EK2 Equivalents--How many awarded

[camelneck]

After a fortuitous weekend, I just need 1 medal to complete my collection of EK2 equivalents for the enlisted men, which consists of 24 medals.  I'm also in the process of collecting information about each of these awards, and this information includes "how many of each of these medals were awarded during WW1". 

So far I have "number awarded" information for just over half (13) of these 24 medals.  (On medals with more than 1 class, I'm also collecting info on all 3 classes (not just the class for the enlisted man)). 

My Questions:

1) Does anybody know how many Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Crosses (2nd class) were awarded during WW1? 

2) Does anybody know how many Brunswick War Merit Crosses (1st and/or 2nd class) were awarded during WW1?  

3) I also need similar "number awarded info" on these 9 EK2 medals:  1) Anhalt Friedrich Cross; 2) Baden Silver Merit Medal; 3) Schwartzburg Silver Medal for Merit in War; 4) Hohenzollern Silver Merit Medal with swords (gold also); 5) Saxony Bronze Friedrich-August (silver also); 6) Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Silver Merit Medal with sword-clasp (Gold also); 7) Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Bronze General Honor Decoration with sword clasp (silver also); 8) Reuss Silver Merit Medal with swords, and 9) Wurttemberg Silver Military Merit Medal.  If anybody can help me out with any of these medals I would really appreciate it.

Here is info that I have collected on 13 of the 24 EK2 equivalents.  Feel free to add to this list.  Once I receive info on the 11 EK2 Equivalents listed below (10 + Meck-Schwerin)  I will definitely share the completed list with this forum,

1) Lippe-Detmold War Merit Cross 2nd class:  combatant version (18,000);  non-combatant version (1,100)

2) Oldenburg Friedrich-August Cross  1st class (6,900) from 1914-1919;  2nd class (62,800)

3) Mecklenburg-Strelitz Cross for Distinction in War   1st class (419); 2nd class (8,131)

4) Bavarian Military Merit Cross (MVK); 3rd class w/ swords (290,000); 3rd class w/ swords & crown (73,000)  (17,976 1st and 2nd classes, but need breakdowns)

5) Waldeck Silver Merit Medal w/ swords (1,218)

6) Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit In War (4,653);  Medal for Merit In War (24,038)

7) Saxe-Altenburg Bravery Medal (15,000)

8) Hanseatic Cross Hamburg (50,000) 

9) Hanseatic Cross Bremen (20,000) 

10) Hanseatic Cross Luebeck (8,000 to 10,000)

11) Hesse General Honor Decoration (estimated at 150,000 for all types not just tapferkeit)  (records destroyed during war)

12) Schaumburg-Lippe Cross for Loyal Service (10,397)

13) Prussia  EK1 (218,000);   EK2 for combatants (5,196,000);   EK2 for non-combatants (13,000)  (remember these are for WW1)

                                                       .

Edited February 19, 2017 by camelneck

[chuck]

camelback,

this is what i have found for numbers mostly from neal o'connors book aviation awards of imperial germany in world war 1.

Mecklenburg-schwerin 17,615

Baden silver 120,00 Gold 402

Hohenzollern 5,875, gold 640

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha silver 9,799 gold 828

Saxe-Weimer-Eisenacg bronze 12,375, silver 3855, gold 462

wurttemburg silver 201,412 gold 4,234

regards,

chuck 

) I also need similar "number awarded info" on these 9 EK2 medals:  1) Anhalt Friedrich Cross; 2) Baden Silver Merit Medal; 3) Schwartzburg Silver Medal for Merit in War; 4) Hohenzollern Silver Merit Medal with swords (gold also); 5) Saxony Bronze Friedrich-August (silver also); 6) Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Silver Merit Medal with sword-clasp (Gold also); 7) Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Bronze General Honor Decoration with sword clasp (silver also); 8) Reuss Silver Merit Medal with swords, and 9) Wurttemberg Silver Military Merit Medal.  If anybody can help me out with any of these medals I would really appreciate it.

[Deruelle]

Hi,

In Roth's book we can find some informations about the Saxon Friedrich August medal

- FAMs : 56597 till end of 1917

- FAMb : 195800 tll end of 1917

Christophe

 

In the Voll's book, some more informations can be found

- Anhalt Friedrich Kreuz am Kriegsband : 18 to 20.000

- Mecklemburg Scwherin  : MVK1 : 3570

- Mecklemburg Scwherin  : MVK : 74.875

 

Christophe

[camelneck]

Thanks for the info Chuck and Deruelle.  This was a huge help and  I really appreciate it! 

Chuck, do you have all 7 volumes of "Aviation Awards of Imperial Germany" or just volumes 5 thru 7?   If so, what are your favorite volumes?  I would love to have this series of books, but I've heard the early volumes cost a fortune.  I was thinking about picking up volume #7 while it is still affordable.  New hardcover ones are still available for $60 and used ones in good condition (but paperback) are about $40. 

I noticed a discrepancy on the Mecklenburg-Schwerin (MVK) awards.  According to the above information, O'Connors book says 17,615 were awarded during WW1, while Voll's book claims the number was 74,875.  At first, I thought Voll might have been including the total number of awards produced throughout the life of the medal, which was from 1848 thru 1929.  (The Mecklenburg-Schwerin award was awarded in several wars, 1848, 1864, 1866, 1870, and WW1, but that would mean that approximately 75% of the 74,875 MVK's were awarded outside of WW1 and only about 25% were awarded during WW1.  IMO, the gap shouldn't be that large. 

On the other hand, if O'Connor's figure of 17,615 is correct for WW1, this would mean that more Lippe-Detmold War Merit Crosses (18,374 to 19,374) were awarded.   I'm aware of at least 7 German WW2 Field Marshalls that had been awarded the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, while only 3 WW2 Field Marshalls had been awarded the Lippe War Merit Cross.  Coincidence?  Or were  most of the Field Marshalls like Goring, who preferred the nicer looking awards. :)   The Meck-Schwerin MVK is a very attractive medal!  :).

I ran into a similar problem when researching the Prussian EK2.  Evidently, the Prussian records were destroyed during WW2 and the estimates out there seem to vary considerably.  Some historians claim as many as 6,000,000 EK2's were issued during WW1 and other historians claim that the number is closer to 4,000,000.   This is one reason why I chose the 5,196,000 estimate since it is in the middle.

Thanks again for your help.

Edited February 20, 2017 by camelneck

[Deruelle]

Hi

 

I've always heard that EK2 1914 was awarded  more than 5 miilions time. The Voll's book is very complete and you can find it probably on amazon or directly through the DGO.

 

About the O'Connor's book, it is true that the 2 first volumes are very rare now. I am lucky enought to have the complete collection.

I remember that Pal Chepurko plans to scan those books. I have no idea about that now.

Christophe

[chuck]

Hi Camelback,

That is a mistake on my part MVK i looked at the wrong number on my sheet. Deruelle is correct.

I still do not have the first volume on Bavaria from O'Connor books. i just won't pay $300 on amazon which it seems like is always the price. The other volumes are more reasonable and always come up on amazon. All of his books are in paperback except volume VII.

I have the same interest in bravery wards and have found his books well worth the investment in knowledge from when i started several years ago.

 

Chuck

Edited February 21, 2017 by chuck
corrections

[Paul C]

I was going to do an updated reprint of volume 1 but decided against it.