GdA Max von Gallwitz (help needed)

[Deutschritter]

Gentlemen, I am putting the decorations for Max von Gallwitz together. I would have liked to start with the Kaiserliche Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71, I was pretty sure he took part (although no other war decorations) with the Schleswig-Holsteinisches Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 9 (Corps-Artillerie), but then I looked at the Deutscher Ordens-Almanach (1908), p. 426, and there no D70/71. Then I find this picture, although of poor quality, and it seems he is wearing the Kriegsdenkmünze with three or four battle clasps. Can anyone help out? Maybe someone has a good picture of him with ribbon bar? Thank you!

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by Deutschritter

[Deutschritter]

One more question, please, what about the square decoration just under the ribbon bar. Could that be the Erinnerungszeichen zur Silbernen Hochzeit 1906???

[Deutschritter]

This is my preliminary list, any additions (especially for WWI) and corrections as always very welcome:

 

13.8.1870 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)

9.3.1871 Portepée-Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)

9.3.1872 Sekonde-Lieutenant (2nd Lieutenant)

3.3.1881 Premier-Lieutenant (1st Lieutenant)

15.10.1885 Hauptmann (Captain)

23.5.1890 Major

12.9.1896 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)

25.3.1899 Oberst (Colonel)

18.10.1902 Generalmajor

16.10.1906 Generalleutnant

4.4.1911 General der Artillerie

 

War Commemorative Medal of 1870-1871 (Kaiserliche Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71) 

Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class

Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz)

Prussian Order of the Crown (Preußischer Kronenorden), 3rd Class

Prussian Centenary Medal 1897 (Zentenarmedaille)

Albrechts-Orden of Saxony, Commander (Komtur) II. Class (SA2b)

Württemberg Order of the Crown (Ehrenkreuz des Ordens der Württembergischen Krone), Honour Cross (WK2c)

Red Eagle Order, 3rd Class with the Bow

Orden vom Zähringer Löwen, Commander 2nd Class (BZ2b), 1902

Albrechts-Orden of Saxony, Commander (Komtur) I. Class (SA2a)

Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves

Bavarian Military Merit Order, Commander 2nd Class (BMV2b)

... as of Rangliste 1906 declared as 2nd class (BMV2)

Friedrichs-Orden, Commander's Cross (Kommenturkreuz), 1st Class (WF2a)

Prussian Order of the Crown, 2nd Class with Star

Order of Philip the Magnanimous (Verdienstordens Philipps des Großmüthigen), Commander 1st Class (HP2a)

Mecklenburg Order of the Griffon (Großherzoglich Mecklenburgischer Greifenorden), Grand Commander's Cross (MGrO2a/MG2a)

1906 Silver Wedding Commemorative Badge (Erinnerungszeichen zur Silbernen Hochzeit 1906) 

Crown to his Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves

Star to his Bavarian Military Merit Order, 2nd class (BMV2mSt)

Star to his Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and the Crown

Prussian Order of the Crown, 1st Class

Albrechts-Orden of Saxony, Grand Cross (SA1)

Bavarian Military Merit Order, 1st class (BMV1)

Friedrichs-Orden, Grand Cross (WF1)

Red Eagle Order, 1st Class with Oak Leaves

Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class

Knight of the Military Order of St. Henry, Commander 2nd Class (SH2b) ... DATE???

Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves

... Pour le Mérite on 24 July 1915

... Oak Leaves on 28 September 1915

Saxe-Ernestine House Order (Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden), Grand Cross with Swords (HSEH1⚔/HSH1⚔) on 13 September 1915

Order of Berthold the First (Großherzoglich-Badischer Orden Berthold des Ersten), Grand Cross with Swords (BBI1⚔) on 20 June 1917

Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle

Order of the Black Eagle on 23 December 1917

Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer

 

Honours

 

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Kaiser Wilhelm II's reign, Gallwitz was raised to hereditary Prussian nobility on 16 June 1913.

