Unidentified Reichsmarine Zahlmeister? Identification

[Odulf]

Recently I aquired this set of photos from ebay, much to my annoyment....

First of all, I have to explain my annoyment.... Today, we consider it "not done" to break up a set of medals issued to the same person (a century ago this was common practise!).

Nowadays (in our line of photo and insignia collecting) we find it common to buy photos/insignia from sets broken up, only because we like the uniform in this photo, or the gun in another, (for the sake of the point, I will stick to the example of photos) etc...

Vendors (mostly only driven by greed) do not mind to cut up (vast) sets of photographs and selling these without any information about the context, as this may have occured from the original source ( a unit, a place, a time, an identity, a box, an album, a relative,...). This makes A PHOTO (without any written info on the back) an object without context (and open for speculation and discussion about that context). I have seen often that such a snap shot, free from context, gathered unimaginable impact (usually fired by ignorance - also on forums...!).

Us photo researchers are left with the job to patch the correct story to a photo.... but it is all to little to late. In time photos have become spread over family members and lost their significance for the owners. But when an album, as a whole, is taken apart for gain of money, it makes me sad.

Well..., from an album broken up I bought these next photos, without information, so that I can only attempt to get an identity from the formal facts, as they are shown.

Three portraits (sold seperate) comprising the naval career of a German Zahlmeister who rose from the ranks to officer's status.

1. As (Deckofficier / Senior-NCO) Oberzahlmeister (Chief-Writer),

2. As (Warrant-Officer) Oberzahlmeister (Assistant-Paymaster)

3. As (Officer) Stabszahlmeister (Paymaster-Lieutenant)

In the German Navy (like in the RN) there were not so many Zahlmeister/Administrators.

Could any one please help me with the identification of this man?

In picture 3 (taken during WW1) his ODM are: EK1, Baden: Orden vom Zähringer Löwen 3. Klasse mit Schwertern, Hanseatenkreuz Hamburg.

I assume that there are not so many Zahlmeister with EK1.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Odulf

[Glenn J]

Tricky!

There are three assorted Zalmeister in the 1918 kaiserliche Marine Rangliste with a BZ3bX plus one more in the Baden rolls. Of the three in the naval list, none have the EK1 and two have additional decorations whilst already holding the EK2. Marineoberzahlmeister Franz Schmitt seems to me, to be the best possibility with an EK2 and BZ3bX and retired as a char. Marinestabszahlmeister in 1921. He may have been awarded an EK1 late in the War. The other BZ3bX winner, Marinezahlmeister Lubbe retired in that rank in 1919.

Regards

Glenn

[Odulf]

Thank you very much Glenn!