That pesky EK II device will not go away!!

[David S]

While browsing through the Charles Woolley 1900-1918 uniform books (they are great !) I came across the following photo on page 242 in Volume 1.

Uniforms and Equipment of the Imperial German Army 1900-1918
A Study in Period Photographs


I'll be damned if that device isn't on these four Brunswick infantrymen.

[David S]

Any enlargement more than this is pointless, it turns into a cloud of dots resembling mosquitos. This is the device

[Dez H]

Any chance of dating this picture besides from their style of tunics? Looks like they all got their EK ribbon bars from the same outfitter.

[George Stimson]

Enlighten me

Is there a controversy about these?

[John Harman]

George,

Not so much of a controversy and an unraveling mystery Please see http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...threadid=23690 for a little more info. Rick L's ribbon bar info page also talks about (I think!) these EK devices on bars. Chiefly peculiar to the Saxons but apparently not only.

[Rick Research]

Before the thread linked above, we didn't have firm period dated evidence of when these pointless little emblems came out. They were certainly around in 1919, and a number of photos, unfortunately undated, seemed to suggest an actual wartime contrary to regulations usage.

Now we know that these WERE worn during the war.

The only question remains:

WHY?


They are pointless, anti-regulation devices!

Yet they existed as far back as the 1880s (for the 1870 version, of course), and the WW1s WERE in common, mostly Saxon wear well into the 1930s.

Some sort of weird "fashion statement."

Many dealers try to flog these as "First Class" mini devices. Not at all true.

Even furriners had 'em- as this WW1 Turkish Oberleutnant shows:

[Rick Research]

close up

[George Stimson]

Thank you, gentlemen.

[McCulloh]

from Jager Regt 13

I assumed this was from Spring, 1918 by the cockades and the confident look. I always thought the EK devices were a fashion statement-as there were apparently other types made as well. Recently "Milcoll" on ebay had a ribbon bar that included a similar mini Crown Order.

[Prosper Keating]

They're not all that 'pointless', given that the Prussian Iron Cross 2nd Class shared its riband with several other awards. This riband bar EK2 device was therefore to emphasise that the wearer had won the Iron Cross.

Prosper Keating

[stogieman]

For Jeff

jeff, that mini was not a crown order.... it was a PLM enlisted mini. I was outbid by one of my own customers at $95.00 for the bar! This customer collects Austrian, so I'm sure he thinks he has gained a "leverage" against me. I should see it again...

[Rick Research]

Ahhh, we have lured Prosper into our Bottomless Imperial Depths!

This little device was NOT authorized, ever (despite existing for over 50 years) but the point was all those OTHER things would have or should have had devices to distingusih THEM from the basic "millions and millions" ribbon. None of the other scarce to rare Prussian war awards below Orders that used this ribbon were ever authorized any distinctive device. THOSE needed some such device-- the EK didn't-- and was never supposed to have had one.

I can't understand how the naughty lads got away with wearing these in uniform!