Some Freikorps Awards

[mchap]

EK2
St. George 4 (Russian West Army)
Baltic Cross

[Brian L.]

I Hope i Found a good One in mint condition


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Here's a nice one on eBay. This is the scarcer variation with splints and backplate. I think 260 EUR is a good price for this as it's a hard one to find. The seller accepts offers. So, you might get it for around 220. The splints should be carefully bent back over the plate.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Originales-Ar...UAAOSwuYVWpOIR

[Masch19]

Thx i have it for 200[emoji257][emoji257][emoji7][emoji7][emoji7]


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[Brian L.]

Thx i have it for 200[emoji257][emoji257][emoji7][emoji7][emoji7]


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Congrats. a really nice example of this badge for a good price.

[Masch19]

Thx all


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[Brian L.]

5. Deutsche Selbstschutz-Kompanie Beuthen-Nord OS

5. Deutsche Selbstschutz-Kompanie Beuthen-Nord OS

Ehrenkreuz 1 Kl. (without swords) made by Max Reich, Breslau. This is a private purchase piece from sometime in the 1920s.

Established in two classes with and without swords on July 4, 1921 and awarded to members of this small Freikorps, as well as auxilliary personnel for service during the suppression of the Third Polish Uprising in Silesia.

The cross without swords was awarded to auxilliary personnel. The number of crosses awarded is unknown.

Only 70 1st class crosses with swords were awarded to combattant members of the Freikorps.

However both crosses are very rare.

The awarded crosses were manufactured by Paul Meybauer, Berlin.
Subsequently, private purchase crosses were manufactured by Heinrich Timm, Berlin, Max Reich, Breslau and another unknown maker.

The Max Reich maker mark is seen either in the reverse center or on the lower part of the bottom arm.

There is a variety of different hardware on the 1st class, including a screwback version. It's possible that the catch and perhaps the pin on this cross are a period replacement. In the photo below, it looks like solder stains around the catch plate. Although, when you have it in hand, it seems that the hardware is original to the cross as there is no sign of a repair. The stain on the catch is actually just patina.

[Destruction]

So you was the winner Nice catch, Brian. And it's the 3rd Max Reich version of this cross I've seen.

[Brian L.]

So you was the winner Nice catch, Brian. And it's the 3rd Max Reich version of this cross I've seen.

Me too. And surprisingly, all three of those I know about have different hardware. The one in Konstantin's book has a safety pin and fastening plate, another shown on the Feldgrau forum has a flat square pin and this one with a needle pin. I'm not really sure what to make of the variety.

[Destruction]

Me too. And surprisingly, all three of those I know about have different hardware. The one in Konstantin's book has a safety pin and fastening plate, another shown on the Feldgrau forum has a flat square pin and this one with a needle pin. I'm not really sure what to make of the variety.

You can see the same safety pin on the 1st class of Freischar Hindenburg cross produced by Max Reich in early 20ies, while one of the varieties of Pischener Kreuz, also produced by the same company in the same period, has the hinge/pin (but not hook/plate) same as yours.
As for the one from Feldgrau forum (I own it now btw ) , it's clearly produced in early 30ies. You can see the same hinge/hook on some enameled Silesian Eagles made by Max Reich.

[mchap]

Nice find Brian!!

Was this an ebay auction?

[Brian L.]

Nice find Brian!!

Was this an ebay auction?

No. It was an auction house in Germany. It wasn't cheap. But, sometimes you have to pay premium prices for the rare stuff.

[mchap]

No. It was an auction house in Germany. It wasn't cheap. But, sometimes you have to pay premium prices for the rare stuff.

Excellent. I agree, sometimes we just have to fork over good money for the finer things in life. You know the old saying, "gotta pay to play".

I've gotten some very nice things from one German auction house in particular. Its just a matter of calculating all costs and determining if its worth the expense, pretty simple really.

[Brian L.]

Two extremely rare award documents (unfortunately not mine) for the Deutsche Selbstschutz-Kompanie Beuthen Ehrenkreuz 1 Kl. with facsimile signatures of the Freikorps leader, Wilhelm Pisarski , later SA-Obersturmbannführer, Kdr. Kampfgruppe Pisarski.

[Brian L.]

Bewährungsabzeichen des General Kommando V Armeekorps Grenzschutz Ost

Bewährungsabzeichen des General Kommando V Armeekorps Grenzschutz Ost.

Established on April 9, 1919 for service in Eastern border defence during the Great Polish Uprising, also known as the Poznanian War 1918-19. V. Armeekorps were stationed in Posen (Poznan) when the Polish uprising began there on December 27, 1918 with heavy fighting between The Polish People's Guard and German Freikorps and Border Defence Forces lasting until a truce on February 16, 1919. Although, skirmishes continued until the signing of the Versaille treaty in June 1919.

Two variations of the Defence Badge are known. Both types are shown here.

Also shown is a scarce award document for the badge to Unteroffizier Manfred Berndt of Kompagnie Barton, Grenzschutz Bataillon von Ravenstein (1 Bataillon/Füsilier Regt. 37).
The document is signed in pencil by Hauptmann Johann Theodore von Ravenstein, commander of Grenzschutz Bataillon von Ravenstein, commander of 1st Battalion of the Füsilier Regiment von Steinmetz (West Prussian) Nr. 37. during WWI, Pour le Merite winner (for the capture of Chemin des Dames in May 1918), Knights Cross winner for service in the Battle of France, 1940 and Generalmajor and commander of the 21st Panzer Division in the Afrikakorps. Ravenstein was captured in 1941 at Tobruk and promoted to Generalleutnant in 1943 while a POW in Canada.

Interestingly, the document is also signed by a representative 'Feyer' of the Soldatenrat (Soldiers Council) of Grenzschutz Batl. von Ravenstein.

This document is shown on Page 60 of Deutsche Freikorps 1918-1923 by Lothar Bichlmaier and Lothar Hartung.

[Brian L.]

I picked this up from a somewhat suspect eBay seller, who is known for selling high-end fakes, but who also mixes in among the fakes a sprinkling of genuine pieces.

He sold this as a rare cloth version of the Deutschritter-Kreuz (Randow Cross).
I'm pretty sure it is not a Randow Cross. It is definitely old and well-made of brushed black wool melton and tarnished silver wire bullion trim. It is very similar in manufacture to a European order tinsel breast star, particularly those made in Germany. It also conforms in many ways to the very rare cloth versions of the Iron Cross I cl.

So, what I am pretty confident about is that it's likely a cloth version of the "Malteserkreuz der Freiwillige Russische Westarmee" (Russian West Army Cross), which was a unit badge/service cross worn above the left breast pocket and ribbon bar. It carries a few particular traits of the Russian West Army Cross: a thick center junction, a wide frame, slightly shorter arms with a shallow 'V' indent.

Admittedly, my evidence is at best anecdotal, deductive and perhaps a bit flimsy.

Many years ago, I saw a picture of a Baltic fighter, in Russian uniform wearing a black cloth Maltese cross similar to this. I've tried in vain to find this picture. So, at the moment, I have no visual proof. Secondly, I tried to research everything that it couldn't be, in order to be left with my conclusion. It's not related to the Order of St. John or any other European Order. It is not connected to the Jungdeutschenorden (Young German Order) in any way that I can find. While there were some other societies in Germany (e.g. student associations) that used a black Maltese cross, they were all metal and had long thin arms, instead of the shorter, wide arms of this cross.

I'm going with my gut, more than anything else and therefore am open to plausible, alternate opinions or corroboration.