Dr. Stephan Billinger - Medal Bar & Documents

[landsknechte]

I just landed my first named medal bar this afternoon, accompanied by a nice bit of paperwork!  Meet Dr. Stephan (sometimes "Stefan") Billinger:

 

 

 

Originally from Oberhaselbach, he went high school in Passau.  In 1916 he enlisted in the Bavarian Infanterie-Leib-Regiment, earning the MVK3X in October 1917 and the EK2 in April 1918.

 

 

His Bavarian Militärpass was included:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of his award documents are present.  Anyone better able to read the handwriting able to determine what name or title they're using on the Bavarian document?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the interwar period, it appears that he served with the Freikorps Passau.  He shows up in one of their Kriegstamrolle that Ancestry has scanned.

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by landsknechte

[Giannis S.]

This is an excellent group. Congratulations on the find.

[landsknechte]

After the war, he studied economics and law, earning his doctorate in 1923.  He worked in banking in Markt Oberdorf, then in Insurance in Weimar and Stuttgart from 1924 to 1928.  In 1931 he ended up working in a paper factory in Bad Mergentheim.  In 1932, he joined the Weimar Republic's Voluntary Labor Service (FAD), which was incorporated into the Reich Labor Service (RAD) in 1935.  Apparently he was made a member of the Nazi Party in 1932 without his knowledge.  He rejoined the party in 1938, with his membership backdated to May 1937.  He attained the rank of Oberfeldmeister (equivalent to an Oberleutnant).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wehrpass continued:

 

 

 

 

There was also a second, mostly blank Wehrpass with a few entries:

 

 

 

 

 

[landsknechte]

Then it starts to get interesting...  He was a member of the Hochstrasse Circle, a resistance group that met in his apartment.  He and two others were sentenced to death in absentia on April 28, 1945.  He and one of the other Hochstrasse Circle members were later confirmed to be members of Freiheitsaktion Bayern as well.  Apparently his role in the RAD involved the induction of new recruits, and he actively worked to sabotage the process as much as possible.

 

In 1948 he was elected to the City Council of Passau, and shortly thereafter Mayor.  He held that position for 16 year, and was also a member of the Bavarian Parliament from 1954-1958.  In 1957 he was awarded the Order of Merit.

 

 

...and another photograph of him taken sometime in the 1950's.

 

 

He passed away in 1966, and ultimately had a street in Passau named in his honor.

 

 

Sadly Dr. Billinger's medals have been separated from the group.  I discovered a post in 2008 where the then owner had the medals.  Borrowing their photo:

 

 

Since it's a clip on bar where I can add medals without altering anything permanently,  I'm planning to rebuild it.  I've already got a loose EK2, MVK3X, and Hindenburg Cross, and I've got replacements for the three commemoratives on the way.

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by landsknechte

[landsknechte]

There's a bit more info on him in a regional wiki page, and the Bavarian Parliament's page, both of which were a great help with my write up. Additionally there's a book cataloging notable residents of Passau which include him.  I've got that headed my way via interlibrary loan, and hopefully there'll be a bit more info in there.

[Stogieman]

Good Morning! Wonderful group! Great paperwork! Thanks!

[VtwinVince]

Interesting grouping with history.

[bolewts58]

21 hours ago, landsknechte said:

I just landed my first named medal bar this afternoon, accompanied by a nice bit of paperwork!  Meet Dr. Stephan (sometimes "Stefan") Billinger:

 

 

 

Originally from Oberhaselbach, he went high school in Passau.  In 1916 he enlisted in the Bavarian Infanterie-Leib-Regiment, earning the MVK3X in October 1917 and the EK2 in April 1918.

 

 

His Bavarian Militärpass was included:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of his award documents are present.  Anyone better able to read the handwriting able to determine what name or title they're using on the Bavarian document?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the interwar period, it appears that he served with the Freikorps Passau.  He shows up in one of their Kriegstamrolle that Ancestry has scanned.

 

 

Very interesting group. I suspect when he was in the Freikorps, he wore this armband.

 

[Herman]

Interesting group. You also need a German Order of Merit with his medalgroup.

 

regards

Herman

[Bernd_W]

12 hours ago, bolewts58 said:

he wore this armband.

This is the later Einwohnerwehr armband. In the early days, when fighting the Munich Soviet Republic, Freikorps Passau had no insignia. At least no insignia are mentioned in this period secondary source, while the book mention the blue white armband for several other Freikorps.

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Germany_Heer_Kriegsgeschichtliche_Forschungsanstal?id=1zcDAAAAMAAJ

 

[bolewts58]

Yes. You're correct. I was making a big assumption that he might have been in the Einwohnerwehr Passau later as Freikorps Passau became Einwohnerwehr Passau just as, for example Freikorps Chiemgau became Einwohnerwehr Chiemgau. But then again, he may have quit the Freikorps after the fighting in Munich.

 

As for an insignia for Freikorps Passau; they may have worn a simple black diamond like the Epp diamond but without any badge. There are contemporary images of Bavarian Freikorps wearing a black diamond only. Freikorps Werdenfels, for example wore a simple black diamond on a blue and white armband.

Edited January 2 by bolewts58

[landsknechte]

16 hours ago, Herman said:

Interesting group. You also need a German Order of Merit with his medalgroup.

 

You're corrupting me.  On a lark, I tracked one down.  I found one for sale here in the states.

 

I expect that one of the street signs will be significantly more difficult...  

 

[landsknechte]

After some infuriating postal issues, I've collected replacements for the medals tragically (and inexplicably) removed by the prior owner, as well as an appropriate wound badge and a Großes Verdienstkreuz:  

 

 

Additionally, I was able to track down a little bit more information and an another photograph in a historical "who's who" of Passau published in the 1990s. Tausend Passauer: Biographisches Lexikon zu Passaus Stadtgeschichte

 

 

 

 

 

[landsknechte]

As an aside, this particular Großes Verdienstkreuz may have an interesting backstory.  The seller stated that it was "Discovered in Athens, Greece and likely was presented to a late former Prime Minister whose estate the seller handled some time back."  A Greek Orthodox Order of St. Mark (photos in a thread here) came out of the  same group.  On a lark I cross referenced a database of Greek Prime Ministers and lists of Verdienstorden recipients.  There were a few matches, typically a higher grade of the award commensurate with the rank of Prime Minister.  The oddball was Georgios Papadopoulos who received the lone Großes Verdienstkreuz in 1960 while he was a lowly diplomat, prior to the coup d'état that was to follow in a few years.

 

As best I can tell the award and it's case appears to be correct for the period.  I haven't been able to track down any further info on the alleged auction, so who knows?  For the time being, I'm leaving it in an open file.  If anyone runs across anyone especially knowledgeable in Greek dictator memorabilia, let me know.   

 

 

 

[Stogieman]

Nice to see the group completed! Good effort!

[landsknechte]

There is still one piece that eludes me, but I suspect I'd have to get a bit cat burglar-y to get it...   😎