Beautiful Bavarian MVO4 Bar

[JensF.]

Hi,

this is my last purchase. A bavarian medal with including a bavarian Militaerverdienstorden 4th class with swords:

The awards are (from left to right):
EKII 1914, silver frame and maker "S-W" = Sy-Wagner.

Bavarian MVO 4th class w/swords: maker mark and silver marks "GH 950" on the cross and "GH 900" on the swords. GH = Gebrueder Hemmerle, Munich. I think the medaillons and devices ("L" and the lion) are in real gold.

Frontkaempfer-Cross 14-18: maker mark "? 12".

Bavarian Prinzregent Luitpold Medal in bronze.

Bavarian long service award 2nd class for 12 years.

Prussian Kreuz fuer Kriegshilfsdienst.

Rick, for which deeds was the Luitpold medal awarded?

[Rick Research]

Nice bar Jens!

The Luitpold Jubilee Medals for the Army were given in 1905 and in 1911/12. Oddly enough, the big "1905" shield reverse is for the 1911 type (they just used the civil service 1905 medal!), and the 1905 one had a big long dedication inscription.
The combination of this bar indicates that the recipient was a Feuerwerks (I can exclude all Zeug officers) officer who had come up through the ranks--the Prussian War Effort Cross would have been awarded to such types. He joined the army 1903-1905, did required 2 years, then signed on for 12, and was commisioned near the end of that time--accelerated by the outbreak of the war. A 1903 enlistee would have gotten the XII in 1915--the years 1914-1918 counted double for regulars. He did not have enough time in for a 1920 XXIV, and would have been demobilized as a Feuerwerks Oberleutnant.

The Luitpold Jubilee Medal was given in 1905 to all officers holding commissions then, retired officers, and to career enlisted personnel. Because the war in Southwest Africa was going on, a number of Bavarian officers detached on Reichs service didn't get one. So when yet another jubilee occasion came up for the 90 year old Regent, he decided that the 1911 version (the 1905 shield reverse!) would be given to the same personnel as above, if they did not have the 1905 issue, and all Bavarian "nationals" whether in Reichs (navy, colonial) service or in the Bavarian army. Draftees and enlisted men in their first two years of pre-career enlistment didn't get the Jubilee Medals. It was awarded well into 1912 for the second issue.

The ribbon of the civil service version was all red.

[ 18 December 2001: Message edited by: Rick Lundstrom ]

[mott5ranch]

Wonderful medal bar...thanks for the photos.

[JensF.]

Rick, many many thanks for identifying the possible owner of the medal bar and the infos about the Luitpold medal.

What do you think has the Oberleutnant done for receiving the MVO?

Greetings from Germany!

[Rick Research]

There was a Feuerwerks officer at every artillery depot and in every artillery regiment as the ordnance officer in charge of the ammunition.

The navy had similar technical officers, specializing in artillery munitions, torpedoes, and mines.

[JensF.]

Hi,

I've got the bar from German-ebay for 690,- DM (about $330).