German states EK2 equivalents

[Jesse]

Alan, you have been busy! A lovely set again. I am waiting on my Coburg Gotha Verdienst medal, in the post today. Then I am complete with enlisted.

A lot of very nice enamel work there.

Jess

[Jesse]

Superb set all round, very impressive to see these. I have just ordered the final piece for my enlisted men, Saxe Coburg Gotha was the last piece, in the post today to me.

Well done, you have been super busy Alan, congratulations.

Jess

[Jesse]

Wow, I was so excited I double posted!

J

[römischIX]

nice ones - but for example the hanseatics, the anhalt friedrichscross, the
kreuz für auszeichnung im kriege of mecklenburg-strelitz and some others
were awarded not only to NCO or EM - it doesn`t matter what rank the recipient had.

[saschaw]

(...) and some others were awarded not only to NCO or EM - it doesn`t matter what rank the recipient had.

I don't think anyone claimed they were not also awarded to higher ranks - but they went to EMs and NCOs, and that's why they are shown here.

[ww1czechlegion]

Completed Set: German States EK2 equivalents for enlisted men

Hi Guys,

I was inspired this past year by this wonderful thread started by Jesse back in 2007 that revolves around Dave Danner's fantastic scholarly information that breaks down the EK2 equivalents for the German States.

A few of these are quite difficult to find, and it was hard to be patient looking for them each and every day online, checking multiple sources. The Saxe-Altenburg Bravery Medal (in Bronze, and not the more commonly found zinc version) and the Waldeck Silver Merit Medal with Swords were quite elusive for me in my search. As a side note, a collector friend talked me out of my first Waldeck example for an offer I couldn't refuse, and it took me 6-months to find another example.

I still need to find a full-size original ribbon for the Schaumburg-Lippe Cross for Loyal Service.

It will be a much more expensive challenge completing the equivalents for Lieutenants. I look forward to completing that task one day in the future.

I look forward to your comments.

Thanks,

Alan

Here they are, from left to right, starting at the top row:

1. Anhalt: Friedrich Cross
2. Baden: Merit Medal on the ribbon of the Military Karl Friedrich Merit Order
3. Bavaria: Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with Swords
4. Brunswick: War Merit Cross 2nd Class
5. Hesse: General Honor Decoration "For Bravery"
6. Hohenzollern: Silver Honor Medal with Swords of the Princely House Order of Hohenzollern
7. Lippe-Detmold: War Merit Cross
8. Mecklenburg-Schwerin: Military Merit Cross 2nd Class
9. Mecklenburg-Strelitz: Cross for Distinction in War, "Brave and Loyal"
10. Oldenburg: Friedrich August Cross 2nd Class
11. Prussia: Iron Cross 2nd Class
12. Reuss: Silver Merit Medal with Swords
13. Saxony: Bronze Friedrich August Medal
14. Saxe-Altenburg: Bravery Medal
15. Saxe-Coburg-Gotha: Silver Merit Medal with Swords Clasp of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order
16. Saxe-Meiningen: Honor Medal for Merit in War
17. Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: General Honor Decoration in Bronze with Clasp and Swords
18. Schaumburg Lippe: Cross for Loyal Service
19. Schwarzburg: Silver Medal for Merit in War
20. Waldeck: Silver Merit Medal with Swords
21. Württemberg: Silver Military Merit Medal
22. Bremen: Hanseatic Cross
23. Hamburg: Hanseatic Cross
24. Lübeck: Hanseatic Cross

[gregM]

Nice collection

[Don D.]

Very nice collection. It takes dedication and patience to get them all.

[ww1czechlegion]

Thanks Greg & Don, I appreciate it!

Best Wishes,

Alan

[Reichsword]

Outstanding collection !
How long did it take to assemble ?

[Frank K]

Very nice thread for sure and thanks for showing guys!

Only problem is that it shows how much there still is missing

[ww1czechlegion]

How long did it take to assemble ? By member Reichsword

It took a little over a year's time to assemble. If I had bought from dealer websites, it would have been a little quicker to assemble the majority of the set but a whole lot more expensive. One tip: most of these will show up sooner or later on eBay.de or eBay.com, and sometimes on the e-stand for a whole lot cheaper than they are on dealer websites, but you have to be patient looking for them every day. I also used a snipe bidding website most of the time if I really wanted something that was very hard to find.

The hardest ones for me to find were the Saxe-Anhalt in bronze (and not the more commonly found wartime zinc version), the Waldeck, Hohenzollern, and a nice clean Saxe-Weimar medal. I literally searched for these on a 7-days a week basis to find them. A nice example of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz cross is hard to find as well.

I've only seen 2 or 3 of the Saxe-Anhalt in bronze over a year-and-a-half time that were single pieces not on medal bars, and 3 or 4 non-mounted Waldeck over the same period. I never saw them on the several dealer websites that I would check on a daily basis. The nice condition Saxe-Weimar and Mecklenburg-Strelitz pieces seldom seem to turn up as well.

I'm still looking for an original Schaumburg-Lippe Ribbon, and haven't seen one separate from the cross yet.

A fellow collector friend twisted my arm and talked me out of my 1st Waldeck medal, and it literally took me 6-months to find another example after I sold the 1st one to him. He did make it worth my effort though!

All the Best,

Alan