WWI medal bar--my first. Help?

[pfrost]

Hello,

I have been lurking here for some time, enjoying learning new things about imperial medals. I didn't think I would really have a chance to add anything to my collection (which is mostly USAAF wings), but I have become fascinated by the fancier enamal medals.

This morning, I picked up this medal grouping and would like to hear what other people think or can add to my knowledge. The medals and paperwork came together.

First, the medals.

[pfrost]

and the back of the medal bar.

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The medal came with some other paperwork. This medal belonged to a Rudolf L. Kober. But, since I cant read German, I don't know what he did. Best I can tell, he was in the Navy and then was a professional tennis player (or coach?) in the 1930's.

Here are some of the paper work and his photo.

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An ID card and birth certificate?

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Finally, the inside page of the WWI military booklet. A german speaking fellow said that he thought that this was were the authorization of wearing the medals was written down.

Please forgive my ignorance. As I said, I am a WW2 USAAF aviation collector not a WWI Imperial German collector. However, I have really enjoyed lurking on this site looking at the other medal bars. So, when I had a chance to pick this up, I did.

Any ideas or help or insight or discussion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

P. Frost

[Mike Dwyer]

Well, now you've done it! Once you buy one, you can never go back!

I'm the least expert person on this forum, so I'm not qualified to speak to much, but since no one's responded yet, I'll mention a few things.

1. Nice looking medals!

2. I have a lot of trouble with the old German script , but it appears he was a reservist (I can't make out the actual rank). The only award listed in the original handwriting is the Hanseatic Cross that you have, but written in in blue ink (possibly later?), is the EK2 you have and something listed as GS 18, but I don't know what that is.

Perhaps someone more learned than I will respond to you soon.

[Tom Y]

Kober was a Reserve Artillerie (?) Matrosen in the Batailon Kiatschou. The GS 18 is actually 6.5.18, i.e. 6 May 1918, date of issuance of the EKII.
It'll take a better man than me to decipher all his postings, but the last one was a Baden Flak unit.

[epsomgreen]

I wonder if The AGFA mentioned in Kober's "tennis" identity card is Aktien-Gesellschaft f******252;r Anilin-Fabrikation, the camera film company?

Charles

[David Müldner]

Tsingtao/Kiaotschau

For possible info on the Germans in China in WWI, please see www.tsingtau.info

[McCulloh]

Now that is a neat group-another Hansa navy medal.
If you ever want to sell, please contact me (or put it on the estand).
Thanks,
JeMc

[pfrost]

Thanks gentlemen.

So, if I am correct, Mr. Kober was indeed in the Navy and was on the battleship Baden? He may also have served in China? You have given me some targets for further research.

Are the Navy medals rarer than the army medals?

Broadly speaking, what is the value for a group like this?

Thanks

Patrick

[Chip M]

Patrick,

The rank on the front of the Militarpass is Obermatrosenartillerist.

The medals are fairly common, but they are always worth more if you can attribute them to the owner. A navy attribution is good too. A connection to Kiautschou is even better. Do these associations make the medals more valuable than an army attributed bar? That is subjective and depends on who you ask, but generally I would think yes.

Chip

[pfrost]

Patrick,

The rank on the front of the Militarpass is Obermatrosenartillerist.

The medals are fairly common, but they are always worth more if you can attribute them to the owner. A navy attribution is good too. A connection to Kiautschou is even better. Do these associations make the medals more valuable than an army attributed bar? That is subjective and depends on who you ask, but generally I would think yes.

Chip

Hi,

What is a obermatrosenartillerist? Officer, enlisted, NCO?

I most likely paid to much for the medals, but I really liked the Hamburg cross. Also, I figured having the paperwork and being able to name it to an individual was worth trying to get the group. If I was going to get a medal, may as well get one with some history behind it, I think.

Again, thanks for the help.

Patrick

[Chip M]

Patrick,

The rank of Obermatrosenartillerist is called a seaman's rank and is below the ranks of the junior NCOs. That is to say that it is one step above a basic seaman.

I have no idea as to the value of your grouping, but I think you bought it with the right idea in mind. Personally, I think it's a modest, but very nice group that has lots of eye appeal and some good history behind it. Congratulations.

I have a photo of a group of sailors from the S.M.S. Hamburg, who participated in the battle of Jutland (Skagerack) and several of them, are wearing medal bars with the same two medals that you have. This was the main naval engagement of the war.

Chip

[McCulloh]

A very clear Militarpass to read-I like it. His father was a Juris Doctor, which was a LOT rarer in imperial Germany than it is today. It was a University degree and almost a prerequisite for a higher civil cervice job.
His rank is litterally "Senior Sailor-gunner", so "Specialist" would be todays U.S. military version.
He moved about a bit and while I don't have any reference materials to positions of navy units,, he clearly was attached to the Marine Korps in Flanders for a while (as of Feb. 2, 1917+).
If he was in anti-aircraft/flak and navy gunners formed part of the defensive ring around naval and Zepplin bases maybe that is where "1 AA" was stationed.
I especially like it because of the Hamburg state award:crisp, clean, well earned.
May we see the othe assignments page please?
Interesting also in that he did not get an HKx, although he was around in 1936. Maybe he had another "upgraded" bar.