Unidentified Can we name the awards here?

[Marcin L]

Hi All,

I would like to ask you kindly to identify the awards and maybe the rank?

I can't handle :-|

Kind regards,

Marcin

[Guest Rick Research]

Bavarian Major with Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class (BMV4), Bavarian 1905 Luitpold Jubilee Medal, Prussian Red Eagle Order 4th Class (RAO4), Bavarian army XXIV Years Service Cross.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Rick Research

[Marcin L]

Thank you very much! I will research on the units from Metz.

Regards

[Guest Rick Research]

Is there a DATE year stamped into the front of the photo?

[Marcin L]

No, no date stamped. Just Charles Rhein, Metz (photograph I guess).

[Guest Rick Research]

K.B. Inf Rgt 8-- if this was circa 1913, that would be major Ludwig Käfferlein from the awards.

[Marcin L]

Hmm don't know what to say. Thanks? Please copy your knowledge somewhere, Rick, its unique.

[Glenn J]

Does not look like a 4 in the epaulette field, so presumably 8. Infanterie-Regiment.

Glenn

[Marcin L]

Here is a close up.

[Guest Rick Research]

3 of us live online posting over each other... but I am the fastest!!!

Bavarian 1914 Militär-Handbuch:

Note his farewell present from Baden aftyer your photo was made. Per the 1914-1918 Ehren Rangliste he went aD 25.05.14 and died of natural causes as an Oberstleutnant zD 18 November 1914.

It will take longer to track down award dates for his BMV4 and RAO4.

[Glenn J]

Two candidates in 1911.

[Guest Rick Research]

Rats!!!! That's why I was hoping for a nice chopped in year down in the corner.

Käfferlein: BMV4 26.12.07 and RAO4 10.09.08 both as Adjutant K.B. 4. Inf Div.

[Guest Rick Research]

Hmmm... I lose Eduard Hoffmann-- there in the regiment as Oberstleutnant (with BZ2b-- "BZ4" per Bavarian rank List speak) in 1913, but vanished by the 1914 issue. * 1862, ? † 1913/14 (Bavarian Rank Lists don't list deaths and transfers the way Prussian ones did). NOW I'm stumped. Rather awkward mortality rate for senior orfficers of KB IR 8--something they ate in the officers' mess?

[Glenn J]

Eduard Hoffmann was transfered to 9. Infanterie-Regiment Wrede on 22 February 1913. He retired on 25 October 1913.

Glenn

Edited August 4, 2013 by Glenn J

[Marcin L]

So we have Ludwig Käfferlein, K.B. Inf Rgt 8 ?

Thanks :-) Will post more pictures as soon as I have any interesting and possibly traceable.

[Guest Rick Research]

TWO suspects!!!! Aaaarrrgghh!!!!!

[Dave Danner]

Oberstleutnant z.D. Ludwig Käfferlein was born in Bayreuth on 25 August 1864. He was Offizier der Prüfungsstelle München at the time of his death. No dates for his awards in his Kriegsrangliste entry.

Oberst z.D. Withelm Eduard Hoffmann was born in Schweinau, Nürnberg on 31 October 1862. If it is him, the photo would date after 24 May 1910, when he received his Red Eagle, and before 12 April 1912, when he received his Zähringen Lion. He also got a crown to his Bavarian Military Merit Order on 25 August 1913. During the war, he added an Iron Cross 2nd Class on 30 December 1915 and a König Ludwig Cross on 7 January 1916. He spent most of the war in command of POW camps. The two awards came during a period when he was Adj. of stellv. II. bayer. Armeekorps.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Dave Danner

[Marcin L]

Dave - Thank You for this interesting info. Can I ask - how do you know all this?

Last question - where can I find the list of awards abbreviations? I know just few of them but I remember there is a full list somewhere here.

Regards,

Marcin

[Dave Danner]

I got the information from the Bavarian Army World War I Kriegsranglisten available on Ancestry.com, by subscription.

Regards

[Guest Rick Research]

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/798-common-abreviations-for-imperial-medals-orders/?hl=abbreviation

It is soooooo much easier to use the "Rank List Speak" abbreviations than typing out the German names.