Uncategorised What medal destroys a bar?

[gregM]

While I don't collect bars, I have seen my share of them.

For me the award that is a non-starter is the Bavarian Ludwig cross.

Bavaria had some Beautiful awards for it's combatants and officers,

the Ludwig cross for service on the home from is just plain ugly.

Edited December 25, 2012 by gregM

[saschaw]

So many collectors, so many opinions... and I tend to agree with most, even with those that disagree.

Collecting Baden medal bars from all eras, I prefer WW1-like bars without later stuff, don't love but accept "Weimar era" and "Third Reich" additions, and love post-WW2 medal bars that include WW1 awards... covering four ages of German history in one life - and in one's life's awards! - is just amazing, isn't it? But you don't see them too often, I have to admit.

Edited December 26, 2012 by saschaw

[marrauder]

Yes, historian must say that every medal on the bar is important as it tells the story, but this is design debate, I suppose. And from the design point of view, I agree with those who don´t like Hindy. I would add another - War aid cross - as a non-com bar "destroyer". But everything is relative, as Eini said (he was so strong womanizer, that he could also say "everybody is relative" at the end), and I must admit that things look better on Godet spange - and even better, if it is buttonhole mini.

Another example - Bavarian MVK3 with swords and crown. While I like it as a single piece, it is IMO another spange destroyer. Doesn´t fit in size and thickness to EK2 and to other medals as well and spange looks like it started to rust already.

Just my two eurocents.

Edited December 26, 2012 by marrauder

[Chris Boonzaier]

I would add another - War aid cross - as a non-com bar "destroyer".

I have however seen groups where the guy was in a combat unit, got EK2, Bavarian MVK... wounded, then as a civvie a war aid cross. :-)

[marrauder]

Yes, everything is relative.

[Claudius]

So many collectors, so many opinions... and I tend to agree with most, even with those that disagree.

I agree with this statement as well.

I think that we are honed by our past collecting experiences, our current collections and what we are consciously or unconsciously looking for.

But I also think that any of us could be "talked into” buying any bar if we really like something about it -even if had the bar had a "bad" medal we personally didn't like.

However, I have to agree that the Treuedienst-Ehrenzeichen is very obtrusive. A virtual thumb-in-the-eye. Nearly all TR medals have swastikas, but most are more subtitle in appearance. This large black on silver is perhaps the loudest.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I agree, I always thought the Hindy was the destroyer... but the "big Blue" takes the cake.... in the middle, or on the end.... it messes the bar up...

I wonder why they gave this an EK shape? Is work as a Beamte such a sacrifice????

[N Mühlgay]

I wonder why they gave this an EK shape? Is work as a Beamte such a sacrifice????

From what I have read, being a Beamte meant that you forfeited your worker's rights. Maybe as such it is a reference to having to fight through the trenches of bureaucracy with heroic self-sacrifice.

[Paul R]

I agree, I always thought the Hindy was the destroyer... but the "big Blue" takes the cake.... in the middle, or on the end.... it messes the bar up...

I wonder why they gave this an EK shape? Is work as a Beamte such a sacrifice????

The shape actually reminds me more of a Mother's Cross than an EK. Perhaps it is the blue that sets my mind in that direction...?

[utopis]

I wonder why they gave this an EK shape? Is work as a Beamte such a sacrifice????

The Beamte medal is rather a propaganda piece than an award for achievements. Therefore it has this giant black enameled swastika which is even bigger than the one on the KC. It says "that dude's ass is property of the Reich!" or from the perspective of the wearer "I'm proud to serve the German state" or just "more bling bling". That's also the reason why there is no '57 version of this award.

[speedytop]

Hi utopis,

"That's also the reason why there is no '57 version of this award."

??

Page 4(2):

http://ordensmuseum.de/Ordensjournal/Ordensjournal16Jan0857er.pdf

Uwe