bavaria Identifying a Bavarian officer im Generalstab (Major to Oberst)

[Claudio]

Dear forumites,

My brother lately acquired a very nice high officer's portrait  in oil colours under glass (therefore the reflection on the picture, sorry!). which still has the  original frame.

As you can see this high officer is wearing a EK1 1914 and a medal bar composed by the following orders and medals:

1. Kingdom of Bavaria, BMVO3 mit Krone und Schwerter
2. Kingdom of Prussia, EK2 1914
3. KuK Austria-Hungary (?), goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille (?)
4. Free City of Hamburg (?), Hanseatenkreuz
5. Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, war cross 2nd class
6. Kingdom of Saxony, AO1X
7. Kingdom of Bavaria, DA 25 Jahre
8. Kingdom of Prussia, Zentenarmedaille
9. KuK Austria-Hungary, MVK3

Is an identification of this highly decorated officer possible?

Thank you in advance for your most appreciated inputs and comments.

Cordially,

Claudio

 

[laurentius]

Lovely painting Claudio, although I think the hanseatic cross is from Bremen rather than Hamburg. A Bavarian with several orders and a zentenarenmedaille should be easy to identify. Fingers crossed.

Kind regards, Laurentius

[spolei]

Hello, third place won't be a foreign order like austrian. Possibly Jubiläumsmedaille bavaria.
At the 4th is a Hausorden of Hohenzollern, 5th a hanseatic award.

Edited June 22, 2020 by spolei

[Claudio]

31 minutes ago, spolei said:

Hello, third place won't be a foreign order like austrian. Possibly Jubiläumsmedaille bavaria.
At the 4th is a Hausorden of Hohenzollern, 5th a hanseatic award.

IMHO the third medal, although foreign, is a bravery medal... what else could that be with a red-white ribbon and a large gold-like medal?

Maybe this one https://www.ehrenzeichen-orden.de/deutsche-staaten/st-georgs-medaille-jubilaumsmedaille-1889.html? 

However in order to be in the exclusive Bavarian order of St. George, you had to prove that your lineage is noble since 8 generations... ?  In that case I think this officer he would have his "Familenwappen" (coat of arms) painted on the upper corner, wouldn't he?

Edited June 22, 2020 by Claudio

[Daniel Krause]

Goodness, Claudio...

Thats the normal jubilee medal which EVERY active Officer got...

The painter was not overly careful.

I am very sure, no bavarian would leave away his homeland jubilee medal but wear a foreign centenary medal.

 

Best,

Daniel

[Claudio]

45 minutes ago, Daniel Krause said:

Goodness, Claudio...

Thats the normal jubilee medal which EVERY active Officer got...

The painter was not overly careful.

I am very sure, no bavarian would leave away his homeland jubilee medal but wear a foreign centenary medal.

 

Best,

Daniel

Thanks Daniel! ??

I thought about that, but as you rightly said it wasn’t really painted very well...

cheers 

Claudio 

 

[1812 Overture]

I also think this is the Lut Pod Jubilee Medal in Bavaria. Watching the front portrait of the character, it looks to the left and the officer has also served in Bavaria for 25 years. He has no reason not to win the Jubilee Medal.
I think the fourth trophy is Lufthansa Bremen.
PS, why doesn't your brother come to the forum?

[Claudio]

4 hours ago, 1812 Overture said:

I also think this is the Lut Pod Jubilee Medal in Bavaria. Watching the front portrait of the character, it looks to the left and the officer has also served in Bavaria for 25 years. He has no reason not to win the Jubilee Medal.
I think the fourth trophy is Lufthansa Bremen.
PS, why doesn't your brother come to the forum?

You meant Hanseatenkreuz Bremen... not Lufthansa...

 

[Glenn J]

Difficult to be absolutely certain, but I think this chap may well be the then Major i.G. Eugen Trautmann.

Regards

Glenn

 

[Claudio]

Hi Glenn!
 

you might have found him... it looks like him, from the face and the medal bar... ???????

[Bayern]

10 hours ago, Glenn J said:

Difficult to be absolutely certain, but I think this chap may well be the then Major i.G. Eugen Trautmann.

Regards

Glenn

 

The man portrayed in the paint wears what seems to be the uniform of a field officer in the General Staff . carmine piping on the collar and front of the tunic,mattsilver buttons and the Double GS litzen on the collar . litzen of the so called Blumenmuster.

[Claudio]

16 hours ago, Bayern said:

The man portrayed in the paint wears what seems to be the uniform of a field officer in the General Staff . carmine piping on the collar and front of the tunic,mattsilver buttons and the Double GS litzen on the collar . litzen of the so called Blumenmuster.

That’s why he must be him... ????

[Bayern]

Highly probable !

[Glenn J]

9 hours ago, Claudio said:

That’s why he must be him... ????

Morning Claudio,

I think this is conclusive; from an extract of a Kriegs-Rangliste of III. Bavarian corps showing Major Trautmann's awards. From top to bottom:

Bavarian Jubilee Medal

BMVO3 with Crown and Swords

Bavarian Long service Decoration (DA) 25 years

Prussian Centenary Medal

Prussian EK2

Prussian EK1

Prussian Hohenzollern House Order 3 with Swords

Saxon Albrechts Order Knight 1st Class with Swords

Hamburg Hanseatic Cross

Austro-Hungarian Military Merit Cross 3rd Class

Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross 2nd Class

Regards

Glenn

 

[Claudio]

Thank you so much, Glenn!!! ??

I thought that the Hanseatenkreuz not from Bremen but from Hamburg was... much more common and plus how could have been explained Major Trautmann's link to the much smaller Hansa free city of Bremen... 

Another identification and another name put to a face... Thanks again also from my brother's side, Glenn! ?