Ordensspangen identification help needed

[Collectinsteve]

Hi all,

Many years ago I purchased a "put together" General's tunic. On it was a very nice double row meddle bar. Can anybody tell me if this looks legitimate (correct order, mix of badging, etc.), timeframe, and if it would be appropriate for someone of a general's rank?

Thanks!

Steve

[Gordon Craig]

Steve,

I have stared at this ribbon bar for some time and while it is a possible combination I think it is totally "made up" to go with the "made up" tunic. When you say "General" that leaves lots of possibilities so I have picked the highest ranking Generak officer in the Bundeswehr as an example. Here is a picture of the ribbon bar worn by a four star general in the Bundeswehr. General Wolfgang Schneiderhan. I've also included a link to his bio that shows some of his awards.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfga...erhan_(general)

Regards,

Gordon

[Collectinsteve]

Thanks Gordon. I agree 100% with your assessment. It never "felt" right to me, but I don't have any comprehensive resources to search out what each ribbon is for (just some of the obvious BW types in the first row). The second row, in particular, looks to be non-BW. Foir sure the second from the left, the one from Niedersachsen, is for Feuerwehr service.

http://www.die-deutschen-orden.de/or...chen-silber-2/

I presume this is not something someone from the BW would have on his uniform, though I think some awards were authorized after BW assistance in things like floods, fires, etc. For example, members of the BGS in theory might have been awarded the "Gedenkmedaille aus Anlass der Waldbrandkatastrophe im August 1975" for helping with the forest fires of that year.

As an aside, in my searches I did find this website outlining THW awards:

https://bandschnallen.de/epages/4a65...ndschnallen.de

Anyway, I'm convinced "as is" my Ordensspangen is a fraud. I'm just wondering which of the individual ribbons are legitimate and for what their uses are.

Steve

[hoover]

The second ribbon from left, lower row is the "Leistungsabzeichen der Niedersächsenischen Feuerwehren" in bronze. It was introduced in 1996 or 1997. I got mine in 1997. It was awarded for reaching a special amount of points on competitions.

[Collectinsteve]

Excellent! So this means it was awarded to BW members?

Any knowledge about the other ones?

Steve

[Gordon Craig]

Steve,

If I remember correctly HOOVER is in the Feurwehr and would have been awarded this medal for completing the requirements.

Regards,

Gordon

[hoover]

The "Leistungsabzeichen" was and is still awarded only to active Feuerwehrmembers which are doing the "Leistungswetbewerbe", the yearly fire service competition in Niedersachsern. I am highly in doubt that the ribbon is original to the uniform or the ribbon bar.

In 18 years in the competition team I got it 3 times, and it was a very tough work.

[speedytop]

Hi,

the bar is a fantasy bar, that is my personal opinion.

- Verdienstkreuz am Bande des Verdienstordens der BRD
- Bundeswehr, Ehrenkreuz in Gold
- Bundeswehr, Ehrenkreuz in Bronze
- Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, 40 years membership
- Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz, Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste 40 years
- Niedersachsen, Feuerwehr Leistungsabzeichen in Bronze
- Österreich, Offiziersgesellschaft Wien, Schießleistungsabzeichen Bronze
- ??

Uwe

[Collectinsteve]

Thanks Uwe! You have confirmed that this is not only a fantasy item, but it is crazy fantasy! I was wondering if the lower bar might at least be correct for some uniform, but it instead looks like someone stuck whatever was available onto a ribbon bar.

OK, I'm going to tear the thing apart. At least the verified BRD ribbons are worth saving.

Steve