Honorary citizenship of the city of Freiburg im Breisgau (Grand Duchy of Baden), 1915

Honorary doctorate (Dr. phil. h. c.) of the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität zu Freiburg on 30 November 1915

Kaiser Wilhelm II also ordered in 1918 that one of the eight defense towers of the old Marienburg Castle of the Teutonic Order be named after the general.

Gallwitzstraße in the hero district (Heldenviertel) of Freiburg

Gallwitzallee in Steglitz-Zehlendorf (Berlin)

Barracks in Aachen, Bonn, Freiburg and Hildesheim were named after Max von Gallwitz.

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Deutschritter

[Deutschritter]

Just found this, so he DID have the War Commemorative Medal of 1870-1871:

 

[saschaw]

I was surprised he wouldn't have received a decoration from Baden during the "Great War", so I checked there. And indeed, he was awarded something: the Großkreuz mit Schwertern of the Orden Berthold des Ersten, on June 20, 1917. That's a very high and very uncommon honor, Volle (p. 219) gives a total of 25 awarded.

 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by saschaw

[Deutschritter]

Thank you, saschaw, I was hoping for something like that. Maybe also Hausorden Hohenzollern? I am also adding the Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden, Großkreuz mit Schwertern ...  Thanks again! 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Deutschritter

[saschaw]

Willi Geile's Im Militär-Wochenblatt veröffentlichte preußische Ordens-Verleihungen. April 1914 bis November 1918. Hagen 1985, p. 3, has a Red Eagle Order Grand Cross with oak leaves and swords published June 12, 1917. Besides the already mentioned awards, there's nothing else from Prussia known.

 

But talking about Hohenzollern, there is an additional princely(!) award: According to the late Richard Lundström's and Daniel Krause's Verleihungen des Fürstlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern und der Goldenen Ehrenmedaille mit Schwertern 1914-1947. Konstanz 2008, p. 7, an Ehrenkreuz 1. Klasse mit Schwertern was awarded to v. Gallwitz on February 24, 1917.

 

[Deutschritter]

Wonderful, thank you, saschaw! I was also thinking maybe all three Hanseatenkreuze? 

Edited May 1, 2023 by Deutschritter

[saschaw]

7 hours ago, Deutschritter said:

I was also thinking maybe all three Hanseatenkreuze? 

Impossible to say for sure without the rolls, but he's not mentioned here!

 

[Daniel Krause]

The 1906 wedding badge is well confirmed as he is wearing it and he is on the invitation list of the party. 🙂

For the Hansa crosses - yes for all 3.

Bremen 16.11.1915

Lübeck 11.12.1915

Hamburg - date unknown

 

...and you may add:

BMVGKX, HT, LK, MMV1, MStMV1, MStMV2T, REKj1X, SA1gStX, SMK, WVK1X, WK1X, BT2, ÖEK1K, ÖM1K, TH 🙂

 

Best,

Daniel

[Deutschritter]

Thanks so much, Daniel! Please don't laugh, but I am having problems identifying "BT2" ... please help me out. 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Deutschritter

[Daniel Krause]

Bulgaria, Bravery Order 2nd class

[Deutschritter]

Here the supplemented and hopefully complete list (thanks, Daniel!):

 

War Commemorative Medal of 1870-1871 (Kaiserliche Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71) with four battle clasps

Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class

Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz)

Prussian Order of the Crown (Preußischer Kronenorden), 3rd Class

Prussian Centenary Medal 1897 (Zentenarmedaille)

Albrechts-Orden of Saxony, Commander (Komtur) II. Class (SA2b)

Württemberg Order of the Crown (Ehrenkreuz des Ordens der Württembergischen Krone), Honour Cross (WK2c)

Red Eagle Order, 3rd Class with the Bow

Orden vom Zähringer Löwen, Commander 2nd Class (BZ2b), 1902

Albrechts-Orden of Saxony, Commander (Komtur) I. Class (SA2a)

Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves

Bavarian Military Merit Order, Commander 2nd Class (BMV2b)

... as of Rangliste 1906 declared as 2nd class (BMV2)

Friedrichs-Orden, Commander's Cross (Kommenturkreuz), 1st Class (WF2a)

