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The two decorations on the last bar are unofficial Weimar-era ones. From left to right, they are:
The Ehrenkreuz des Marinekorps Flandern [Cross of Honor of the Naval Corps Flanders] (or Flandernkreuz [Flanders Cross] for short)
The Kriegsdenkmünze 1914/18 des Kyffhäuserbundes [War Commemorative Medal 1914/18 of the Kyffhäuserbund] (with the swords distinction for combatants)
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10-29-2013 07:59 PM
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Hi Andreas, Many thanks for your prompt response to my latest listing. I knew that the two medals were unofficial but did not know what exactly they were and thanks to you, now I do! Do you have any idea what the crown on the ribbon of the Bavarian Cross represents? Could it be an upgrade from with swords to with swords and crown?? Or is that wishfull thinking on my behalf?? I am begining to think that Imperial German/Hungarian/Austrian etc medals is a bit of a mine field for the un knowledgeable like me!!! I will last another lot later in the week and hopefully, you will fill in any blanks or X's for me?
Thank you once again for all your assistance with the identification of these medals etc.
With regards and best wishes Michael R
PS, I have upgraded the titles on the photos.
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by
Michael Ryan
Do you have any idea what the crown on the ribbon of the Bavarian Cross represents? Could it be an upgrade from with swords to with swords and crown?? Or is that wishfull thinking on my behalf??
It doesn't seem plausible to me.
For starters, it would not just be a wholly non-regulation, but a plain odd practice. Why should the "Crown" distinction be displayed in such a way as opposed to the normal crown fixed between the top arm of the cross and the suspension ring?
Even if the wearer had been awarded the swords-and-crown grade of this class and had damaged or lost his original cross at some point, it could have been easily replaced by the regulation version (which was readily available) instead of going for the swords grade and pinning some crown to the ribbon.
What makes it even more unlikely is the fact that this is not even the crown of the Kingdom of Bavaria, but that for the German Kaiser.
Personally, I think that this strange device on the ribbon is either some kind of quirky personalization by the wearer or perhaps even simply a later addition by some collector or dealer who had owned the bar sometime down the line. In either case, the motivation for that is a bit of a mystery.
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Yes Andreas, I totally agree with your logic. To be quite honest, the style of Crown ergo Bavaria/Prussia had not entered my head when I suggested the upgrade as a possible theory and as you say, it is a relatively common and obtainable medal both with and without the Crown so why bother? Another thought that has passed through my mind is that the original owner may have placed it on the bar, as a Royalist, to commemorate the demise of the German Empire in 1918?? If so, I would have thought that he would have placed a Prussian Crown on the Prussian Iron Cross rather than the Bavarian Cross?? Does that sound any more plausable to you. Or should we just leave it as an anomilly and as you put it, a bit of a mystery?? Thank you again for your invaluable input!!
Cheers again Michael R
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Always interested Michael - Very nice collection of medal bars.........!
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by
Walkwolf
Always interested Michael - Very nice collection of medal bars.........!
Ditto!
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Getting back to the matter of the mysterious crown device on the fourth medal bar in post # 50: I know now what it is.
It's a Freikorps badge: The Imperial crown in this design was worn as a unit insigne by the Selbstschutz-Bataillon von Heydebreck.
While wearing it in this matter is still an unsual and non-regulation thing to do, it makes sense now. Clearly, it implies that this veteran wanted his medal bar to display not only the visible signs for his WWI achievements, but one for his continued service in the Freikorps during the early post-war period as well.
(There was no official way to do so: During the Third Reich, a commemorative medal for Freikorps fighters was considered, but these plans were abolished for various reasons, and in the end only a document of recognition came to be.)
Other examples of the badge:
Two Freikorps awards - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums
Unknown Imperial Crown Badge? - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums
Helmut Weitze also has one currently for sale.
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Hi Andreas, Guten Abend. Thank you for your message and explanation of the Imperial Crown device. Also thank you for the Link. I will have a look at it in a minute or so. I was hoping that you would post a message and that you could give me the correct title of the Cross in the last set of photos?? I intend putting some more out tomorrow so there may be some other XX's but I am not sure. how about putting some more of your items up for us to look at??
Cheers Once Again Michael R
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It's the Bremer Hanseatenkreuz [Hanseatic Cross of Bremen].
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