For Research Beloved by Austria...A German officer ribbon bar

[P.F.]

Dear Gentlemen,

I have been collecting ribbon bars for a number of years now and hope to show you some of the more unusual/unique pieces in my collection over the coming months.

This is a piece I bought within my first year of ribbon bar collecting and I have been wondering, why so many Austrian decorations? With the repetition clasp I count at least five.

I would like to hear your thoughts on this ribbon bar and what type of officer it could have belonged to. I am thinking someone with very strong links with an Austrian regiment maybe?

Many thanks

Pierce

[Dave Danner]

He was Austrian, though I don't know why when he had this ribbon bar made South German-style, he chose to place the Austrian decorations after not only the EK2, which would be correct post-Anschluss, but also after the Hessen General Honor Decoration for Bravery.

The Hesse medal was awarded to Austrians in K.u.k. Oberösterreichisches Infanterie-Regiment "Ernst Ludwig Großherzog von Hessen und bei Rhein" Nr. 14".

This is probably a "war decorations only" ribbon bar, as it does not include other awards you would expect, like the Karl Truppen-Kreuz or the various WW1 commemorative medals. Or, for that matter, the 1933 Erinnerungsmedaille für das österreichische IR Nr. 14, which, while an unofficial award of the former ruling house of Hesse-Darmstadt, I have seen listed in personnel files for former k.u.k. IR 14 officers who joined the Wehrmacht.

It looks like the last ribbon is missing swords. So probably the Order of the Iron Crown, the Military Merit Cross 3rd Class, two silver Signum Laudis, and one bronze Signum Laudis.

Regards,

Dave

[P.F.]

Dear Dave,

Thank you for this thorough reply. The ribbon bar makes perfect sense as that of an Austrian.

Kind regards

Pierce

[Ulsterman]

Why do you say this was an AUSTRIAN and not a seconded German Feldwebel Lt. Type?

[saschaw]

On 18/06/2013 at 02:21, Ulsterman said:

Why do you say this was an AUSTRIAN and not a seconded German Feldwebel Lt. Type?

Probably because both swords to Austrian war decorations and Signum Laudis medals in general were not awarded to anyone but Austro-Hungarian subjects. No German soldier could ever received those, from what I know...