ranglisten

[Valter]

For research purposes, ranglists are inevitable, so I decided to buy some. Prussian ranglists are available from ebay for cca 50 euros, but I can't afford to buy all of them, so I'd like to get some suggestions which lists would be the most useful for a start (2-3 of them). I noticed there are ranglists of "active officers" and more general ranglists, so I assume the active-only are less useful. Which year do you suggest as the most informative, or "best value for money"? And which bavarian ranglists?

 

Thanks in advance, Valter

[dedehansen]

Hi Valter,

 

maybe this link will help you:

 

https://www.deutsche-gesellschaft-fuer-ordenskunde.de/DGOWP/bibliothek/digitale-bibliothek/

 

Kind regards

 

Andreas

[Valter]

Hello Andreas,

 

thank you for the link, I know and appreciate this page, but both Bavarian and Prussian ranglists end well before 20th century, so the most useful ones are missing. I hope they will upgrade their library, but until then I'd like to get some 20th century lists.

 

Greetings, Valter

[Deruelle]

Hi Valter,

 

About the aera of your research, you need the Ranglisten from Prussian Bavaria, Saxony and Wurttemberg from 1914. If you want more, just take Ranglisten after 1908 (you can see some kolonial information like orders with swords. You won't find the medal for South Afrika written in the RL)

 

The Ehrenranglisten is very important (to know who died during WW1). And at least you need the Reichswehr Ranglisten from 1924 or 1925. It is enough to begin good research

 

http://www.huesken.com/shop/de/neuheiten.html

 

 

Christophe

Edited June 25, 2021 by Deruelle

[Valter]

Thank you Christophe, much appreciated! Now I know what to focus on for the beginning.

 

Greetings, Valter

[The Prussian]

Hello!

 Prussian rank lists have existed since at least 1713, and from 1785 they were published annually until 1806. After that, as a result of the lost war of 1806, there were initially no more rank lists, but at least in 1808 and 1812 they were compiled in manuscript and more recently published as facsimile prints by the Military History Research Office. Furthermore, a ranking list for 1806 was published in two editions in 1828, supplemented by "Nachrichten über das nachherige Verhältnis der darin aufgeführten Officiere und Militair-Beamten" and in 1835 by a list of names.

Regularly published annual rank lists again starting in 1817, they contain the entire peacetime division of the Prussian army with all formations and services as well as their staffing with officers and higher military officials, usually with the status as of spring of each year. An addendum contains changes up to the time of printing. Under each formation/service, personnel changes that have occurred since the last ranking was published and the reason for those changes are listed. The full title of the rank lists is "Rank and Quarter List of the Royal Prussian Army for the Year...". Individuals are listed by rank and surname, unfortunately first names are missing. If there are several persons of the same rank with the same surname in a formation, they are distinguished as "the 1st", "the 2nd", etc. It is only from 1897 that the first name is mentioned instead in these cases. In the years 1870 and 1876 no ranking lists appeared. In 1890, 1893, 1900, 1912, and 1913, each of which had extensive October 1 reappointments, there is an additional ranking list covering only the active duty ranks with October 1 appointments. The last peacetime ranking list appeared in the spring of 1914, after which publication ceased for the duration of World War 1.

Furthermore, the Prussian rank lists show:

    from 1830 a list of names
    from 1843 onwards, lists of ranks, but from 1853 onwards only including generals and staff officers
    from 1850 also the (still very small) navy until 1873, after which its personnel was listed as imperial troops in a separate ranking list
    from 1868 also the officers and senior officers of the non-Prussian troops of the North German Confederation (except Saxony and Brunswick, Brunswick only from 1887)
    from 1895 also the Württemberg troops and services, the title is now: "Rang- und Quartierliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee und des XIII. (Königlich Württembergischen) Armeekorps für das Jahr..." (List of ranks and quarters of the Royal Prussian Army and the XIII. (Royal Württemberg) Army Corps for the year...")
    from 1897 the Schutztruppen
    from Oct. 1900 the Marine Infantry and for the period of its existence the East Asian Expeditionary Corps, furthermore from each officer the date of his last patent. The title is now: "Rank List..." instead of "Rank and Quarter List...".
    Beginning in 1903, Landwehr districts are listed in alphabetical order rather than regionally within their Army Corps.

The last peacetime rank list appeared in May 1914; there were no rank lists in World War 1, if only for reasons of secrecy. In 1926, the German Officers' Association published an "Honorary Ranking List of the German Army", which, however, only contains all active officers and higher military officials who received their patent until the end of World War 1. This ranking lists Prussian and Württemberg officers as well as Bavarian and Saxon officers. Prussian reserve and Landwehr officers, if they fell, are included in Uebe's work "Ehrenmal des preußischen Offizierskorps" published in 1939.

In addition to the rank lists, there were seniority lists published annually since about 1855, listing the active Prussian (and from 1897 also the Württemberg) officers with all patent awards. These seniority lists were still published during World War I.

 

Bavaria:

The compilations corresponding to the Prussian rank lists were called "Military Handbook of the Kingdom of Bavaria", a first handbook (still under the title "Rank List") was published in 1811, the following editions from 1831 onwards in about two-year intervals, the last one in spring 1914. The military handbooks are structured similarly to the Prussian rank lists, additionally contain an extensive genealogy of the ruling dynasty and also the first names of all persons mentioned, furthermore also still living officers a. D., list of names of all (also deceased) holders of the Military Order of Max Joseph and the Military Medal of Honor, a list of campaigns of the Bavarian Army and a short history of its formations. Army and a short history of its formations and services. In addition, there were annually published "rank lists", which corresponded in content to the Prussian "seniority lists".

 

Saxony:

Rank lists of the Saxon army existed from 1807 at the latest, until 1849 they were called "Stamm- und Rangliste der Königl. Sächs. Armee vom Jahre...", from 1850 only "Rangliste...". In terms of structure and scope, they resemble mutatis mutandis the military handbooks for the Kingdom of Bavaria. They were published annually, the last time in 1914, and reflect the status as of January of the respective year of publication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2021 by The Prussian

[Glenn J]

Chaps,

 

I have some spare Prussian copies running from around 1866 to 1914 which I will part with at say £30 a pop plus postage. If anyone is interested please send me a pm.

 

Regards

Glenn

[The Prussian]

Hi Glenn!

Which copies do you have before 1880 please?

[Glenn J]

Hi Andy,

 

all from 1866 (I think!)

 

Regards

Glenn

[The Prussian]

My 1879 is damaged. I could need a good one.. . ?

[KIR]

Hi,

here you will find Ranglisten from 1785 - 1928: 

https://www.sbc.org.pl/dlibra/publication/389485/edition/367108#structure

 Best regards,

Jens

Edited June 27, 2021 by KIR

[Valter]

Gentlemen,

 

immense thanks for your replies. Especial The Pruassian (Andy) for detailed explanation - there's everything one should know about ranglists. You also have a wonderful library! Great thank you also to Jens and his link to Polish Silesian library - it seems they are ahead of German libraries in terms of digitalisation! ?

 

I will use these digital ranglists, as they are quite complete, plus I'll buy a couple as the real book is easier to search than digital one IMHO.

 

Greetings,

Valter