Spanish-Moroccan Mehdauia Order awarded to Kriegsmarine admirals

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

And here is the last topic I need help with. Any additions/corrections are welcome. If you know any more admirals that were awarded the Mehdauia Order, please write below.

 

1) Wilhelm Canaris:

- Grand Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (17 November 1938)

 

2) Paul Wenneker:

- Grand Officer's Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (5 November 1937)

 

3) Leopold Bürkner:

- Grand Officer's Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (23 July 1939)

 

4) Otto Ciliax:

- Commander's Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (5 March 1938)

 

5) Rolf Carls:

- Grand Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (5 April 1938, Approved on 3 December 1938)

 

6) Hermann von Fischel:

- Grand Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (5 March 1938 or 5 April 1938?)

Why are there two award dates for Fischel? Antonio said "Repeated, with a month of difference, but they are not two concessions", what does this mean?

 

7) Wilhelm Marschall:

- Grand Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (5 November 1937)

 

8 ) Hermann Boehm:

- Grand Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (5 April 1938)

 

9) Wilhelm Meendsen-Bohlken:

- Commander's Cross of the of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (13 May 1938)

 

10) Kurt Böhmer:

- Commander's Cross of the Spanish-Moroccan Order of Mehdauia (13 May 1938)

Edited January 15, 2022 by Kriegsmarine Admiral

[Antonio Prieto]

See the concessions of the Order Medhauia. In bold type the 10 related

GEOTTFRED MOLLMANN    CO    Navy Commander    05/11/1937
KURT BÖHMER    CO    Navy Commander    13/05/1938
OTTO KLUBER    CO    Navy Commander    13/05/1938
JOACHIM PLATH    CO    Navy Commander    13/05/1938
HANS LANGSDORFF    CO    Navy Captain    13/05/1938
WILHELM MEENDSEN (MUNDSEN) BOHLKEM    CO    Navy Commander    13/05/1938
OTTO SCHENK    CO    Navy Captain     13/05/1938
THEODOR-HEINRICH BIEDEL    CO    Navy Captain     13/05/1938

 

PAUL WENNEKER    CN    Navy Captain of Deutschland    05/11/1937
OTTO CILIAX    CN    Navy Captain     05/03/1938
LEOPOLDO BURKNER    CN    Navy Captain     23/07/1939

WILHELM MARSCHALL    GC    Rear Admiral    05/11/1937
CARLS ROLF    GC    Generaladmiral    05/04/1938
HERMANN BOEHM    GC    Vice Admiral    05/04/1938
HERMANN VON FISCHEL    GC    Rear Admiral    05/04/1938
WILHELM CANARIS    GC    Vice Admiral    17/11/1938

 

Order of Mehdauia
GC. Grand Cross
CN: Commander with plaque
CO: Commander.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Antonio Prieto

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Thank you very much Antonio! Klüber, Plath, Schenk and Riedel were all later admirals. Can you please share the documents for these four officers?

 

I also have a few questions.

 

4) Otto Ciliax:

For him I have it written as Comendador (Saada). Are you sure he got the Comendador de número (Fajama) instead? Could you please share the document for Ciliax?

 

6) Hermann von Fischel:

In the document you sent me before, Fischel is listed twice with the dates 5 March 1938 and 5 April 1938. Which one is the correct award date? I can see you wrote 5 April 1938 above. Why?

 

1) Wilhelm Canaris:

Another document you sent me gives the date 17 November 1938 for Canaris. Why do you have the date 8 November 1938? Can you share the relevant document?

[Deutschritter]

I am very interested in this also, so that I can correct my data.

[Antonio Prieto]

The correct name of the Order is "Order Mehdauia". Created in 1926 in the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco to perpetuate the memory of the first Khalifa Muley el Mehdi Ben Ismail Ben Mohamed. About 130 insignias of these order were awarded in their different categories, mainly between 1937 and 1942 to german military an civilian people.

 

Always, according to the record books (manuscripts)

 

For Klüber (397), Plath (398), Schenk (402) and Riedel (403) were all later admirals.

