Brunswick NONCOMBATANT War Merit Cross "On The Yellow-Blue Ribbon" Award Document

[Rick Research]

Here's a nifty item just in today. I was hoping that the serial number might give us some clue of how many--or rather how FEW-- of these were actually awarded, but from the roll number at bottom left (K3667) , it is clear that bestowals were listed consecutively in ONE roll, not separate ones for combatant and non-combatant awards.

This is, however, the only one of these I have ever seen.

[Rick Research]

"Büroassistent Elsner in Braunlage" isn't terribly helpful, but this page pasted into his WWI Militärpass explains things better-- he was then exempted from military service to b employed at the Brunswick Ducal State Ministry as an "office assistant:"

[Rick Research]

Now chances are he DIDN'T do such a Really Great Job in only one month that he was decorated-- there is a gap of two years in his war record, so he may have returned to a civil service job he held before the war (when his civilian job title was the same):

From his group in today--


born as August Christian Karl Elsner, 23 September 1888 in Hasselfelde, Blankenburg District, Brunswick. Lutheran, single (as of 1915) and “office assistant” (“Büroassistent”). Son of Johann Friedrich August Elsner, born 2 June 1863 also in Hasselfelde, and Auguste Querfurth (dead before 1915).

1) Militärpass 1885 to 1898 of father, August Elsner: 5.11.85 to 13.988 in 12th Co./Brunswick Inf Rgt 92 (Gefreiter 11.10.87, trained as stretcher bearer and on Mauser 71.84 rifle), to Reserves 13.9.88, Landwehr I 14.4.93, and Landwehr II 28.4.98. Listed as “Arbeiter” here, but as “Schiessmeister” in son’s MP

2) Conduct Certificate for Jäger zu Pferde August C. K. Elsner born 23.9.88 etc in 5th Squadron,/ JRzP 5 from 4 to 19 October 1910. I have NEVER seen such a “reserves maneuver” call up for someone without any prior military service !!! Made out Mühlhausen in Alsace 19 October 1910

3) Militärpass 1915 to 1919 for “unged. Landsturmmann” August C.K. Elsner, born 23.9.88 etc. Drafted from Braunlage
1 November 1915 to 1st Co. Ist Replacement/Brunswick Inf Rgt 92.
7-21.4.16 in field in 1st Company/Recruit Depot of 20th Infantry Division, X Army Corps, 7th Army.
22.-29.4.16 to Feldlazarett 4 Sedan for intestinal fistula (“Darmfistel”) eeeeeeewwwwww
30.4.-3.7.16 to Reserve Lazarett 6 Frankfurt am Main
3.7.-9.8.16 to IInd Convalescent Co. Ist Replacement Btn/Brunswick Inf Rgt 92
19.8.16 discharged
exempted from military recall as assigned to the Ducal state Ministry of Brunswick as a Büroassistent 19.7.18 through 31.12.18
released from military obligation 1.7.19

4) “Auszug aus der Kriegsstammrolle 19 August 1918 repeating much of the Militärpass data, and incorrectly stating no prior military service—ignoring the WEIRD 2 weeks in 1910!

5) Award Document for Brunswick War Merit Cross “on yellow-blue ribbon” to Büroassistent Elsner in Braunlage, dated 17 August 1918 serial number K3667 (indicating continuous roll of ALL awards, on combatant and noncombatant ribbon)

Elsner later received the Honor Cross for War Participants aka Noncombatant Hindenburg Cross as a small town Mayor in 1935, and the Third Reich 25 Years Civil Service Cross in 1939. He was a member of the Nazi Party, and as of 1939 had been Mayor since 1934.

[Rick Research]

Here is our last big Brunswick thread:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...k+Ernst+August

and here's what the "yellow-blue" in question looked like--

[Klaus O.]

Zeige's medal bar

Very interesting Rick... What do you think on the latest Braunschweig's medal bar with a non-combattant KVK offered by Zeige on his next auction? Here are the pics... too me it looks very good. Notice also the "Dienstauszeichnung" which you don't get to see it so often...

Ciao,

Claudio

[Klaus O.]

The back of this simple but very nice bar...

[Christian L]

nice bar!
could anyone please name the two last medals with awarding numbers - or specialities.
i haven't seen the lats one, and the second only one time before!
thanks christian

[Klaus O.]

Christian,

The second medal is the Verdienstkreuz 2. Klasse des Hausordens Heinrich des Löwen (Braunschweig, OEK Nr. 602)
and the third medal is the Dienstauszeichnung für 21 Jahre der Unteroffiziere (also Braunschweig, OEK 643).

Ciao,

Claudio

[Rick Research]

That Brunswick Long Service was last awarded in 1886-- so 21 years brings us back to... 1865. No 1866 or 1870/71? No 1897?

BUT, according to von Hessenthal and Schreiber (I had to go look-- a first time viewing of that cross for me, too!) it was awarded AFTER 1886 to members of the Brunswick Gendarmerie.

So: it's an old rural cop's bar-- just the sort of noncombatant WW1 group I'd expect-- and quite a nice SCARCE combination of all THREE awards!

[stogieman]

Ziege Bar

Sweet! Like it, Like it, Like it! Claudio, will you be chasing this one??

[Klaus O.]

Very likely I will try to bid on it... it's too nice not try to get it...

I wanted also to share my brother's latest acquisition... as usual a single mounted KVK 2. Kl. am Nichtkämpferband!

Enjoy it...

Ciao,

Claudio

[Rick Research]

It looks like we here are gobbling up ALL of these awards!

[Rick Research]

I think Jens must have missed this thread!

[JensF.]

Thanks! Sadly there is not something like "für Verdienste in der Heimat" etc. mentioned in the certificate. I am still curious if this cross was awarded for deeds only at home or to all non-combatants at the front and at home.