Württemberg Who Needs An Iron Cross? 1870 Württemberg Crown Group

[Guest Rick Research]

Sometimes we forget that before the World War, iron Crosses were not handed out to German officers just for breathing while on wartime duty. In fact, many 1870/71 officers--Prussian as well as allies--did NOT receive an iron Cross.

Instead--at least in the other states--they got prettier things that were much MUCH rarer. Shared once again by the Traveling Museum--as a change from all that BLUE enamel that seems to be accumulating lately! Not that there is any unseemly, ungentlemanly rivalry going on!!!)

This is a particularly nice set since it includes a miniature ribbons bar that may just be--you'll see why soon--the earliest reduced size ribbon bar I've ever seen. It does not appear to have ever had minis on it.

The awards are:

Württemberg Crown Order-Knight 2nd Class with Swords (WK3bX)

Württemberg XXV Years Service Cross

1870/71 War Medal

Württemberg Campaign Medal "for 1 campaign" reverse (1866)

[Guest Rick Research]

There were only 41 WK3bXs awarded to Württembergers in the 19th century. 40 of them have been eliminated, leaving just one:

Friedrich Lothar Bollstetter

Born in Ulm 27. August 1840, died 9. September 1906.

Attached service records from 1873 Württemberg Militär-Handbuch and 1889 K.W. MHB:

He served in K.W. Jäger Bataillon 2 during the 1866 war with Prussia, and in K.W. Infanterie Regiment 120 during the war with France. Bollstetter retired 1889/90.

He never added 1895 battle bars to his 70/71 medal, nor remounted his awards for the 1897 Kaiser Wilhelm I Centenary Medal--even though he lived until 1906! Was he holding a grudge, or simply never wore awards after retirement?

I can only surmise that the "M1915" size ribbons bar was indeed worn AS a ribbon bar, in contrast to the usual full size "Old Style" (before 1915, ONLY style) ribbon bars.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Rick Research

[Glenn J]

Rick,

meet Lothar Bolstetter. This before his award the XXV Years Service Cross.

Regards

Glenn

Edited July 19, 2013 by Glenn J

[dond]

Now that is a sweet bar. Nothing wrong with not having an EK imo.

[Paul R]

That is amazing Rick! Where did you find that photo?

[Guest Rick Research]

Hurrah Glenn! Is that from the entire XIIIth Army Corps-worth of portraits you've been working on? Slave labor drudgery pays off at last. Well, not financially, of course!

A face to go with the medals at last!!!!

Edited July 19, 2013 by Rick Research

[Glenn J]

Rick,

indeed it was. Now if only we could find something for the Prussians!

Regards

Glenn

[saschaw]

Sorry for being the bringer of bad news (again), but I have some severe doubts here.

At least the swords (not sure if the cross, too) of the Kronorden are made by the Royal mint in Stuttgart who supplied the Ordenskanzlei from 1915 on.

Thus, this cannot be the cross awarded to Bolstetter, nor can it be a replacement from his lifetime. I fear we cannot be even sure if there could have been some other class originally - which crashes the identification...

I attached a page from the Klein/Raff book, showing a knights cross 1st class made by the mint, with their typical swords.

[Guest Rick Research]

Thanks Sascha! That makes sense--given his death date (and being local) the WK3X would/should have been returned (and gotten melted in 1954). So this is a very old family-done posthumous restoration using what was then the avaailable type.

Good to know!

[Les]

"So this is a very old family-done posthumous restoration using what was then the avaailable type."

You've ruled out the piece wasn't modified by a dealer or someone else?

Edited August 13, 2013 by Les