Major Heinrich Fritz Buschmann Research Project

[David Goody]

I would greatly appreciate please any assistance identifying the medals in the ribbon bar in the photograph below.

By way of background I am assisting the granddaughter of Major Buschmann learn about his military service. She was told he was reported missing in action at the time of the Stalingrad airlift where he served as a transport aircraft pilot. He as called up for service having been a pilot in the First World War. The family home in Berlin was destroyed in an air raid and his wife Rosa Karoline Anna Buschmann née Schmidt and their son Dieter were evacuated to family in Bavaria. Rosa used to wait at the train station where German POW’s were returned from the Soviet Union, sadly to no avail.

The photograph below shows the only clues the family hold about their grandfather. The items were removed from one of Major Buschmann’s tunics when he was a Hauptmann. In terms of the ribbon bar, from right to left I believe they consist of the Iron Cross second class, Honour Cross with Swords, unknown, unknown, possibly Prussian Life Saving Medal. I have also identified the Baltic Cross and possibly the German Knights Cross (Randow Cross).

I have also contacted the Deutsche Dienststelle and Bundesarchiv for assistance. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

[VtwinVince]

Hmmm, interesting. I can't find anything on him in the Luftwaffe officer's database, but he's got a Baltic Cross ribbon in third place, what looks like a Freikorps award (Randow Cross?) in fourth place and possibly a Turkish War Medal at the end.

[HeikoGrusdat]

Right... And of course the ribbon bar is fixed in wrong direction on the display 

[David Goody]

5 hours ago, VtwinVince said:

Hmmm, interesting. I can't find anything on him in the Luftwaffe officer's database, but he's got a Baltic Cross ribbon in third place, what looks like a Freikorps award (Randow Cross?) in fourth place and possibly a Turkish War Medal at the end.

Thank you for your prompt response and advice. The ribbon bar is quite faded with age which I imagine makes it harder to identify. I will research Turkish medals of that era for the first ribbon. It looks orange in colour with white borders. The other ribbon bars now make sense as they match the medals in the frame. His granddaughter told me her father removed these items from one of his father’s tunics as it was moth eaten.

 

5 hours ago, VtwinVince said:

Hmmm, interesting. I can't find anything on him in the Luftwaffe officer's database, but he's got a Baltic Cross ribbon in third place, what looks like a Freikorps award (Randow Cross?) in fourth place and possibly a Turkish War Medal at the end.

Thank you

4 hours ago, HeikoGrusdat said:

Right... And of course the ribbon bar is fixed in wrong direction on the display 

Thank you also, I will advise his granddaughter to turn around the ribbon bar in her display.

[Claudius]

"And of course the ribbon bar is fixed in wrong direction on the display"

Yes, and to reiterate the awards from L-R (when the ribbon bar is correctly positioned);

1) Iron Cross 2nd class,

2) Hindenburg Cross,

3) Baltic Cross -2nd Class,

4) Randow Cross w/swords

5) Turkish War Merit (Gallipoli Star)

I think the Randow Cross at the bottom of the display is a very clear indication that the 4th ribbon is the Randow Cross.  (and that's the Baltic Cross on the right side)  Overall, a very nice display of a family member.

It's not important to convey this to the granddaughter - but for those on this forum it is interesting and noteworthy that Major Buschmann included his Randow Cross on his ribbon bar.  Usually after 1934 it was against Regulations.     

[VtwinVince]

I'm also trying to understand how second class awards like the EK2 and HK could have been removed from a tunic, with the suspension rings being removed?

[Claudius]

7 minutes ago, VtwinVince said:

I'm also trying to understand how second class awards like the EK2 and HK could have been removed from a tunic, with the suspension rings being removed?

I suspect they were removed for display purposes.  The Baltic and Randow didn't have ribbons and the person who created this presentation removed them for aesthetic, uniformity purposes. 

Not what I would have done, but this is a family piece and as the owners they can display it anyway they like.

