RAO Breast Star Document

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Papers, papers, papers. Burn easily if not transported to the basement in trunks that luckily did not allow the water into them from firehoses after a February British bombing of Wiesbaden in 1945. The papers of Leo sent downstairs, the papers of another general left upstairs to become part of the ashes of the war.

[VtwinVince]

Beautiful Urkunde, Brian, with an especially nice Wilhelm signature. It's sad when you realize how much vital paperwork was destroyed during the last war.

[webr55]

Amazing story and document!

However, what is awarded here is not the breast star, but the RAO3 with bow.

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

I would have assumed by 1893 it was the breast star. My reading of this script is poor but I see the word dritter now.

The RAO is really confusing to me... Later in life his medal bar has NO RAO, he just wears the 2nd class breast star with oaks and matching piece around his neck.

I just found this photo, and sure enough, stupid me, here's the medal bar in presumably 1893 or so WITH THE BOW.

Why did the RAO come OFF the medalbar?

Edited June 2, 2006 by Brian von Etzel

[webr55]

I would have assumed by 1893 it was the breast star. My reading of this script is poor but I see the word dritter now.

The RAO is really confusing to me... Later in life his medal bar has NO RAO, he just wears the 2nd class breast star with oaks and matching piece around his neck.

I just found this photo, and sure enough, stupid me, here's the medal bar in presumably 1893 or so WITH THE BOW.

Why did the RAO come OFF the medalbar?

The standard progression was: RAO4 as Hauptmann/Major, RAO3 w/ bow as Oberst, RAO2 as Generalmajor. When receiving the higher class, the lower one had to be dropped from the bar - except when it was with swords OR when it had a crown.

That is the short RAO story. Rick can better tell the longer one!

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

That explains everything if with swords it stays on the bar! Thanks much!!!