Imperial medals bought in Germany

[john moody]

Hello all,
My first post on the Imperial Militaria Forum.
I have recently returned from Minden in Germany, and came across a small shop whilst lost in the back streets.
The shop actually looked closed, as the windows were grimy and full of stacked cardboard boxes; but a small display of Imperial medals were on a board and trying the door I found that the shop was open!
I was greeted by a charming elderly man called Harry who told me he was 84 years old and in my poor German and his poor English we managed to communicate about Imperial medals.
I eventually bought from this gentleman the following:
Imperial EK2 with non-combatants ribbon ring marked with what looks like "Fr."
Imperial EK2 with combatants ribbon without maker mark,
Hindenburg Cross with Swords (magnetic) which he said was slightly more unusual than the standard type, with a circular maker mark on reverse which looks to my untrained eye to be "PSL"
and lastly a court mounted Kyffhauserbund medal (Swords on ribbon) all for 125 Euros which he said was a fair price.
I know nothing about Imperial awards and wonder if anyone on this forum could tell me if the price was fair?
What do the experts think?

[Don D.]

Sounds about right. BTW Hindy crosses are usually magnetic.

[john moody]

Thanks Don,
Maybe with my basic German and this man's broken English I got the wrong impression about the Hindenburg Cross; I seemed to pick up from him that this was unusual.
I guess I will have to buy some good books about Imperial medals!

John.

[militaria.no]

Hello John!

Congratulations with a nice find. It sounds exciting, a place we collectors like to come across: ”the windows were grimy and full of stacked cardboard boxes ”, and with a medal display

I think the price was fair

[john moody]

Hi Marius!
Thanks for your kind comment!
It was a day to remember; Harry was so kind and helpful. A true gentleman, who insisted that I should specialise in one particular field of militaria.
As stated I came across this shop in a back alley purely through becoming lost and this man was indeed a kind host.
I mainly collect Third Reich paperwork, and he immediately telephoned a man named Raimer Muller who arrived on foot within a few minutes and took me to his shop which appeared to be in an office in the loading bay of a closed supermarket.
Within the shop was a large and varied selection of Imperial and Third Reich militaria which he had bought from Harry mostly as Harry had become distressed by visits from the police being branded as a neo-nazi for selling Third Reich items. Raimer has just begun selling militaria as a business and is thinking of opening a web shop in the future.
I bought many items from him; all original and at 50% of the prices we usually associate with the large german internet dealers.
I enquired about the strict laws over display of Nazi period militaria, and he told me that he had been visited by the police on several occasions over a short period but that they had found him to be a militaria dealer and not a nazi sympathiser.
I wanted some medal urkunde but he had none at present in the shop, but insisted on taking me to his home where I met his parents who were in their eighties.
He then showed me his private collection which was a mannequin wearing a complete Hitler Jugend uniform, a tray presented by Himmler to the the staff of the "Handschar" SS Division for battles in the Balkans (not for sale) but he told me he had paid 50,000 euros for it; and his "retirement fund" which was a hollow bronze bust of Hitler presented to the dictator by Goering on one of his birthdays. This was hollow cast and he also had a period magazine showing the manufacturing of the piece (about six times life size weighing 25 kilos) by a female German metalworker. this he intends to sell at Sotherby's in London when be decides to retire!
I wish I had my camera with me, for it was really for me a collector's dream to see these items.
Harry told me to return to his shop on Saturday, and I arrived there in the afternoon to find him waiting having opened his shop just for me as he normally opens on weekdays from 12-6pm.
I there bought several magazines and books for a small amount compared to internet prices and intend to return to see both of these gentlemen in early September!
I think the quotation that you have chosen to end your messages sums up my feelings towards these people who were so courtious and open towards a total stranger from Britain.

Best wishes,
John.

l

[Noor]

Its sound very nice trip what you had! I love small antique shops!!! I was last year in the Frankfurt. I was tried to find some antiques, who sell awards and I was running around kilometers in the city centre but no luck at all! But sauerkraut and mull wine was great!
End of this year, I want to go some another city to the Germany for a weekend. I don’t know yet where. I must do my research before in proper order this time .

[john moody]

Hello Noor!
You could do worse than go to Minden!
When I return I will obtain addresses and email for the men I have spoke about.
I was very disheartened at first in Germany, having visited several shops (including some "back street" second hand/junk shops) and seeing nothing but poor quality fakes at original item prices.
Minden is quite small, but several buildings are of Prussian military interest including a comprehensive Prussian Museum which has an extensive collection of Iron Crosses from all periods, many uniforms etc.
There is also a Minden Museum which again has many items of interest from prehistory through the Napoleonic period and WW1 and WW2 uniforms.
The people are friendly and many buildings date from 1400's to present day.
It has a population of approx 300,000 and a good flea market once a fortnight, but beware of fakes and overpriced original items - you have to haggle!
The best bar is "Le Journal" which is a mini museum in itself!
Also the Kaiser Wilhelm Monument (86 metres tall) and the forests and wildlife are very interesting.
Bergen-Belsen is about 1 hour 40mins travel by car, which is well worth a visit also.

Best Regards,

John.

[Noor]

Thanks for info John! I try to do my best to get in there. Only problem is to explain this trip to there to my wife!

[john moody]

Hwllo Noor,
Take the wife with you ! She can shop for clothes , you can buy militaria?

Best wishes,
John.