Stogieman Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 I will start a list of common abreviations that we take for granted when talking about many of these pieces. I'm sure "The Evil One" will add to it! Common Terms RK = Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) mK = mit Krone (with crown) anglicized as wC, wK mS = mit Schwerter (with Swords) Often anglicized to wX X = Schwerter (Swords) XaR = Swords on Ring (some Orders had this appendage) 1.Kl. = First Class 2.Kl. = Second Class Both of these will often be stated as RK1, RK2, etc. mKD = mit Kriegsdekoration (Austro-Hungarian on many awards) Prussia HOH = Prussian version Hohenzollern House Order (3 class usually, with X or not) EK = Eisernes Kreuz (Iron Cross) sub-abbreviations: EK1, EK2 EK2w = Iron Cross on the "white-black" noncombatant ribbon (P)KO = Preussen Kronen Orden (Prussian Crown Order) (P)RAO = Preussen Roter Adler Orden (Prussian Red Eagle Order) KDM = Kriegs Denkmünze (War Medal-- must specific which one) DA = Dienstauszeichnungen (Long Service award, class specified by number which varied for years over time as in 1= 21/15, 2 = 15/12, 3 = always 9 years. Could be medals or brooches and so specified) LD = Landwehrdienstauszeichnung (1 for XX years 2 for the broocch/medal. Prussian/Reichs is normally assumed, preceded by B for Bavarian, S for Saxon, or W for Württemberg versions: SLD2, WLD1 etc) ® = Lifesaving Medal on Ribbon (identical glyph used in Rank Lists) VK/PrKHDK = Prussian War Effort Cross (take your pick!!) GMVK = Gold Military Merit Cross MEZ = Military Decoration: 1 (silver cross) 2 (silver medal) on both version EK ribbon PrAEz = General Decoration (usually the silver medal on RAO ribbon) Baden BV = Militär Karl Friedrich Verdienst Order (with class number-- 3 = Knight) BZ = Zähringen Lion Order (number and letter for class-- 3a = Knight 1st, 3b = Knight 2nd Class, 4 = Merit Cross etc) BsV = Merit Medal in silver often with designation for on the MKFVO ribbon BKV = War Merit Cross BK = Cross for Voluntary War Aid Bavaria BMMJO = Military Max Josef Order (3 = Knight Class) BMV = Militär Verdienst Order (Classes 4, 3, O, 2 up etc) BMVK = Militär Verdienst Kreuz (Classes 1, 2, 3 with or without Crowns and Xs) BL = Ludwig Cross BDA = as Prussia, above BLD = as Prussia, above with relevant number for class, viz. BMV4X, BMVK3XmKr Saxony SH = Militär Saint Heinrich Order (3 = Knight Class) SA = Albert Order (Classes as SA3aXmKr, SA3bX etc) SV = Verdienst Order (SV3aX etc) SFAM = Friedrich August Medaille (S = Silber, B = Bronze so SFAM-S etc) SKz = Sachsen Ehren Kreuz (Saxon Honor Cross) SK = War Merit Cross Württemberg WM = their Militär Verdienst Orden (3 = Knight) WF = Friedrichs Orden as in WF3aX = Knight 1st Class with swords as in WF3b = Knight 2nd Class (peacetime) WK = Wüttemberg Krone Orden WKrz = Wilhelmskreuz (with X or without) WgM/WsM = Bravery/formerly "military Merit" Medals in gold /silver WR/®= LifesavingMedal: NON-Wtbg Lists/Wtbg Lists (wherein the Prussian was PRM not ® ) Hanseatic Cities BH = Bremen Hanseatic Cross HH = Hamburg Hanseatic Cross LüH = Lübeck Hanseatic Cross Hessen-Darmstadt HP = House Order with class numbers HT = Hessian Bravery Medal aka General Decoration "for...." (multiple purpose reverses specify: bravery, long service, lifesaving) HS = Hessian Military Medical Cross HK = the untranslatable pinback 1917+ "Warrior Decoration in Iron" Hohenzollern HE = Princely Honor Cross (house order) all grades with class designations with ot without Xs Mecklenburg-Schwerin MG = Griffin Order with class numbers MMV = Friedrich Franz Cross (1 = 1st Class, 2 = 2nd Class) Mecklenburg-Strelitz MStK = Cross for Distinction in War (1= rare 1st class, 2= usual 2nd class) Oldenburg OV = House Order with class numbers OK = Friedrich August Cross (1 or 2 Class, 2a = with "vor dem Feinde Spange) sometimes, God forgive us, we use "OFAK" which was the NAVY abbreviation for this, while the ARMY used "OK." Brunswick BrH = House Order with class numbers BrK = Ernst August crosses (1 class, 2a 2nd with "horse" device, 2 class) Anhalt AB = House Order of Albert the Bear with class number AK = WW1 Friedrich Cross Lippe-Detmold LH = -Detmold version of the House Order with class numbers LKr = WW1 War Merit Cross Schaumburg-Lippe SLH = Schaumburg- version of the House Order with class numbers SLK = Cross for Loyal Service (their "EK" despite the "long service" sounding name) Saxe-Weimar GSF = White Falcon Order with class numbers, Xs etc though "SWF" also