imperial militaria in berlin

[frank savage]

hi to everybody!
I was in berlin in the past days, and I have take a look to the 'Deutsches Technikmuseum'. Really great. With a very nice piece of the german aviation history.
In the WW1 section, the hauptmann uniform and 'ordenkissen', was former Oswald Boelke property? And the many 'Pour Le Merite' medals are all WW1 production or post war ones?
A treasure cave!

Cheers, frank

[frank savage]

???????

...and why in the museum there's no mentioned to Richthofen?
only lothar on a b/w picture....

[Les]

...and why in the museum there's no mentioned to Richthofen?
only lothar on a b/w picture....

Neil O'Connor formed the "Foundation for Aviation Research" many years ago, and was given many items from WWI fliers (more than Germans were represented in the collection). Part of the "charter" of the Foundation was that he would in time donate all of the items to a worthy institution or museum. O'Connor acquired one of the tunics worn by Boelcke (not all of them) and some other items directly from the family, with an understanding the items would not be resold (to collectors, etc). The Boelcke family still has several items belonging to their famous family member. The RAF related material (files, documents, etc) O'Connor acquired went to England a short time before his death. The German materials were donated to the museum in Berlin about the same time. Neil was a historian first, and always. He acquired a "collection" over the years, but he did so with a specific interest in the history of the items, and people who owned whatever it happened to be. His books reflect that. Richtofen not get enough attention? O'Connor was interested in the entire spectrum of German aviation, and didn't have a fixation with -one- man. He didn't collection "MvR" stuff, and preferred talking to aging fliers during the twilight years of their lives, and collecting oral histories. Les

[Wild Card]

Les has it right, with one minor exception. The Boelcke tunic and a few other related items were acquired from a third party in Germany, not the family. This was part of the material later offered by Andreas Thies at auction in May 2001.

I was with Neal and Eric Ludvigsen when Neal acquired the Boelcke material back in March 2000. As a matter of fact we took a tour and had lunch at the Technikmuseum the day of the acquisition. It is most unfortunate that Neal did not live to see the dedication of his collection in Berlin (we were all very much looking forward to it); but I am sure that he is pleased to know that his collection and books are still being discovered and appreciated by collectors and historians.

Regards,

Wild Card

[frank savage]

Thanks to all for your kindly replies.
But I'd like to know, wich is the book you mean? Wich is the title? What its contens? There's the histori of the man, how he have aquired the items, and the pics of it?
Is strange that in the Boelke's display there's no name of the former owner...
I have seen also a waffenrock tunic inside, folded beside the ordenkissen, there's someone or a text book with the pics of boelke items somewhere?

cheers, frank

[Wild Card]

Hi Frank,

Working from the back of your post #5 forward - unless he had so requested, I too find it strange, and rather disappointing, that Neal is not given credit for his generosity.

With regard to his book(s), Neal wrote a series of seven books titled Aviation Awards of Imperial Germany in World War I and The Men Who Earned Them. These books do an excellent job of providing the history and background of the many German states and the decorations which they awarded as of 1914. In typical Neal O’Connor style, the books are full of personal stories and anecdotes regarding the recipients; which combined with his writing style all adds up to a “good read”. Lastly, I can not think of a source that provides so much information in English.

Best wishes,

Wild Card

[frank savage]

hi wild card.
thanks for your reply.
That's true, there's no any mentioned to neil o' connors, in the deutsch museum in berlin...and is quite strange.
You know if exist in any textbook a picture of the Boelke tunic and medals? Or there's somebody in the forum that have take a good pics of it?

regardin Richthofen, I know that Neal doesn't highlight on one pilot, but send its interested on the whole WW1 flying army, but there's no traces of the red baron in the museum. A big photo of Kurt Wolf, another with Lothar and a Raf pilot prisoner, and nothing else. It is not a problem, only a coriosity by my side...

cheers, to all!