Lt Gen Leo von Klingspur 1870 medal bar breast stars

[Brian S]

This is my great grandfather, Lt. Gen. Leo v. Klingspur. Where oh where did this group of medals go...

[Daniel Krause]

Nice array of awards!

Where they are? I think returned to the orders chancellary.

Best regards

Daniel

[Brian S]

He died in the 20's, so probably. Now if I had been his kid and it was time to return... Lucky my grandfather died AFTER the return policy.

Do they have a return policy to next of kin since no one is getting these anymore?

[Daniel Krause]

Nothing like that.

To the end of the 3rd reich Orders and some dec´s had to be returned. But in Weimar republic it starts that the next of kin coud keep the awards and had to pay the value of the dec. to the state. There were official list existing what to charge for the different awards.
I think the medal bar could stay at the family; I see nothing there what should be returned. But all the nice Orders and stars......

Best regards

Daniel

[Brian S]

That would explain the scarcity of stars. They're going for the price of a Knight's Cross on Hermann H.

[Chris B]

Brian, Was the "Alte Herr" a maternal or a paternal Great Grandfather? Does that mean you're a " von"? Regards, Chris B.

[Brian S]

My mother's father was von Etzel and her mother von Klingspur. A long line of Prussian generals on both sides of the family. There are no more von Etzel young men. There are some von Klingspurs in sweden where her family came from originally.

[Chris B]

Brian, that's a really notable family tree. Do you know if those relatives were Briefadel or Uradel? Did the "von" carry a title like Freiherr or Ritter with it? Did your ancestors have Estates in East Prussia before 1945? Are you trying to assemble a medal grouping based on the medals worn by the gentlemen in the photos? It seems to me that would be the next best thing to actually possessing the originals if you wanted to reconstruct a family grouping. Regards, Chris B.

[Brian S]

Briefadel or Uradel? I would have to assume Briefadel. They probably came to the East Prussia area in the 1600's. I'm getting my mother to write this all down as I have snippets here and there and need much better documentation from her. Neither grandfather was a freiherr or ritter although cousins through marriage were.

Both sides of the family are known to have participated in the war against Napolean. One of the ancestors was an aide to Blucher which was 'the' high point of the family history as Blucher saved the day! The von Klingspurs came from Sweden where they still have our family with the name Klinspor and the von Etzels from Ireland where they were the o'ethels of which I know of known.

As for rebuilding his medals, I'd love to. Noticed one similar to one of the breast stars on Hermann Historia. Of course the one which was similar but not quite was thousands of euros. So... Maybe the medal bar if possible.

[Chris B]

Well Brian, that's really neat. Did you ever consider doing a stretch in the Reserves just to keep that tradition going? When and/or if you ever have kids, they will inherit a very rich and interesting family history stretching back Centuries. That's a family tree with deep roots. The high point of my family history so far is a Hauptmann d.R. in WW1 and an Uffz. in WW2, which makes rebuilding their medals very doable for me. Best of luck in your endevour. Regards Chris B.

[Brian S]

Good luck to you in rebuilding your history. Remember it was only through a luck of the straw that I happened to be related to this 'rich family tree history'. The war, my mother a German, my dad an American pilot. Sad thing is I never met any of them. Thanks for the dialogue.

[Chris B]

Ditto, Brian. I see people like us as Curators of a sort. We gather historical artifacts and documents, familial or otherwise, and try to assemble and preserve them as a cohesive whole, a fozen moment in time, like an insect in a piece of amber. Sometimes they will be taken over by our kin, sometimes by likeminded others. Oh yes,... and it's fun too. Regards Chris B.