Show us your Reuss stuff!

[The Prussian]

Hello Mattyboy!

You bought it... I saw it too, but I forgot to bet...

Nice photo! I wonder about the Bluse! Anyway it looks like postwar, doesn't it?

Because of the wound badge it's a late photo

And he's got a sweet girl!

Here is Prinz Heinrich XXXXI from Reuss

Edited January 21, 2020 by The Prussian

[Mattyboy]

Hi Andy,

Unfortunately I did not win the auction L I would guess the photo was taken around 1919-1921. I have read somewhere that the award rolls for Reuss were destroyed during WW2, so identification might prove difficult. For the record, the 2 recipients O’Connor listed were Oblt Hans Berr and Lt Lothar Frhr von Hausen.

It was mentioned on another site that a man named Artur Oertel (1888-1937) may have received this award, but it is not shown on his Kriegsstammrolle.

 

Best Regards,

Matt.

[The Prussian]

Hi Matt!

Well, Hans Berr was k.i.a. 6 Apr. 1917, v. Hausen died 15 Jul. 1917 after he was shot down March 16.

I couldn´t find a pilot Artur Oertel.

[Dave Danner]

Heinrich Jahn was an aviator who received the Kriegsverdienstkreuz, but in the Bavarian Army. He was born on 19 September 1892 in Greiz and was a medical student in Erlangen when the war started. He was an observer in FA A 221.

Bavarian OLt.d.R. Johannes Semmel, born 3 April 1886 in Gera, was also an observer in various aviation units and received the Kriegsverdienstkreuz.

Arthur Oertel was also a Reuß-born Bavarian observer, but as Matt mentions, no Reuß awards are shown in any of his Kriegsranglisten.

I also know of a Luftschiffer from Reuß ä.L. with the RKVK, but they don't count as aviators for the Flieger-Erinnerungsabzeichen, and had their own Erinnerungsabzeichen.

[Deruelle]

Hi,

With actual research, only 5 officiers received the following combo.

SV3bX, SA3bX, EK2, RE3X.

Here I show you one ribbon bar and items which could have been from von Hausen

Christophe

 

[Soderbaum]

Hi

I have that the pilot Oblt Prinz Heinrich XLII Reuss, received something called REK3 mit Schw on 17.9.1914  and R.Kv.K.I on 6.4.1918, but he was only a flyer during 1916. His photo differs from the photo posted by Matty, so not him. And he apparently did not receive either vwAbz or ErrAbz.

Gunnar

[Dave Danner]

Wilhelm Schilbach is another aviator from Reuß ä.L., born 1 May 1890 in Greiz.  He was commissioned a Lt.d.R. in Reserve-Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 1 on 5.12.1914 and was transferred to the Fliegertruppen in July 1915.  He received the EK2 on 27.1.15, the EK1 on 28.8.16, and the REKä3X on 29.5.15. He also received the Ehrenbecher.  Kagohl 4 put him in for the Ehrenkreuz in 1917, and Greiz replied that he already had it.  Kagohl 4 said he never received it, so Greiz asked RJRzP 1 for information. Oberst v. Baerensprung, the commander of RJRzP 1, said Schilbach never received the cross, so Greiz sent him a new one. Kagohl 4 said by that time Schilbach had been transferred to Gruflieg 10, so they forwarded the cross and Greiz received a receipt from Schilbach in June 1917.  

Given his long history as a decorated aviator, it is possible he was awarded the Kriegsverdienstkreuz later in 1917 or 1918.

[David M]

I am amazed by the detailed documentation of the Schilbach story. Where did you  find it?

[Soderbaum]

Interesting info Dave !

After leaving Grufl 10 stab Schilbach ended up as leader of Grubist 135 during 1918. He apparently served with KG 4/19 (new Kasta 19) during spring 1917. This unit was renamed from Kasta-Sosta 2 on 01.01.1917. Is there indication in your records that he served in Sosta 2 during autumn of 1916 after leaving FFA 9 ? I am also interested if it exist an approximate date for his aerial victory.

Gunnar

[Dave Danner]

The correspondence between the officials in Greiz and Kagohl 4 was in the archives in Greiz. There is no roll, just a lot of  correspondence on award recommendations and some receipts indicating awards made.  The vast majority of awards of the Ehrenkreuz and -Medaille were made in Gera by Reuß j.L., since Reuß j.L. was twice the size of Reuß ä.L. and recommendations to anyone connected with IR 96 or its Tochterformationen went to Gera, where IR 96 was based. Unfortunately, most records in Gera were destroyed, and the rolls apparently lost.

Gunnar, the correspondence was between 5.3.1917 and 23.6.1917. Nothing there about where he was in 1916 and the only award dates were for the Iron Cross. I assume you have his career path up to March 1916 from the Bavarian AFP 6 Kriegsrangliste?

[Soderbaum]

Thanks again Dave,

Yes I have access to ancestry.de so I could read his file there with his early career during the War. His later career I have from some other sources but I lack his complete War service. In my files I have a bunch of flyers born in Greiz  who might be candidates for Reuss awards.

Gunnar

[Dave Danner]

Do you have an aviator by the name of Lt.d.R. Kurt Eichler in your files? He was put in for an award but the recommendation was forwarded to Gera on 17 November 1916. No further information on his unit(s) was in the files, just that he was with the Fliegertruppen. 

[Soderbaum]

Hi Dave,

No direct hits, I have an Lt dR x Eichler (O) in FFA 23 (an famous unit) during summer 1916. I also have an Lt x Eichler in FAA 283 during summer 1917 but in both cases w/o known first names.

It exist an BAMA file for an later Hptm dR zV Kurt Eichler born 08.04.1891 but I havent checked that file.

It also exist non-military files in Berlin for Dr Kurt Eichler born 18.02.1893 and Kurt Eichler born 31.03.1895. In some cases these Berlin files could contain valuable military info like KRLs, Lebenslauf and similar but most of them are just civilian.

Gunnar

[Deruelle]

Hi everybody

today I am an happy collector. I have received today the box for the Kriegsverdienstkreuz. I show here all my boxes from Reuss

Christophe

[Deruelle]

a small group with boxes

 

[Deruelle]

Hi everybody

Don't hesitate to show us your nice Reuß orders and medals.

Christophe

[graham]

One of mine, a REK3XmKr:

 

[Deruelle]

Very  nice Graham, congrats.

I'm looking for this one since several years. If one you want to sell, don't hesitate to pm me.

Christophe

[dond]

Here are mine.

[PREM]

Wow!!?

[Deruelle]

Impressive medals bar Don, Thanks for sharing them with us.

Christophe

[saxcob]

Member of the 7th Thuringian Infantry Regiment No. 96 proudly wearing his EKII and the Reus Merit Medal with swords.

[Mattyboy]

Hi all, 

The man on the left is Ltn Lüdeke of Fliegerabteilung 14. Is he wearing the Kriegsverdienstkreuz from Reuß ? The other man is the CO Hptm Schaefer. 

[Der Reusse]

Hi,

 

this is unquestionable the merit cross of Reuss.

 

[VtwinVince]

This bar has the Reuss Civil Merit Cross 3rd Class on it. I'm assuming that this is a relatively scarce award, as I've never seen another on a mounted group.