"Prussian quartets" is the category.
Not counting the rarified Order of the Black Eagle, Prussia had four orders awarded to military personnel - the Order "Pour le Mérite" (PlM), the Order of the Red Eagle (RAO), Order of the Crown (KO) and the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern (HHO).
We've seen a number of "Saxon trios" (holders of the St. Henry, Zivildienstorden and Albert) and even an occasional "Württemberg trio" (Crown, MVO, Friedrich). How about "Prussian quartets"?
Here is one: Ludwig von Estorff, one of the subjects of my research query thread, received the PlM in September 1917. For his colonial campaigns, he had received the RAO 3rd Class with Crown, Swords and Bow on the "two-times black and three-times white-striped ribbon", the KO 3rd Class with Swords and the HHO Knight with Swords. The one thing I don't know about is that other little Prussian award, the Iron Cross, but given how many other combat decorations he had, and given that there were three years of war before he got the PlM, I would think it likely.
Next is another Schutz-trooper. Victor Franke was (as a major) the second in command of the Schutztruppe für Deutsch-Südwestafrika when the war broke out. When the commander, Lt. Col. Joachim von Heydebreck was mortally wounded in a rifle grenade accident in November 1914, Franke became commander of the Schutztruppe. Franke was wounded in Dec. 1914 at the capture of the Portuguese Fort Naulila. German resistance finally ended in mid-1915 and Lt. Col. Franke was interned along with the other active German soldiers. He retired as a Generalmajor in 1920. Despite his short World War One career, Franke is here because he managed to get the quartet before the war even started. Having (as a captain) led the relief of Omaruru in the Herero Uprising in 1904, he was one of the few colonial wars PlM recipients. He also had the RAO 3rd Class with Crown and Swords, the KO 4th Class with Swords and the HHO Knight with Swords. Oh, and the Prussian Life Saving Medal. I also believe he received the Iron Cross for his role in the Battle of Sandfontein on Sept. 26, 1914 or for the capture of Fort Naulila but I'm not sure. Adding in his Bavarian MVO3x, Saxon Albert Order Knight 1st Class with Crown and Swords, and Württemberg Crown Order Knight with Lions and Swords, he was probably the most highly decorated German colonial warrior.
Estorff and Franke are two of only six HHO with Swords recipients for the colonial wars, according to Eric Ludvigsen's research. By contrast, some 632 RAOs 3rd and 4th Class with Swords and 1,377 KOs 3rd and 4th Class with Swords were awarded in the colonial period. During World War One however, 8,291 HHO Knight's Crosses with Swords were awarded, but only 116 RAOs 3rd and 4th Class with Swords and around 55 KOs 3rd and 4th Class with Swords.
Consequently, the Prussian Quartet should be rare, except perhaps for a few colonial veterans who already had the RAO and KO with swords and who picked up an HHO and PlM in the Great War. There were 26 in the Schutztruppe in the 1914 rank list, but none, except Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, seem to have gotten the PlM. But there may be other former Schutz-troopers like Estorff out there.
Another possibility is Field Marshal Remus von Woyrsch. As commanding general of the Landwehr Corps, he received the PlM on Oct. 25, 1914. He received the Oakleaves the following year. He had received the EKII 1870 but does not appear to have received the EKI 1914 (at least he isn't wearing it in photos where he does wear the EKII and the PlM). If his RAO, KO and HHO were upgraded to swords during the war, that would be a Prussian clean sweep (and he was a member of the Order of the Black Eagle too).
There might also be a few other senior generals - Hindenburg, Falkenhayn, Mackensen - who received the PlM and may have had their peacetime orders upgraded to swords.
Does anyone know any others with the Prussian quartet?
____________________
Some who came close:
Walter von Eberhardt had the RAO 2nd Class with Swords, the KO 2nd Class with Star with Swords, the HHO Commander with Swords, and the EK I and II. He also had the Prussian Life Saving Medal. But no PlM.
Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck had, pre-war, the RAO 4th Class with Crown and Swords and the KO 3rd Class with Swords. During the war, he added a Crown Order 2nd Class with Swords, the EK I and II, a PlM and oakleaves to his PlM. But he never got the HHO.
Manfred Freiherr von Richtofen had the PlM, RAO 3rd Class with Swords, HHO Knight with Swords and EK I and II, but no Crown Order.
Rudolf Windisch had the PlM, KO 4th Class with Swords, HHO Knight with Swords and EK I and II, but no Red Eagle. Still, not being an officer at the time, his KO was rather exceptional.
