How unique is this WWI combination?

[Great Dane]

I need some opinions from German WWI awards experts...

 

Some time ago I researched a Danish guy who was born and grew up in the part of Denmark, that between the 2nd Danish-Prussian war (1864) and the Plebiscite (1920) was part of Germany.
Thus in WWI he participated on the German side.

 

After some detective work in various personnel lists and biographies, his awards could be determined as:

• Iron Cross 2nd Class 1914 - awarded 1918
• Austria, Merit Cross (silver w/o crown) on war ribbon - awarded 1915
• Bulgaria, Medal of Merit (bronze w. crown) on war ribbon - awarded 1916
• Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, Medal of Merit (silver w. swords) - awarded Oct. 1917
• Turkey, "Iftihar Madalyasi" (red/white ribbon) - awarded 1916

 

Recently I saw the bar below on auction, which appears to be a 100% match (even the year on the bar).

 

The question is, how unique would this combination be? Could it be attributed to him with some certainty or were these awards mostly "I was there" awards?

If the latter, I assume many of his fellow soldiers in the regiment would have the same bar?

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by Great Dane

[VtwinVince]

That is definitely a unique combo.

[Great Dane]

Thank you. Much apprciated.

German awards are not my specialty.

[Daniel Krause]

I do agree, that looks quite unique!!

 

Best of luck,

Daniel

[922F]

This auction includes a number of possibly identifiable bars!

[saschaw]

I agree this combination is most likely unique, and thus fits your researched man. I assume it's not the case here, but want to be 100%: That Ottoman "Iftihar Madalyasi" sometimes has an Arabic name engravement on the back... so, does it?

 

 

[Great Dane]

Thanks for your input.

 

Unfortunately (fortunately?  ) there is nothing engraved on the back.

 

I did some basic research on the internet, and apparently this medal was - at least up until the end of WWI - used as a medal for merit. After that it transformed into more of an 'arts and sciences' type medal.

 

I have a (lo-res) photo of my man wearing his ribbon bar before he got the Iron Cross. The red/white ribbon is clearly to be seen in the last position.

[saschaw]

On 27/07/2023 at 22:43, Great Dane said:

I did some basic research on the internet, and apparently this medal was - at least up until the end of WWI - used as a medal for merit. After that it transformed into more of an 'arts and sciences' type medal.

Not a major expert in Ottoman medals, but I always thought it was rather the other way around: arts, science and such in the pre-WW1 era, and then, during the war, a merit medal for a much wider field, and often used when medals for actual courage seemed unsuitable.

 

 

On 27/07/2023 at 22:43, Great Dane said:

I have a (lo-res) photo of my man wearing his ribbon bar before he got the Iron Cross. The red/white ribbon is clearly to be seen in the last position.

Hadn't noticed before, but I find it absolutely remarkable "your man" received bravery or war medals from four(!) different states before he was awarded the mere Iron Cross!