Nice Bavarian Freikorps photo. Can he be ID'ed?

[sb98]

Hi Guys,

Here's a nice photo I have I thought some might like to see. Does anyone know who he might be? I would think with his combination of medals and unit it might be possible.

Any ideas on his shako? Was he maybe a Jäger or a machine gunner during the war? I'm don't know much about which Bavarian troops wore what kind of shakos.

Any comments about his medal bar? I know the EKII was a Prussian award so he would have put his Bayern medals first. Are they all in the correct order?

Cheers,
Tim

[sb98]

close up of medals

[Rick Research]

IF you HAD his name, I could give you his background (birth data, pre-war occupation) and the citation/date for whichever Bavarian Bravery Medal-- gold or silver-- he is wearing, since those are all listed in "Bavaria's Golden Book."

But he is a post-1921 Feldwebel or Wachtmeister in the Reichsheer, former member of Freikorps Epp, and as such is NOT traceable. NO NCOs were.

I suspect the Jäger officer's shako is just a studio prop.

EXTREMELY nice photo-- it is hard to imagine a better decorated NCO!

Medal bar: Bravery Medal, MMC2X (so at least 6 years "real time" service when he got that), MMC3X wCrown, EK2, Bavarian Long Service (XII--war years counted double for REGULARS) are exactly correct for a career NCO who joined up as a "Kapitulant" after 1912 (might have been a draftee 1910-12 for that MMC2X to work out), since he has no Luitpold Jubilee Medal.

He is, however, wearing his Bravery Medal back to front!

[McCulloh]

WoW!!!!! A Bavarian Bravery medal is super rare. Amazing photo!!
Interesting as he has no jubilee medal, so he went in @1913-4 and got his LS after the war.

[sb98]

Rick and Jeff,

Thanks for the info. A Bavarian friend sent me a few WWI photos and this was one of them. It was a complete surprise when I got. It's probably my best studio photo as far as hardware goes. I really like it.

That's a bummer he can't be traced by his awards, and there's nothing written on the back. It would be really interesting to learn what he did to earn them. I wouldn't think he'd still be an NCO after earning these.

Am I right in believing the Bravery Medal was only available to NCOs in silver? Is it considered as high an award for Bavarians as the PLM was to the Prussians? Personally I think it's pretty boring looking for what it represents. Maybe he's wearing it this way because he likes the looks of the Bavarian lion side better. I have to agree.

Now that I think about it, did the Freikorps award any Bavarian Bravery Medals or does his have to come from the war? I take it his other Bavarian medals included some service in the Freikorps and were still being awarded after the war. Did Bavarian awards stop being awarded once the Weimar Republic was established?

Should his EKII be after both Military Merit Medals?

So many questions .

Tim

ps - he's lucky to only have a black wound badge after what he must have been through.

[McCulloh]

Hey Tim: Glad to see you back on the forum.

To answer your questions:

1. No, The bravery medals all were for WW1 service. Some of the bavarian medals were awarded after Weimar was "established", but they were mostly holdovers from WW1 service. The LS award was awarded well into the early 1920s-but for time served (war time counted double).
Because he's a Bavarian, he wears his state gallentry awards before the prussian EK2 with the LS following.

There is a vague chance he could be identified IF the Bavarian Bravery Medal Association had a members' bio book. There was such an Association, but I've never heard of such a book. Other states' medal holders had such books however. Glenn and Rick would know.

[sb98]

Thanks for the info Mr. M.

I'm trying to get a feel for the significance of the Bravery Medal. What US medal would be roughly similar in status? Silver Star? Higher or lower?

Tim

[Rick Research]

The Silver BM would definitely be a U.S. DSC, while the Gold Bravery would have been the enlisted equivalent of the Max-Joseph Order and thus the CMoH.

I have never seen any listing of Bravery Medal holders GROUPS. "Bavaria's Golden Book," which I gave, lists all holders' birth details and gives citations-- for which a NAME is needed.

[sb98]

Thanks for the info Rick.

The Silver BM would definitely be a U.S. DSC, while the Gold Bravery would have been the enlisted equivalent of the Max-Joseph Order and thus the CMoH.

I have never seen any listing of Bravery Medal holders GROUPS. "Bavaria's Golden Book," which I gave, lists all holders' birth details and gives citations-- for which a NAME is needed.

[Rolf D.]

He bears a striking resemblence to Adolf Hitler! But it is not him, maybe a knock off, or a body double like Hussein???

[sb98]

Luckily AH didn't have this kind of military background, otherwise the "Bavarian Corporal" might have had made good military decisions .