Medal Bonanza.... or how to get them....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Graf von Holsnstein. prewar Bavarian Infanterie leibregiment officer, during the war a staff officer.... many I can not identify... but an impressive rack for a tea and cocktail commando....

[Eric Stahlhut]

what's he wearing above the twm? one of those bavarian golden wedding badges in bronze, or is it some type of bulgarian award?

also, is the last medal on his bar a spanish award? as you say, quite the impressive array

Edited March 20, 2021 by Eric Stahlhut

[Chris Boonzaier]

I think yup on both accounts.

 

He seems to have been always at the right place at the right time. ?

[ccj]

Very nice 

[laurentius]

18 hours ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

tea and cocktail commando....

 

Alright, let's have a try.

On the breast, clockwise we have:

-EK1

-Order of Franz Joseph officerscross (FJÖ)

-Iron Crescent (TH)

-freikorpsbadge ( I recognize it, but can't identify it.)

 

On the medalbar:

-BMVO4krx (Bavarian Military Merit Order with crown and swords)

-BMVO4 (Bavarian Military Merit Order)

-Verdienstorden vom Heiligen Michael (don't know the abreviation)

-I am thinking the gold prince Rupprecht medal or the 1918 wedding anniversary medal, sometimes smugly worn by Bavarians before the EK)

-Prinzregent-Luitpoldmedaille (BPL)

-EK2

-HoHx (House Order of Hohenzollern with swords)

-BZL4x (or 3) (Baden Zähringen Löwe)

-behind the BZL is a small cross-like decoration with crown which I can't identify

-SA3b (Saxon Order of Albrecht)

-WF3 (Württemberg Friedrich Order)

-BDA (Bavarian Long Service cross)

-Franz Joseph jubileum medal

-last but not least, the Spanish cross for merit, white I think.

 

This identification should be correct, apart from the medal in the fourth place and the cross in the ninth place.

 

Kind regards, Laurentius

[Chris Boonzaier]

A silly question, is it usual to wear the Austrian Steckkreuz and not have a lower grade Austrian award on the bar?

Thanks for the identifications! I need to hit the books, but I am guessing he got awards from just about every dignitary who visited the HQ?

[laurentius]

8 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

A silly question, is it usual to wear the Austrian Steckkreuz and not have a lower grade Austrian award on the bar?

Seems normal to me, since there is also an Austrian medal I suspect this officer has some Austrian connection. Perhaps he got the steckkreuz without previously having gotten the lower grade.

 

9 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Thanks for the identifications! I need to hit the books, but I am guessing he got awards from just about every dignitary who visited the HQ?

We can't be 100% certain but I would consider that very well possible.

[Glenn J]

Graf Ludwig was a former "personal adjutant" to Prinz (later König) Ludwig hence the vast array of peacetime awards, which was very much par for the course for an individual in such an appointment. He had previously not held a lower grade of the Austrian Franz Josef Order when he was awarded the Offizierskreuz (permission to accept and wear on 19 October 1909).

 

Regards

Glenn

[Chris Boonzaier]

38 minutes ago, Glenn J said:

Graf Ludwig was a former "personal adjutant" to Prinz (later König) Ludwig hence the vast array of peacetime awards, which was very much par for the course for an individual in such an appointment. He had previously not held a lower grade of the Austrian Franz Josef Order when he was awarded the Offizierskreuz (permission to accept and wear on 19 October 1909).

 

Regards

Glenn

Ahhh... OK, I saw him mentioned in the Leiber and had not looked much further yet... So he would probably have known Leonrod!

 

[graham]

 

2 hours ago, laurentius said:

 

Alright, let's have a try.

On the breast, clockwise we have:

-EK1

-Order of Franz Joseph officerscross (FJÖ)

-Iron Crescent (TH)

-freikorpsbadge ( I recognize it, but can't identify it.)

 

On the medalbar:

-BMVO4krx (Bavarian Military Merit Order with crown and swords)

-BMVO4 (Bavarian Military Merit Order)

-Verdienstorden vom Heiligen Michael (don't know the abreviation)

-I am thinking the gold prince Rupprecht medal or the 1918 wedding anniversary medal, sometimes smugly worn by Bavarians before the EK)

-Prinzregent-Luitpoldmedaille (BPL)

-EK2

-HoHx (House Order of Hohenzollern with swords)

-BZL4x (or 3) (Baden Zähringen Löwe)

-behind the BZL is a small cross-like decoration with crown which I can't identify

-SA3b (Saxon Order of Albrecht)

-WF3 (Württemberg Friedrich Order)

-BDA (Bavarian Long Service cross)

-Franz Joseph jubileum medal

-last but not least, the Spanish cross for merit, white I think.

 

This identification should be correct, apart from the medal in the fourth place and the cross in the ninth place.

 

Kind regards, Laurentius

 

On the medal bar, nine in from the left. Brunswick's - Order of Heinrich the Lion Knight's Cross?

Edited March 21, 2021 by graham

[Glenn J]

2 hours ago, graham said:

On the medal bar, nine in from the left. Brunswick's - Order of Heinrich the Lion Knight's Cross?

Yes,

 

much clearer on his peacetime bar.

 

Regards

Glenn

 

[Eric Stahlhut]

8 hours ago, Glenn J said:

Graf Ludwig was a former "personal adjutant" to Prinz (later König) Ludwig....

 

Regards

Glenn

 

 

that's why he's sporting this seldom-seen badge, which was a late-war creation. not very many were issued

 

https://antique-photos.com/en/awardsdatabase/german-empire/bavaria/661-golden-wedding-of-royal-couple-commemorative-badge.html

Edited March 21, 2021 by Eric Stahlhut

[Glenn J]

Thanks Eric,

 

which probably confirms the identification by Laurentius of the medal in 4th place;  the 1918 golden wedding anniversary medal.

 

Regards

Glenn

[BlackcowboyBS]

Ludwig Graf von Hohnstein was awarded the Knightscross 1st class of Brunswick HdL 1909