 

4) Otto Ciliax:

Awarded the Comendador de número (Fajama). Record number 120. Date: 5.3.1938

 

 

6) Hermann von Fischel:

Thinking that the double concession is an error, I have chosen, without defined criteria, the last date. If at any time I find additional documentation or the date of imposition, it could change

 

1) Wilhelm Canaris:

My mistake. The correct date is 17.11.1938

 

Any pic of any of these show the Order of Mehdauia insignas are very welcome

Edited January 15, 2022 by Antonio Prieto

[Antonio Prieto]

See the insignias of the order at:

https://coleccionesmilitares.com/medallas/texto/mehdauia.htm

 

 

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Thank you! Sure, here are the photos I have of them wearing the Order of Mehdauia (from top to bottom: Otto Ciliax, Hermann von Fischel and Kurt Böhmer).

[Deutschritter]

Short follow up: Would the Comendador de Número be like the Großoffizier in German?

 

Edited January 15, 2022 by Deutschritter

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

1 minute ago, Deutschritter said:

Short follow up: Would the Comendador de Número be like the Großoffizier in German?

I think so. But Antonio can confirm/deny this.

[Antonio Prieto]

Captain Hans Langsdorff, commander of the Graf Spee, on April 27, 1939 in Ceuta. Commander of the Mehdauia Order, which was granted to him in 1938 Accompanied by General Beigdeber

No. It is an intermediate category between the Commander and the Grand Cross. It is the plaque to be worn on the right side of the chest, instead of the left

Edited January 16, 2022 by Antonio Prieto

[Deutschritter]

2 minutes ago, Antonio Prieto said:

Captain Hans Langsdorff, commander of the Graf Spee, on April 27, 1939 in Ceuta. Commander of the Mehdauia Order, which was granted to him in 1938 Accompanied by General Beigdeber

Who is the Admiral? Thanks!

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Just now, Deutschritter said:

Who is the Admiral? Thanks!

Hermann Boehm.

[Deutschritter]

Just now, Kriegsmarine Admiral said:

Hermann Boehm.

Thanks!

 

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

4 minutes ago, Antonio Prieto said:

No. It is an intermediate category between the Commander and the Grand Cross. It is the neck insignia and a plaque to be worn on the right side of the chest, instead of the left

So how would you translate Comendador de Número into German? The class between the Grand Cross and Commander in German could be either Großoffizierskreuz or Großkomturkreuz.

[Deutschritter]

12 minutes ago, Antonio Prieto said:

No. It is an intermediate category between the Commander and the Grand Cross. It is the neck insignia and a plaque to be worn on the right side of the chest, instead of the left

Thank you! Therefore in German Großoffizier or Großkomtur would be right. English probably Knight Commander.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Deutschritter

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

2 minutes ago, Deutschritter said:

Thank you! Therefore in German Großoffizier or Großkomtur would be right.

I think the Großkomtur would fit better. What do you think?

[Deutschritter]

1 hour ago, Kriegsmarine Admiral said:

I think the Großkomtur would fit better. What do you think?

Yes, but they are to term for the same rank.

[Deutschritter]

Hello, Antonio, how many Mehdauia-Orden were awarded altogether? Thanks! By the way, is Hans Langsdorff, in the picture with General Beigdeber, wearing his Commander (Saada) on the wrong side?

Edited January 16, 2022 by Deutschritter

[Antonio Prieto]

A new mistake. The Comendador de número only is a plaque, not a neck badge

 

The Mehdauia Order comprises the following five classes:

First. Rifaat (Knight). In this category, both the Solomonic ring and the ornaments will be silver. It is suspended from the left side of the chest.
Second. Litizás (Officer). It differs from the previous one only in that the Solomonic ring and ornamentation motifs will be gold, as well as the contours. Also hang on the left side.
Third. Saada (Commander). The same insignia, only set in a silver disk, and pinned to the left side of the chest.
Quarter. Fajama (Commander of number). Like the previous one, and set in a gold disc, hanging on the right side of the chest.
Fifth. Sumú-u (Grand Cross). Identical to the previous one and attached to the left side, also wearing a sash that crosses the chest from right to left and from whose end hangs the second class insignia.

 

Between 1926 and 1956 some 10,378 awards of this Order were awarded.

Not counting those to Moroccans (some 1,700), 571 concessions went to foreigners, mainly Italians (230), Germans (130) and Portuguese (83). Also French, British, from Latin American countries (Argentina, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Cuba or Puerto Rico) and others (Syria, Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Philippines, Norway, Japan, Greece, Holland and the United States).