Prussian Order of the Crown, 2nd Class with Star

Order of Philip the Magnanimous (Verdienstordens Philipps des Großmüthigen), Commander 1st Class (HP2a)

Mecklenburg Order of the Griffon (Großherzoglich Mecklenburgischer Greifenorden), Grand Commander's Cross (MGrO2a/MG2a)

1906 Silver Wedding Commemorative Badge (Erinnerungszeichen zur Silbernen Hochzeit 1906)

Crown to his Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves

Star to his Bavarian Military Merit Order, 2nd class (BMV2mSt)

Star to his Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and the Crown

Prussian Order of the Crown, 1st Class

Albrechts-Orden of Saxony, Grand Cross (SA1)

Bavarian Military Merit Order, 1st class (BMV1)

Friedrichs-Orden, Grand Cross (WF1)

Red Eagle Order, 1st Class with Oak Leaves

Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class

Knight of the Military Order of St. Henry (Militär-St.-Heinrichs-Orden), Commander 2nd Class (SH2b)

Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves

... Pour le Mérite on 24 July 1915

... Oak Leaves on 28 September 1915

Saxe-Ernestine House Order (Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden), Grand Cross with Swords (HSEH1⚔/HSH1⚔) on 13 September 1915

Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War (SMK)

Bremen Hanseatic Cross (Bremisches Hanseatenkreuz; BremH/BH) on 16 November 1915

Lübeck Hanseatic Cross (Lübeckisches Hanseatenkreuz; LübH/LüH) on 11 December 1915

Hamburg Hanseatic Cross (Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz; HH)

Hessian Bravery Medal (Hessische Tapferkeitsmedaille; HT)

Lippe War Merit Cross (LK)

Austria-Hungary Military Merit Cross, 1st Class with War Decoration (ÖM1K)

Order of the Iron Crown (Austria), 1st Class with the War Decoration (ÖEK1K)

Mecklenburg-Strelitzisches Verdienstkreuz für Auszeichnung im Kriege, 2nd and 1st Class (MStMV1)

... II Class with the inscription "For Bravery" (MStMV2T)

Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross (Großherzoglich Mecklenburg-Schwerinsches Militärverdienstkreuz), 1st Class (MMV1/MK1)

Fürstlich Reußisches Ehrenkreuz, 1st Class with Swords (REK1⚔/REKj1⚔)

Bulgarian Order of Bravery, 2nd Class (BT2)

Gallipoli Star (Eiserner Halbmond; TH)

Princely House Order of Hohenzollern, Cross of Honour 1st Class with Swords (HEK1⚔) on 24 February 1917 (Ehrenkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern)

Order of Berthold the First (Großherzoglich-Badischer Orden Berthold des Ersten), Grand Cross with Swords (BBI1⚔) on 20 June 1917

Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle with Oak Leaves and Swords, published in "Militär-Wochenblatt" on 12 June 1917

Fürstlich Waldeck’sches Verdienstkreuz, 1st Class with Swords (WVK1⚔)

Württemberg Order of the Crown, Grand Cross with Swords (WK1⚔)

Albrechts-Orden of Saxony, Grand Cross with the Golden Star and Swords (SA1gSt⚔)

Grand Cross of the Bavarian Military Merit Order with Swords (BMV G.Kr.⚔/BMV.G.Kr⚔)

Order of the Black Eagle on 23 December 1917

Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer

 

Honours

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Kaiser Wilhelm II's reign, Gallwitz was raised to hereditary Prussian nobility on 16 June 1913.

Honorary citizenship of the city of Freiburg im Breisgau (Grand Duchy of Baden), 1915

Honorary doctorate (Dr. phil. h. c.) of the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität zu Freiburg on 30 November 1915

Kaiser Wilhelm II also ordered in 1918 that one of the eight defense towers of the old Marienburg Castle of the Teutonic Order be named after the general.

Gallwitzstraße in the hero district (Heldenviertel) of Freiburg

Gallwitzallee in Steglitz-Zehlendorf (Berlin)

Barracks in Aachen, Bonn, Freiburg, Mannheim, Itzehoe and Hildesheim (named 1935) were named after Max von Gallwitz.