either the General officer Commanding the VIII. Armeekorps or of the 30. Infanterie-Brigade or the Commandant of Coblenz. I would tentatively date the photograph between 1890 and 1900 (introduction of the General Officer's embroidery on the service tunic in 1900).

Regards

Glenn

[Daniel Krause]

Great pic!!!

Thats later Field Marshal Walter Freiherr von Loe.

Greetings

Daniel

[joerookery]

Thats later Field Marshal Walter Freiherr von Loe.

That makes some sense! Does anyone know if there is a comparison picture anywhere?

Based on the speed and wonderment of you guys doing the identification I ought to put more pictures up. Thank you for all your help.

[Glenn J]

With Daniel's identification of Freiherr v. Loë, that narrows down the time frame considerably. The Grey Paletot was inroduced on 9 March 1893 and General der Kavallerie Frhr. v. Loë left command of VIII. Armeekorps in Coblenz on 27 January 1895.

Here is a later portrait.

Regards

Glenn

[joerookery]

2 out of 2! Thank you both. That is a tremendous help to me. But I understand you have just whetted my appetite! I am likely to spring more identification issues on you. God bless.

VR

Joe

[joerookery]

Without allowing anyone to rest on their laurels here is a Bavarian can anyone tell me who he is? Thank you in advance.

ps1943 by joerookery, on Flickr

[Glenn J]

Joe,

Generalmajor Karl Leichtenstern, Commander of the 10. Infanterie-Brigade (renamed as 8. Infanterie-Brigade on 1 April 1901) from 2 June 1899 to 16 May 1902. The Commander's Cross of the Italian Order of Saint Maurice and Lazarus confirms the identity of this Metz based brigade commander.

Regards

Glenn

[joerookery]

You are far too good to me sir! But no good deed should go unpunished and I will probably give you more! Thank you.

[joerookery]

How about some band masters? This old guy is from Baden.

ps1950 by joerookery, on Flickr

and one more--This one looks pretty doubtful:

ps1949 by joerookery, on Flickr

[Glenn J]

Joe,

there is a bit of a problem with the old boy from Baden; His uniform is something of a mismatch. Although the Stabshoboist/Musikmeister wore the double cuff rings from 1889 to 1908, a special shoulder board was introduced in 1898. If this photograph is pre 1898 he should be wearing his sword suspended from a normal waist belt and following that he would be wearing the the special Musikmeister waist belt. His shoulder straps do not conform to any Baden Infantry Regimental pattern and as a Stabshoboist/Muskimeister he should really be wearing chin scales on the helmet.

Regards

Glenn

[joerookery]

Beyond amazing!

[Glenn J]

Joe,

and one more--This one looks pretty doubtful:

I don't know how you dig these up!! This guy is driving me nuts. My initial thought was a Stabstrompeter from a Line Dragoon Regiment pre 1889; then I noticed the Brandenburg cuffs. For the life of me, I cannot think of a mounted unit which utilised Brandenburg cuffs but this chap is wearing a mounted personnel waist belt?? And then the trousers appear to be the same colour as the Waffenrock - most strange unless Bavarian infantry but that Portepee does not look Bavarian and still we are left with that waist belt.

Regards

Glenn

[joerookery]

I dig these things up just to drive you insane!

[joerookery]

ps1993 by joerookery, on Flickr

[joerookery]

I need to learn more about medals.

ps1991 by joerookery, on Flickr

[Ulsterman]

Darn! THAT is a VERY nice Baden vets' photo (@ 1935-45)- and I LOVE the wound badge (?).

[joerookery]

Ulsterman Do you really think that the picture is that new 35-45. It could be because of some very strange anomalies. His helmet is truly weird. But I never even considered a more modern photo. Looking at it I don't think so but we cannot explain much of anything!

[Glenn J]

Joe

my tentative identification of your Bavarian Major is Major Johann Seitz, commanding officer of I./21. Infanterie-Regiment at Fürth between 25 January 1907 and 23 February 1908. Herr Seitz only commanded the battalion for a year before taking up a retired officers' post as a district officer in Landwehr-Bezirk Amsberg. He commanded at mobilisation the Ersatz-Bataillon of Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 7 and briefly commanded II./21. Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment in November 1914. From 1 March 1915 through 1 June 1917 he was commanding the II. Ersatz-Bataillon of 6. Infanterie-Regiment followed by command of Garnison-Bataillon Amberg. Promoted to char. Oberstleutnant on 10.4.15, he retired as a char. Oberst. The photograph shows him with the Prince Luitpold Jubilee Medal, the Bavarian Officers' Long service Decoration and the Knight's Cross of the Austrian Franz Joseph Order he was awarded on 12 June 1891 in 13. Infanterie-Regiment. The photograph has to be between his appointment as the commander of I./21 in January 07 and his award of the Military Merit Order 4th Class on his transfer to "z.D." status in February 1908.

Regards

Glenn