Vor dem Feinde Newspaper

[chuck]

Could i please get some assistance in translating the Vor dem Feinde announcement in a local Oldenburg new paper. 

 

Thank you,

Chuck

[chuck]

On 05/07/2022 at 17:29, Triadoro said:

You've presented an extremely important document that sheds considerable light on the award criteria for the "Vor dem Feinde" ribbon-clasp.  It is nothing short of an official announcement clarifying the purpose of this clasp and the circumstances under which it was to be awarded and worn. 

 

There is quite a bit of misinformation circulating about the "Vor dem Feinde" clasp.  Some posts in this forum (some even recently!) have suggested that recipients of the Friedrich August Cross 2nd Class privately purchased these clasps at their discretion and mounted them on their medal bars and ribbon bars as a decorative embelishment.

 

However, the announcement you've posted clearly states, that the Grand Duke himself instituted this clasp in order to specifically recognize meritorious combat-service on the front lines by recipients of the FA-Cross 2nd Class.

 

It continues by stating that recipients of the FA-Cross 2nd Class who received this award for service in the rear echelon, in occupied enemy territories, or in the German Homeland are NOT authorized to wear this clasp.  (Note that these 3 categories of recipients also received the FA-Cross on War Ribbon, not on the Non-Combatant Ribbon.)

 

Furthermore, the announcement states that the clasp would be awarded along with the FA-Cross 2nd Class to frontline combatants... i.e, not separately, but together WITH the FA-Cross.   However, if somebody who already has an FA-Cross 2nd Class without a clasp gets transferred to frontline combat service, it was up to that individual to obtain a clasp entirely on his own.  There would be no separate award certificate for the clasp issued nor would a complimentary clasp be provided.  (It is for this reason that we see retailers of military products offering these clasps on a private-purchase basis, especially after the War.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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   Triadoro,

 

I was having a discussion on the imperial award forum which led me to look for additional information and stumbled on to the announcement in the Deutsche Zeigensportal.

Deutsches Zeitungsportal - Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de)

 

Thanks, 

chuck 

[GreyC]

On 05/07/2022 at 23:29, Triadoro said:

However, if somebody who already has an FA-Cross 2nd Class without a clasp gets transferred to frontline combat service, it was up to that individual to obtain a clasp entirely on his own. 

That is not what it says in German.

Unfortunately Chuck gave no year to the clipping. My guess is 1918.

What it says in German (translated to English) is that all those who where awarded the cross before this announcement and who are elligble for the bar, can obtain it at own cost. Only with newly awarded crosses from announcement onwards, is the bar included (when bearer elligable).

GreyC

[chuck]

10 hours ago, GreyC said:

That is not what it says in German.

Unfortunately Chuck gave no year to the clipping. My guess is 1918.

What it says in German (translated to English) is that all those who where awarded the cross before this announcement and who are elligble for the bar, can obtain it at own cost. Only with newly awarded crosses from announcement onwards, is the bar included (when bearer elligable).

GreyC

The newspaper is Oldenburg Zeitungfur Volk und Heimet, dated 02OCT1918, Nr269.

 

Chuck

[The Prussian]

Hello!

The clasp came out on Sept.20, 1918

[chuck]

I wanted to take a moment and clarify the source of this discussion. The announcement for the "Vor dem Feinde" bar was published in the Oldenburg newspaper Nachrichten fur Stadt und Land on 02 October 1918 Nr 269 (see attached front page clip). I have gone back and reviewed the newspaper from the institution date of 20 SEP18 until the date of the announcement 02Oct18 and could not find any additional announcements or mentions of the "Vor dem Feinde" bar.  Typically, there was at least one announcement Titled from the Grand Duke" "Aus dem Grossherzogtum" published each day listing various promotions, awards, and other items presented or about the officers and men of Oldenburg military.

 

The Nachrichenten fur Stadt und Land according to the German Wiki was first published fin 1867 and was a major regional paper around the time of the 1st World War with a circulation of about 30,000 copies.

 

Given these facts i would deduce that announcement served as general implementation instructions for the citizens of Oldenburg on the newly established Vor dem Feinde bar for the already existing Friedrich August Cross 2nd Class on the combat ribbon.

 

 

As i am not fluent in German it is possible i have made errors.

 

Regards

Chuck