Bavaria Military Merit Coss

[gjw]

Hi all, I'm sure this has been covered before, if so please bear with me. Anyway, my question is, what was the criteria for this award (to include the crown device) and was this award given according to the individuals rank? Was this also a progressive award like the EK?

Thanks so very much!

Greg

Edited March 3, 2013 by gjw

[Dave Danner]

It was awarded for bravery and military merit. The class of the award was based on rank, as you suspected. Originally, it was not progressive. In order to get a higher class, you had to be promoted to the appropriate rank. However, as World War I went on, and soldiers were repeatedly cited for bravery but turned down because they already had their proper class, the rule was changed and awards of the next higher class were allowed.

So a private or Gefreiter might get a 3rd Class with Swords, and later for repeated acts of bravery a 3rd Class with Crown and Swords, which was normally awarded to Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee (for example Unteroffizier, Sergeant or Oberjäger). Although for a really big act of bravery he might receive the Bavarian Bravery Medal instead.

As a rule, you would not wear more than one class. But there were exceptions. A pre-WW1 award could be worn with a WW1 award, for example. And if you were promoted to officer's rank, and received the Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords, you could wear both that and an earlier Military Merit Cross.

Hope this helps!

[gjw]

Thanks Dave!! Do you have the breakdown for the rank/class criteria?

Thanks again!!!

Greg

[Dave Danner]

Basically,

3rd Class with Swords: Mannschaften, Matrosen

3rd Class with Crown and Swords: Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee, Maate

2nd Class with Swords: Unteroffiziere mit Portepee, Vizedeckoffiziere

2nd Class with Crown and Swords: Offizier-Stellvertreter, Deckoffiziere/Oberdeckoffiziere

1st Class with and Swords: Feldwebelleutnants

There are lots of quirks, however, especially with the various technical ranks.

[spolei]

Hello,

missing is the

first class crown and swords for Feldwebelleutnante and officians in the bavarian ministry of war.

Regards Andreas

[Dave Danner]

Officials in the Kriegsministerium normally received the MVK mit Schwertern am Bande für Kriegsverdienst. These awards on the ribbon for war merit, also commonly called the Beamtenband, are another set of categories I did not cover above. The categories are more complicated, because of all the different job titles, but these are among the most typical:

• 3rd Class with Swords on the Ribbon for War Merit: Magazinarbeiter, Bahnarbeiter, Gehilfe im Maschinenhausdienste/Stationsdienste/Werkstättedienste

• 3rd Class with Crown and Swords on the Ribbon for War Merit: Feld-Postillon, Magazinleiter

• 2nd Class with Swords on the Ribbon for War Merit: Waffenmeister, Feldbackmeister, Feldpostschaffner, Lokomotivführer, etc.

• 2nd Class with Crown and Swords on the Ribbon for War Merit: Zahlmeister-Stellvertreter, Inspektor-Stellverteter, other Vetreters of higher officials

• 1st Class with and Swords on the Ribbon for War Merit: Zahlmeister, Inspektor, Sekretär, Topographer, Trigonometer, etc.

• 1st Class with Crown and and Swords on the Ribbon for War Merit: Obersekretär

I have not seen a Feldwebelleutnant who received the 1st Class with Crown and Swords on the regular ribbon as a first award. The 1st Class without the Crown was the basic award for Feldwebelleutnants. Maybe a second award later in the war?

Best regards

[gjw]

Thanks so much everyone!! Just what I was looking for! Sure do appreciate it.

All the best!

Greg