Original or faked Officers Erkennungsmarken

**Alan Goodyear** · 06-08-2010, 07:02 PM

Hi I have this dog tag in my collection. I purchased it along with an 11 place ribbon bar with Imperial and Third Reich ribbons.

Can anyone tell me if it is a good or bad one.

Thank you.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 06-08-2010 07:02 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**oradour** · 06-09-2010, 02:47 PM

Alan, I looked at this and deliberated hard....sorry for late response, officers I believe were issued with the same dog tag as enlisted men, however they often bought a 'private purchase' tag, which was based on the solid 1878 tag, this more elaborate tag would be worn together with the issue tag. Yours is such a tag, is it genuine ?......its appearance looks new, not tarnished, no age to it, so i dont believe this piece was ever worn with its issued brother, what needs to be done first is a check on the name/rank (to see if thats a real name) using the Prussian rank list for 1914 on (large volumed book), something I have no access to, is there a member with a copy ?......the name includes 'Falkenhayn' (the name of the head of the German army till mid 1916) fakes exist and some employ this tactic of including full or part of a 'known' name. So the name needs to be checked and if real then we can move on to the tag, which at this present time IMO could be a copy. The regiment is correct, 'Fusiler-Regt. Prinz Heinrich von Preussen (1.Brandenburgisches) Nr 35. I include a photo of a 'pair' of officers tags showing issue and private purchase styles.

**Alan Goodyear** · 06-09-2010, 03:40 PM

Hi Oradour, thanks for your help. the rank and name on the tag appears as this Lt. Von Sommerfeld und Falkenhayn II, maybes that will help. Is the font to the regiment. Correct? It's done in a similar style to numbers on shoulder boards with the hashed lines running through it.

Thanks

Alan

**oradour** · 06-11-2010, 11:49 AM

Alan, regarding fonts, we are talking the 1909 regulations (28/1/09)that dictated fonts and use of 'official' regimentals....three types or styles of letters or numbers are found, large letters 3mm high, small numbers 2mm high, and Roman numerals. Samples of the fonts/styles are shown in the photo, of course private purchase marked items such as yours, are not recorded, they could of been done to the whim of the individual concerned. Shoulder straps cyphers/numbers were either chain stitched or embroidered depending on the time scale. You need to check the name, did he survive the war?...check this site to see if he was a casualty..http://www.volksbund.de/

**oradour** · 06-11-2010, 11:52 AM

Alan, sorry forgot to add photo

...here it is !...if it turns out he was not a casualty, you need to confirm his personal deatails, with the rank list ive mentioned.

**Alan Goodyear** · 06-11-2010, 12:41 PM

Hi Oradour, thanks for your time researching this. If the ribbon bar I have matches the dog tag, he survived WW1 and went on to win iron cross 2nd class spange, war merit cross with swords and the Russian front campaign ribbon. I will post a photo of this tonight. I will also have a look at the site you listed. Hopefully something may pop up.

**Alan Goodyear** · 06-12-2010, 02:36 AM

Here is a photo of the accompanying ribbon bar.

**oradour** · 06-12-2010, 11:59 AM

Alan Goodyear .....great bar ! this reciepiant, if the same as the tag, enlisted in the late 19th century, having been awarded the Kaiser Wilhelm centenary medal, (yellow ribbon), in 1897. Therfore he will, if commisioned, be in the 1898 Prussion rank list, we need to find a copy or someone who owns one to check the name. It was not uncommon for officers to private purchase items in bulk, (well at least in pairs!), and store back at home in Germany, this accounts for the number of officer tunics/accessories and their condition today over enlisted mens items.
I like the EK bar and spange device, I have a unattached 'spange' device, tiny 2-3mm wide ! see photo.

**oradour** · 06-12-2010, 12:06 PM

Here it is....

**Alan Goodyear** · 06-12-2010, 02:40 PM

Orador did you pick your spange up from Snyders Treasures? He has one identical to that one. I also have a very small spange in my collection. They were made in about 3 sizes I think.

I have been doing a bit of research into the Waldeck awards on my bar. Because the two Waldeck decorations are together it is possible somehow to identify the officer. But will it give out the same name as the dog tag? (Hopefully).