Solomon Posted April 18, 2006 Posted April 18, 2006 This year starts with lots of surprises I got this one very cheap from ebay, no idea why i got it so easy...War Honor Cross for Heroic Deeds with the original caseThis cross was spent on 8th December 1914 by prince Leopold IV for heroic deeds in war.The documents were signed by Leopold IV himself .740 of these crosses were awarded. They havn?t to be returned after death.The cross is made of bronce (painted golden).It is a convex cross (size: 46x46mm / weight: 19,4 Gramm).There was only one official manufactur: C.F. Zimmermann in Pforzheim.The needle-system of my cross is typical for Zimmermann.The case is an original one and looks like the cases for the IC 1st class.It is wine-red and the Inlay is dark-blue with a cut for the needle.The open case:
Solomon Posted April 18, 2006 Author Posted April 18, 2006 A document (digital filled...it is normally blanc and wasn?t awarded...)
Solomon Posted April 18, 2006 Author Posted April 18, 2006 Last but not least a nice and very rare picture from a soldier who awarded this crossI would start a quiz...when was this picture taken...but it might be too easy This soldier belongs to the REICHSWEHR...it was taken after 1918 (the uniform and the wound badge are the hints)
Solomon Posted April 18, 2006 Author Posted April 18, 2006 (edited) a closer look at his awards...He comes from Lippe (the photo was also taken in Lippe/Lemgo) and he is wearing:at the medal bar:-IC 2nd class 1914-war honor cross Lippe-Detmold-merit medal (quite sure from Lippe-Detmold, perhaps the silver merit medal)-FA-cross 2nd class Oldenburgat his uniform:-IC 1st class 1914-FA-cross 1st class Oldenburg-wound badge, maybe black, form after 1918and of course the war honor cross for heroic deeds Lippe-Detmold Maybe Rick can help me to identify this person (by the rank list)By the the way...this photo belongs NOT the the shown cross...i already own this photo much longer.GreetingsSolomon Edited April 18, 2006 by Solomon
Deruelle Posted April 18, 2006 Posted April 18, 2006 Hi, Very nice medal. I love the photo too:jumping: . For me it's the first time I see the document for the War honor cross for heroic deed. RegardsChristophe
Guest Rick Research Posted April 18, 2006 Posted April 18, 2006 Unfortunately there is absolutely no way to trace noncommissioned officers. Even if you had the Lippe award rolls and were able to cross-check them against the Oldenburg rolls (wherever those are) that still wouldn't tell you who went on into the Reichsheer as a sergeant--even with THREE pinback bravery awards.I have a similar problem with an unnamed 1920s wedding photos of an ex-Waldeck NCO who went into the police-- 154 Merit Crosses X awarded, and NO way to tell who HE was!
Solomon Posted April 18, 2006 Author Posted April 18, 2006 Rick, thank you for your information...the difficulty is, that none of his awards is really rare (means less than 593 awards=silver merit medal) GreetingsSolomon
Kev in Deva Posted April 18, 2006 Posted April 18, 2006 (edited) The crossHi Solomon very nice looking Cross but I can't help noticing that it suffered some damage at some time??Kevin in Deva Edited April 18, 2006 by Kev in Deva
Solomon Posted April 18, 2006 Author Posted April 18, 2006 Hi Solomon very nice looking Cross but I can't help noticing that it suffered some damage at some time??Kevin in DevaYes, you are right...at the upper cross-arm there is a small crack...but i?m not sure, if this might be a producing fault, because it almost looks unworn to me...GreetingsSolomon
Stogieman Posted April 18, 2006 Posted April 18, 2006 Fabulous Cross & Case, Fabulous foto and I am glad you won. Now that I know your "handle" we will probably not "bump-heads" nearly as much!!
notned Posted June 27, 2006 Posted June 27, 2006 Hi Solomon,Fantastic score! Love the case! and to get it with the document is a bonus!The photo! WOW! i never seen so many pin back to a Non com before! WoW! he must have been a Super soldier!Thanks for showing!CheersPaul
Ulsterman Posted June 27, 2006 Posted June 27, 2006 By the way-Spring 1919 to Spring, 1920 on the photo: one year almost exactly.Superb group.
Solomon Posted June 27, 2006 Author Posted June 27, 2006 Thanks @Dond:Nice cross, looks like Zimmermann?s work (needle-system and finish). But it isn?t convex, is it?I?ve never seen a non-convex cross before?!Here is some more new stuff It?s a entry in the military pass from "August Kramer" who got this cross for heroic deeds on 15th May 1918for risking his life in a fight near Flandern.He also got the iron cross 2nd class 1914 on 22th August 1917 and the war merit cross Lippe-Detmold on 22th December 1917.He was also wounded but there is no entry for the (black) wound badge...The entries:
Solomon Posted June 27, 2006 Author Posted June 27, 2006 ...and his medal bar with-IC 2nd class 1914-War merit cross Lippe-Detmold-Hindenburg-cross for front-fightersGreetingsSolomon
dond Posted June 27, 2006 Posted June 27, 2006 (edited) Hi Solomon. The cross is flat. I saw a picture of one being worn that looked flat to me. see post #24 in this thread: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5180...0back&st=20 Edited June 27, 2006 by dond
Solomon Posted June 27, 2006 Author Posted June 27, 2006 I?ll agree. The cross, the photo shows, seems to be flat. Quite difficicult, because it?s the first time I see a flat one.IMO, your cross is an original one, made by Zimmermann.GreetingsSolomon
Daniel Cole Posted June 27, 2006 Posted June 27, 2006 [attachmentid=45209]I had one of these once. It was a screwback. One of my favorites.
Solomon Posted June 29, 2006 Author Posted June 29, 2006 (edited) @Daniel: Very nice screwback-cross... There is still a place free in my collection Here are some more information, you can?t find anywhere, but in the archive...Yesterday I went again to Detmold and I had the original receipts the persons who awarded this cross had to fill out in my hands:There were some well known persons, who got it:First, I?ve found the original one for "Freiherr Manfred Albert von Richthofen" and of course, I have made a copy for my collection But there are some more highlights:The first cross was awarded by Prince Leopold IV. of Lippe-Detmold (who also spent this cross).On 13. October 1916 von Hindenburg and von Ludendorff signed (personally) the receipts!Pince Luitpold of Bavaria, Kaiser Wilhelm II., General von Falkenhayn and some other well known generals with a very long list of other orders and awards, they got, can also be found in these files...Pretty nice to read Of course, I also found and copied the receipt, which fits to my military pass of "August Kramer".GreetingsSolomon Edited June 29, 2006 by Solomon
JensF. Posted June 29, 2006 Posted June 29, 2006 Does someone has the text of a citation for this cross? It would be interesting to read, for which level of actions and deeds it was awarded.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now