Schwarzburg-Sondershausen Documents of a Soldier / Customs man

[Chris Boonzaier]

The award doc is number 885... do you think this was the number of awards from 1857 to 1907?

[Guest Rick Research]

Need to find ANOTHER one to tell. Even granted Schwarzburg(s) were on the wrong side of the border for 45 years, I can't recall seeing more than half a dozen in the same years of collecting German.

[Dave Danner]

I posted essentially the same answer as Rick last night, but for some reason it didn't post.

I'm not sure about the numbering. From inages I have saved from various auctions, I see:

Lt.d.L. Richard Wernecke. His SEK3X document was numbered "228". But his award was one of several on the 31 January 1917 awards list which were the 456th through 469th awards of the SEK3X by Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.

Lt.d.R. Hans Nothnagel. His SEK3X document was numbered "627". But his award was on 15 March 1917, in the next awards list after Wernecke's (Nrs. 471-499).

[turtle]

Very interesting lot of documents! Do you have a post war picture of him?

[Claudius]

Regarding the Fürstich Schwarzburgische Ehrenmedaille in Silber:

I only have a roll for these from 1909 to 1918, as they started a new roll after the childless Fürst Karl Günther von Schwarzburg-Sondershausen died and Fürst Günther Victor von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt succeeded him, reuniting the two principalities in personal union.

This roll covers both civilian and military awards of the Friedensklasse. There weren't any wartime military awards of the Ehrenmedaille, as the Medaille für Verdienst im Kriege was awarded instead. But civilians continued to receive the medal. There were also wartime awards for homefront merit with the oak brooch (Eichenbruch "1914/15"), but the roll from Rudolstadt for these is missing.

Between April 1909 and November 1918, there were 141 awards of the Ehrenmedaille in Gold and 432 awards of the Ehrenmedaille in Silber.

Just looking at the first year, which may give you an idea of how many awards were made in peacetime, there were the following between 17.4.1909 and 17.4.1910:

Inf. Regt. Nr. 71 - 24 (2 Fw., 8 Vfw., 2 Sgt., 4 Uffz., 1 Gefr., 6 Musk., 1Tambour)

III./Inf. Regt. Nr. 96 - 7 (1 Fw., 1 San.Fw., 3 Vfw., 2 Sgt.)

Schutztruppe - 2 (1 Fw., 1 Gefr.)

Other military - 3 to Bezirksfeldwebel (1 in Rudolstadt and 2 in Sondershausen), 1 to a Sanitäts-Feldwebel in Sondershausen, although I am not sure if the latter was military, as no unit is given. Were there police or other Sanitäts-Feldwebel?

The Ehrenmedaille in Silber was often given to military men as a long service & good conduct medal after 12 years of service, although as can be seen with the awards to Musketiers, it was also probably given as an individual merit medal.

This added information on the Ehrenmedaille is outstanding... I have a particular interest in this Schwarzburg medal...

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/53033-a-six-place-schwarzburg-medal-bar-and-five-place-ribbon-bar-set/?hl=schwarzburg

Chris -First; Is the portrait photo of the gentleman dated? Secondly; My view of the photo isn't very good. Could you look at your original and tell me about the orientation of the Ehrenmedaille's öse? Is it parallel to the medal (left to right) or is perpendicular and loop hole stare at the viewer?

[Chris Boonzaier]

Chris -First; Is the portrait photo of the gentleman dated? Secondly; My view of the photo isn't very good. Could you look at your original and tell me about the orientation of the Ehrenmedaille's öse? Is it parallel to the medal (left to right) or is perpendicular and loop hole stare at the viewer?

Hi,

sorry, I missed this... I will have a look this weekend when I get home

[Claudius]

Hi,

sorry, I missed this... I will have a look this weekend when I get home

That would be great. It has a connection to another medal bar of mine and your discovery will add to my narrative on the subject.