A Good Day at the Flea Market

[Ulsterman]

I picked these up today at a fair price. A happy day and my first 1957 bar!

Edited May 1, 2013 by Ulsterman

[SteveL]

Ulsterman...what a fantastic 57er ribbon bar ! looks to be WW2 vet that went on to be a firemen post war.......if only I could find something like that at a flea market ! stunning set !

Prost ! Steve.

[Chris Boonzaier]

wow... how does such a modern bar find it to a flea market in the States????

[Ulsterman]

I do not know. More importantly, how did the Russian 1863-5 Polish revot medal make it into a bits and bobs box for $5?

[Ulsterman]

Here are some close ups of the bar. It is superb I must say. The Iron cross is magnetic!!!!!! I was very surprised. The KVK is also bronze.

Here we have a long serving Hessian fireman's bar denoting his service from 1940- 1985 or so. He obviously ended up as a Fire Chief of some town or who knows- maybe even a professional Fire Department Director in Wiesbaden.

At the front is Germanys' highest civil order, their equivalent of an OBE. Next his EK2 (57 version), a KVKx (57) and an Ostfront medal showing he was in Russia in the winter of 1941. After that is the 1962 NeiderSachsen flood medal, given for service in the terrible floods of 1962 (which killed hundreds and left thousands homeless), then the rare Firemans' Association Honor Medal in Gold ! (only given 1617 times to Germans) followed by the Hessian Firemans' Honor medal in Silver (1961-2001 version), awarded for 25+ years service or special and distinguished service by the Hessian Premier.

He was probably born @ 1920, a Weimar baby, served as a young man in the HJ, then Hitlers' Wehrmacht after his RAD service, fought a very hard and ugly war in Russia, ended up as an NCO or even a jr. officer if he was well educated then came home and joined the fire department and rebuilt Europe. He served loyally for 40+ years. I reckon the bar dates from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, when he would have retired and watched, incredulous, the Wall came down on a colour t.v. set. I hope he died fat and happy sitting in the sunshine in his condo in Corfu or Malta.

The Germans do medals the way the French do food, the British do Royal Weddings and the Israelis do Commando raids- top quality stuff.

[Ulsterman]

Here are close ups of the individual medals. The flood medals really are quite interesting awards.

[Ulsterman]

The Feurwehr Ehrenzeichen in Gold (awarded by the president of the German National Firemans' League) and the Hessian medal (awarded by the state of Hesse)

[Ulsterman]

Lastly the back- the quality was still there folks. I may have a new collecting interest. Anyone got any photos of chaps wearing these?

[turtle]

This is a very nice and impressive medal bar!

[Rogi]

Wow, I'm more impressed with the Order of the October Revolution medal I hope she was at a fair price too among my top 5 fav. Russian Orders love that enamel More pics of her please!

You should post it in the Soviet section of the forum, we'd all go crazy for it hehehe

Edited May 11, 2013 by Rogi

[Chris Boonzaier]

I do not know. More importantly, how did the Russian 1863-5 Polish revot medal make it into a bits and bobs box for $5?

Hi,

the polish revolt medal had a century or more to somehow make it through the civilian world into the box, whereas the German bar is pretty modern. I guess either the family moved to the states or the dude himself... nice finds indeed!

[Paul R]

Great job on finding that bar. It is definitely a keeper. Based upon those medals, do you think it is possible to track down the original owner? Please dont tell me that the Soviet Order of the October Revolution was not in that five dollar box?!?!

[Rogi]

Great job on finding that bar. It is definitely a keeper. Based upon those medals, do you think it is possible to track down the original owner? Please dont tell me that the Soviet Order of the October Revolution was not in that five dollar box?!?!

Please tell me it was, I will pay you 10 bucks for it! hehehe (it should be substantially more, but I'm sure you know that )

[Ulsterman]

Maybe, the Honor medal of the fire Association has kept records and the Hessian medal should be easy to find. The Order of the October Revolution second variation 63,404, was with a very nice Ukranian Order of Lenin copy, but I expect to pick up an Order of Glory third class for $40.

[SteveL]

Looking at the bar in more detail...it appears that the EK II, KvK II and Ost medal are most definitely Steinhauer and Luck made products...from deductions made in there design features, i.e. the fonts used in the "9's" in the "1939" on the KvK and the design feet/head of the eagle on the Ost Medal all point to St u L designs......as well as the frame/core details on the EK. As these are St u L products, it is more than likely the remainder are too, as the firm made most of the 57er range and BRD awards.

Prost ! Steve.