[J Temple-West]

1 hour ago, Claudius said:

I suspect they were removed for display purposes.  The Baltic and Randow didn't have ribbons and the person who created this presentation removed them for aesthetic, uniformity purposes. 

Not what I would have done, but this is a family piece and as the owners they can display it anyway they like.

Exactly...

as an aside, and regarding the insignia, it would seem that the tabs and boards were taken off this officer's white summer uniform as the metal eagle is present. not a great photo but looking at the summer uniform eagle I would say that it's an example by Friedrich Linden, Ludenscheid. would love to see clearer photo's of obverse and reverse to confirm.

[David Goody]

14 hours ago, Claudius said:

I suspect they were removed for display purposes.  The Baltic and Randow didn't have ribbons and the person who created this presentation removed them for aesthetic, uniformity purposes. 

Not what I would have done, but this is a family piece and as the owners they can display it anyway they like.

Unfortunately the son of Major Buschnann, Dieter, passed away 20 years ago. I suspect the shoulder straps & collar patches were removed by him from one of his father’s tunics & perhaps the EK II & Honour Cross were separate. It’s unfortunate the ribbon rings were removed presumably by Dieter, I agree it looks like it was done for display purposes. The granddaughter is very proud of Major Buschmann so I will be discrete how I explain the display to her.

 

13 hours ago, J Temple-West said:

Exactly...

as an aside, and regarding the insignia, it would seem that the tabs and boards were taken off this officer's white summer uniform as the metal eagle is present. not a great photo but looking at the summer uniform eagle I would say that it's an example by Friedrich Linden, Ludenscheid. would love to see clearer photo's of obverse and reverse to confirm.

Thank you. When I next see the granddaughter I will seek a better photo including the reverse.

[David Goody]

15 hours ago, Claudius said:

"And of course the ribbon bar is fixed in wrong direction on the display"

Yes, and to reiterate the awards from L-R (when the ribbon bar is correctly positioned);

1) Iron Cross 2nd class,

2) Hindenburg Cross,

3) Baltic Cross -2nd Class,

4) Randow Cross w/swords

5) Turkish War Merit (Gallipoli Star)

I think the Randow Cross at the bottom of the display is a very clear indication that the 4th ribbon is the Randow Cross.  (and that's the Baltic Cross on the right side)  Overall, a very nice display of a family member.

It's not important to convey this to the granddaughter - but for those on this forum it is interesting and noteworthy that Major Buschmann included his Randow Cross on his ribbon bar.  Usually after 1934 it was against Regulations.     

Thank you. The granddaughter told me her father told her Major Buschmann had many more medals and badges but when Major Buschmann’s widow passed away in the early 1970s the relatives in Germany (presumably siblings, nephews, nieces) allegedly helped themselves to the best of his decorations. Dieter was an only child, migrated to Australia in the 1950s and never returned home. Again presumably these would have been awards from his service in the Luftwaffe. I have seen a photograph of Major Buschmann with Leutnant insignia so I assume he was called up in 1939/ 1940, served until missing in action in late 1942 and worked his way up to Major. Do you have any thoughts please on typical awards a Transport Pilot would have earned in this time period?

16 hours ago, Claudius said:

"And of course the ribbon bar is fixed in wrong direction on the display"

Yes, and to reiterate the awards from L-R (when the ribbon bar is correctly positioned);

1) Iron Cross 2nd class,

2) Hindenburg Cross,

3) Baltic Cross -2nd Class,

4) Randow Cross w/swords

5) Turkish War Merit (Gallipoli Star)

I think the Randow Cross at the bottom of the display is a very clear indication that the 4th ribbon is the Randow Cross.  (and that's the Baltic Cross on the right side)  Overall, a very nice display of a family member.

It's not important to convey this to the granddaughter - but for those on this forum it is interesting and noteworthy that Major Buschmann included his Randow Cross on his ribbon bar.  Usually after 1934 it was against Regulations.     