Cheers,
Dave
Not counting the rarified Order of the Black Eagle, Prussia had four orders awarded to military personnel - the Order "Pour le Mérite" (PlM), the Order of the Red Eagle (RAO), Order of the Crown (KO) and the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern (HHO).
We've seen a number of "Saxon trios" (holders of the St. Henry, Zivildienstorden and Albert) and even an occasional "Württemberg trio" (Crown, MVO, Friedrich). How about "Prussian quartets"?
Here is one: Ludwig von Estorff, one of the subjects of my research query thread, received the PlM in September 1917. For his colonial campaigns, he had received the RAO 3rd Class with Crown, Swords and Bow on the "two-times black and three-times white-striped ribbon", the KO 3rd Class with Swords and the HHO Knight with Swords. The one thing I don't know about is that other little Prussian award, the Iron Cross, but given how many other combat decorations he had, and given that there were three years of war before he got the PlM, I would think it likely.
Next is another Schutz-trooper. Victor Franke was (as a major) the second in command of the Schutztruppe für Deutsch-Südwestafrika when the war broke out. When the commander, Lt. Col. Joachim von Heydebreck was mortally wounded in a rifle grenade accident in November 1914, Franke became commander of the Schutztruppe. Franke was wounded in Dec. 1914 at the capture of the Portuguese Fort Naulila. German resistance finally ended in mid-1915 and Lt. Col. Franke was interned along with the other active German soldiers. He retired as a Generalmajor in 1920. Despite his short World War One career, Franke is here because he managed to get the quartet before the war even started. Having (as a captain) led the relief of Omaruru in the Herero Uprising in 1904, he was one of the few colonial wars PlM recipients. He also had the RAO 3rd Class with Crown and Swords, the KO 4th Class with Swords and the HHO Knight with Swords. Oh, and the Prussian Life Saving Medal. I also believe he received the Iron Cross for his role in the Battle of Sandfontein on Sept. 26, 1914 or for the capture of Fort Naulila but I'm not sure. Adding in his Bavarian MVO3x, Saxon Albert Order Knight 1st Class with Crown and Swords, and Württemberg Crown Order Knight with Lions and Swords, he was probably the most highly decorated German colonial warrior.
Estorff and Franke are two of only six HHO with Swords recipients for the colonial wars, according to Eric Ludvigsen's research. By contrast, some 632 RAOs 3rd and 4th Class with Swords and 1,377 KOs 3rd and 4th Class with Swords were awarded in the colonial period. During World War One however, 8,291 HHO Knight's Crosses with Swords were awarded, but only 116 RAOs 3rd and 4th Class with Swords and around 55 KOs 3rd and 4th Class with Swords.
Consequently, the Prussian Quartet should be rare, except perhaps for a few colonial veterans who already had the RAO and KO with swords and who picked up an HHO and PlM in the Great War. There were 26 in the Schutztruppe in the 1914 rank list, but none, except Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, seem to have gotten the PlM. But there may be other former Schutz-troopers like Estorff out there.
Another possibility is Field Marshal Remus von Woyrsch. As commanding general of the Landwehr Corps, he received the PlM on Oct. 25, 1914. He received the Oakleaves the following year. He had received the EKII 1870 but does not appear to have received the EKI 1914 (at least he isn't wearing it in photos where he does wear the EKII and the PlM). If his RAO, KO and HHO were upgraded to swords during the war, that would be a Prussian clean sweep (and he was a member of the Order of the Black Eagle too).
There might also be a few other senior generals - Hindenburg, Falkenhayn, Mackensen - who received the PlM and may have had their peacetime orders upgraded to swords.
Does anyone know any others with the Prussian quartet?
____________________
Some who came close:
Walter von Eberhardt had the RAO 2nd Class with Swords, the KO 2nd Class with Star with Swords, the HHO Commander with Swords, and the EK I and II. He also had the Prussian Life Saving Medal. But no PlM.
Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck had, pre-war, the RAO 4th Class with Crown and Swords and the KO 3rd Class with Swords. During the war, he added a Crown Order 2nd Class with Swords, the EK I and II, a PlM and oakleaves to his PlM. But he never got the HHO.
Manfred Freiherr von Richtofen had the PlM, RAO 3rd Class with Swords, HHO Knight with Swords and EK I and II, but no Crown Order.
Rudolf Windisch had the PlM, KO 4th Class with Swords, HHO Knight with Swords and EK I and II, but no Red Eagle. Still, not being an officer at the time, his KO was rather exceptional.
Cheers,
Dave
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