used and I prefer that GSWA = General Decoration: 1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze with and without Xs (NOT "SWAfrica Medal"!!!!!) Thüringian "Ernestine" Duchies EH = Saxe-Ernestine House Order, common to the hyphenated Saxe-Duchies of -Altenburg, -Coburg, and -Meiningen. The actual GERMAN abbreviation was "HSEH" but even we must Draw The Too Obscure Line someplace!!! SMK = WW1 Saxe-Meiningen War Merit Cross (for officers, the "crowned B" medal ) SMM = WW1 Saxe-Meiningen War Merit Medal (for enlisted men) AT = WW1 Altenburg Bravery Medal Reuss RE/RäE = House Order with distinction in older (RäE) and younger (RjE) lines, class numbers with or w/o Xs RgM/RsM = medals of above (no "line" distinction) with or w/o Xs Schwarzburg SEK = House Order (the "Honor Cross") with class numbers and w or w/o Xs SKM = Silver War Merit Medal Waldeck WV = House Order (the "Honor Cross") with class numbers and with or without Xs WgVM/WsVM = gold and silver medals to above, dittos Austria-Hungary ÖM3K = Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with War Decoration ÖT = Bravery Medals, with g old, s ilver (1 and 2 classes), b ronze class designated like "ÖbT" Ö VK = Merit Crosses with class designations, with and without crowns as in ÖgVK, ÖsVKmKr etc Bulgaria BT = Bravery Order/Cross with class designations BA = St. Alexander Order with class designations BO = Military Merit Order (peace or war had Xs) Turkey TH = Turkish War Medal star aka Gallipoli Star aka Iron Half Moon TL = Liakat Medals (1 = Gold, 2 = silver) TI = Imtiaz Medals (1 & 2 as above) TM = Medjidie Order (number for class) TO = Osmanie Order (number for class) TR = Lifesaving Medal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 For those wondering WHAT arcane gibberish we are talking about when we rattle off this shorthand, it is derived from "Rank List Speak." Those of us who spend waaaaay too much time immersed in period references can actually read and interpret the bizarre little glyphs and abbreviations (varying from kingdom to kingdom and from army to navy, as well as in civilian sources! )This is a sample "List" page, just so you can tell from whence this all comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted May 26, 2005 Share Posted May 26, 2005 Visual Aids: a "BMV4X" and a "SA3aX" closeup from a medal bar, sandwiched between an EK2 and a "BrK" (Brunswick Ernst August Cross 2nd Class) and a "BMV4XmKr" and a "SA3a" (next to a "WF3a") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Wondering how to make all those vital but obscure accent marks? Copy and print this out and yuse it for a monitor-side cheat sheet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeheld Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I will start a list of common abreviations that we take for granted when talking about many of these pieces. I'm sure "The Evil One" will add to it! Common Terms Mecklenburg-Schwerin MG = Griffin Order with class numbers MMV = Friedrich Franz Cross (1 = 1st Class, 2 = 2nd Class) MMV = Militärverdienstkreuz (Military merit cross) MFFK = Friedrich Franz Kreuz für Heimatverdienst 1917 (Friedrich Franz cross for home merit 1917) MMV and MFFK are totally different!!!! :whistle: Regards Seeheld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thierry Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Bonjour, A Bayerischen Orden List and Codification Crdl Thierry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thierry Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 and Last Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 (edited) . . Abbreviations and Symbols of German and Foreign awards in the 1914 Rangliste . Edited February 17, 2011 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Naxos Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 . . Abbreviations and Symbols of German and Foreign awards in the 1928 Rangliste Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Naxos Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Danner Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 (edited) Can anybody tell me what "AK" with crossed swords Saxon style might represent on a maroon leatherette presentation case? AK is the Saxon abbreviation for the Albrechtskreuz, the silver cross associated with the Albrechtsorden. Here are Saxony's own abbreviations for its decorations: Edited October 20, 2011 by Dave Danner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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