 

[Gordon Craig]

Gentlemen,

For ease of viewing lets turn the display the correct way up.

Regards,

Gordon

[VtwinVince]

I would do more research on this guy, obviously he had an interesting career. I'd like to know if he flew actively in the first war, as there is no WW1 pilot badge, although it sounds like the family might have grabbed that already. I would post his name on one of the Luftwaffe forums and see what comes up, as I can't find him in Doug's officer's database. As a transport pilot he would have held a Luftwaffe pilot badge and possibly a transport Frontflugspange. And there's always the possibility of clasps to the EK.

[Matthew Macleod]

The red stripe on the Randow Cross ribbon has retained its red color rather well which leads me to believe that the last ribbon is that of a West Wall Medal rather than that of a Gallipoli Star which would presumably hold its color just as well. Also- the Gallipoli Star white stripes are thicker than those of a West Wall decoration making the middle (red) stripe more narrow (or wider in the case of a West Wall Medal) which is what seem to be visible on the bar under discussion.Just my opinion of course.

Sorry, can't help in regards to the rest of your research but hope you find all you're looking for.

 

[VtwinVince]

German ribbons were notorious for bleaching at different rates. To me it seems unlikely that a Westwall would be on this guy's bar, that was more RAD, not Luftwaffe, territory.

[Matthew Macleod]

1 hour ago, VtwinVince said:

To me it seems unlikely that a Westwall would be on this guy's bar, that was more RAD, not Luftwaffe, territory.

With personalities like Goering, Himmler, Todt, Lutze, Hitler and few others as the recipients of the West Wall medal, I'd say it was everyone's territory.

 

[David Goody]

20 hours ago, VtwinVince said:

I would do more research on this guy, obviously he had an interesting career. I'd like to know if he flew actively in the first war, as there is no WW1 pilot badge, although it sounds like the family might have grabbed that already. I would post his name on one of the Luftwaffe forums and see what comes up, as I can't find him in Doug's officer's database. As a transport pilot he would have held a Luftwaffe pilot badge and possibly a transport Frontflugspange. And there's always the possibility of clasps to the EK.

Thank you for your advice. I have posted on some other forums including Luftwaffe & am hoping for further clues about him. As I learn more I will keep the forums updated. His granddaughter told me an interesting story about his character when I last visited her. She said that her father, Dieter, won a ski award that was either presented by Hitler or the certificate was signed by him. When his father was home on leave and became aware of it he tore it up and threw it at Dieter. This must have been very upsetting for Dieter, but with my current maturity and age I feel I can understand Major Buschmann’s reaction, he had clearly seen a lot & the direction the war was going for Germany. Dieter was called up for service later in the war, he was born in 1929, & joined the Luftwaffe. I assume the fact that his father had been a Luftwaffe officer played a part in this. Dieter told me many years ago he was being trained as a pilot, luckily for him he was called up too late to be ready for combat and he survived. He never returned to Germany after migrating to Australia in the 1950s, it must have been very hard on his mother. I imagine he had a great deal of trauma & disappointment, he lost his father, the family home in Berlin & career opportunities. The family were well off before the war, a detached house in Berlin with yard, a car, nanny. All this lost. The bombing in Berlin was so bad apparently Major Buschmann’s wife had turned grey in hair colour while she was in an air raid shelter.

9 hours ago, Matthew Macleod said:

The red stripe on the Randow Cross ribbon has retained its red color rather well which leads me to believe that the last ribbon is that of a West Wall Medal rather than that of a Gallipoli Star which would presumably hold its color just as well. Also- the Gallipoli Star white stripes are thicker than those of a West Wall decoration making the middle (red) stripe more narrow (or wider in the case of a West Wall Medal) which is what seem to be visible on the bar under discussion.Just my opinion of course.

Sorry, can't help in regards to the rest of your research but hope you find all you're looking for.

 

Thank you. Hopefully my request for records from the German archives will bear fruit & will clarify the matter. I will update the forums as I learn more.