Edited January 16, 2022 by Antonio Prieto

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

22 hours ago, Antonio Prieto said:

6) Hermann von Fischel:

Thinking that the double concession is an error, I have chosen, without defined criteria, the last date. If at any time I find additional documentation or the date of imposition, it could change

No, 05.03.1938 is the correct date for von Fischel. Here is the reason: These two photos below, I'm pretty sure, show the award ceremony of the Order of Mehdauia for von Fischel and Otto Ciliax. On the first photo both of them already have the breast star. On the second photo Ciliax doesn't yet have it, because von Fischel got it first. Since we know that Otto Ciliax got his Comendador de número (Fajama) on 05.03.1938, then von Fischel got his Grand Cross on the same date. Do you agree?

[Deutschritter]

This topic is very interesting, thanks to both of you for that.

 

Let me ask a question about the last two pictures. Antonio wrote, the Fajama should be worn on the right chest or side, but in the picture Ciliax is wearing the breast star (Fajama) on his left side. Antonio also wrote, the breast star of the grand cross (Sumú-u) should be worn on the left side, but von Fischel is wearing his breast star on his right side. Am I understanding it wrong? Von Langsdorff is wearing his Saada on his right side (instead of left). Kurt Böhmer (picture above) seems to wear his Saada on the correct side.

 

Does anyone have a picture of the special grand cross (as of 1937) for heads of state? 

Edited January 17, 2022 by Deutschritter

[Antonio Prieto]

Of course the regulation is clear regarding the position of the badges. It is possible that whoever imposed them was not very clear about it, or that they simply made a mistake when putting them
I understand that it refers to the Collar of the Order created in 1937 (The category Kil-lada (Great Collar) of the order of the Mehdauia is created, which can only be granted to Heads of State).

Years ago one of them was put up for auction.

We only know of three concessions: that of Khalifa Muley el Hassan, that of Francisco Franco, Caudillo of Spain and Head of State, granted in April 1938, and that of Antonio Oscar de Fragoso Carmona, president of the Portuguese Republic, granted in June of the same year.

 

 

[922F]

Another aspect of this Order concerns insignia size.  At least Spanish and Italian firms manufactured stars and badges.  My notes indicate that most Spanish [Castells and perhaps Cejalvo] stars measure about 55 to 62 mm diameter with 42 mm badges.   Italian [marked Gardino and Johnson plus not verified Alberti] stars size from about 75 mm to 80 mm with badges from 46 to 55 mm diameter at widest points.    Antonio already indicated that Saada  stars are silver and Fajama and  Sumú-u gilt.   I find no reference to grant of a star with the collar--Antonio have you an idea?  

 

It appears that these German recipients wear larger size stars.

 

Statutes indicate, as Antonio noted, that heads of state receive the Kil-lada [collar] grade.  Kai Meyer of Copenhagen had 4 Mehdauia  collars as well as 2 collars of the Order of Hasania, another Spanish Moroccan Order, in his collection in 1980.  Meyer owned an award manufacturing firm; these collars may have been acquired from excess stock of his Spanish colleagues.   He did, however, buy a tremendous number of awards from dealers as well as directly from awardees, some of whom would NOT permit identification.    

[Antonio Prieto]

51 minutes ago, 922F said:

Another aspect of this Order concerns insignia size.  At least Spanish and Italian firms manufactured stars and badges.  My notes indicate that most Spanish [Castells and perhaps Cejalvo] stars measure about 55 to 62 mm diameter with 42 mm badges.   Italian [marked Gardino and Johnson plus not verified Alberti] stars size from about 75 mm to 80 mm with badges from 46 to 55 mm diameter at widest points.    Antonio already indicated that Saada  stars are silver and Fajama and  Sumú-u gilt.   I find no reference to grant of a star with the collar--Antonio have you an idea?  

 

It appears that these German recipients wear larger size stars.

 

Statutes indicate, as Antonio noted, that heads of state receive the Kil-lada [collar] grade.  Kai Meyer of Copenhagen had 4 Mehdauia  collars as well as 2 collars of the Order of Hasania, another Spanish Moroccan Order, in his collection in 1980.  Meyer owned an award manufacturing firm; these collars may have been acquired from excess stock of his Spanish colleagues.   He did, however, buy a tremendous number of awards from dealers as well as directly from awardees, some of whom would NOT permit identification.    

Thank you for this informations

The lmage of the collar in auction some years ago. The collar is not with a plaque or star

The first pieces from the late twenties and early thirties were from Cealvo.

I have never seen a real piece of the collar of the Hasania Order. No less than two had this Kai Meyer whom I unfortunately do not know

Edited January 17, 2022 by Antonio Prieto

[Deutschritter]

Great picture, thank you!