Saxony Supplement to list of recipients of the Military St.Henry Order

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello readers:

It has recently come to my attention that a short list of additional recipients of the Knighthood of the Saxon Military St.Henry Order

appeared in the late 1980's.

Here is the list of eleven additional recipients who do not appear in Oberst a.D. Georg Richter's reference book of 1937:

- Max v.d.Pforte, for his merits on the first day of heavy fighting in the Flanders Battle, the 31.July 1917;

- Friedrich Brucker, Lt.d.Res. in the Kgl.Saechs. Inf.Regt. 102. Incorporated into the Kaiserliche Schutztruppe fuer Deutsch Ost-Ostafrika (Imperial Protection Force for German East -Africa). Handed to the recipient on 5.Aug.1920;

- Leopold v.Busse, Kgl.Saechs. Oblt. a.D. (as under Lt. Brucker. above). Handed to recipient on 18.June 1920;

- Gottfried Gilbert, Oblt. u. Battr. Fuehrer 2.Feld.-Art. Rgt.32. Handed to recipient on 21.Apr.1920;

- Albert Hahn, Lt.d.Res. Kdgl. Saechs. Infantry. Handed to recipient on 22.Dec. 1920;

- Julius Heinemann, Hptm.d.Res. u. Fuehrer d. III.Batl. Kgl.Saechs. Ers.-Rgt.23. Handed to recipient on 27.Feb.1920;

- Max Lessel, Lt.d.Res. ( as under v.Busse and Brucker above). Handed to recipient on 20.May 1920;

- Friedrich Schnicke, Lt.d.Res. u. Fuehrer der 1. Komp. Kgl.Saechs. Inf.Rgt. 104. Date of award 1.Nov.1915;

- Hans Schultze, Major u. Batl.Fuehrer III.Batl. Kgl.Saechs.Inf.Rgt.104. Handed to recipiemt on 1.Apr.1920;

- Friedrich Singer, Lt.d.Res.,Kgl.Saechs. Feld -Art. Rgt.32. Handed to recipient on 21.Apr.1920;

- Ernst Weiss, Lt.d.Res. Kgl.Saechs.Leib-Gren.Rgt.100 ( as under Brucker, v.Busse and Lessel ). Handed on 27.Jan. 1921;

It is unknown to this writer why those officers not on active service in Afrika, did not have the awards listed at the time of bestowal or had the decoration handed after the end of the war. It seems self-explanatory for the officers then serving in Africa and who did not return to Germany until some time after the end of hostilities, not to have received their decorations. However General P. v. Lettow-Vorbeck, (commander of German Forces in then German East-Africa), General K.Wahle and his son , Oblt. a.D. R. Wahle serving under his orders, are listed in the reference book also with dates of actually receiving the decorations in the 1920's. Somewhat of a mystery.

It now seems that a total of 2730 officers were awarded the Military Order of St.Henry.

Bernhard H. Holst

[Paul C]

Thanks for posting it.

[Deruelle]

Hi,

Just a little information, here are all data about St Henry knight cross by year. Those informations come from the Paul, Weber, Keil's book, Die Orden des Könighreiches Sachsen.

1914 : 195

1915 : 637

1916 : 736

1917 : 576

1918 : 605

Total : 2749

Christophe