ok, who won this one?? i know someone will know but???
greg
greg
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There, that's better: -
He was a civilian civil servant during WW2 (KVK2 without swords in first place and 25 years Third Reich Treudienstkreuz in 10th place).
In WW1 he was a junior, non-career (no long service cross) military NCO: the Silver Bravery Medal 1st Class in second place was a big deal, and about the equivalent of a 1st Class Iron Cross. After that, not sure of the color, is either a Silver 2nd Class or a Bronze (never polish a bronze, should be chemical "chocolate" color!) AND he got a WW1 Bulgarian Soldiers' Cross for Bravery 4th Class (in last place) which is the first one I've seen in an Austrian group! The Iron Merit Cross with Crown on War Ribbon in 4th place was typically given to Gefreiters, and usually of a "technical" sort of service rather than front lines-- and yet this soldier DID get THREE valor awards. He was probably an engineer or signalman, something like that that brought him back and forth into and beyond the lines. His Troop Cross in 5th place and Hindenburg Cross X in 6th certainly confirm that frontline action.
Note, however that the "1873" General War Medal was ONLY awarded for actions 1848-1901. Kaiser Franz Joseph failed to ever authorize it for WW1-- and MANY Austrian veterans "self-awarded" it, figuring they were entitled if they entered the field BEFORE the Troop Cross was authorized by Emperor Karl in 1917. That was NOT the case at all. This is a common period MISTAKE!! He also is NOT wearing the WW1 Commemorative Medal of the Austrian Republic 1932+, even though he was in state civilian service at the time. Perhaps he thought that was "indelicate" to wear, after Anschluss.
And, can't tell from the ribbons overlap, but that is either a FOUR or a FIVE wounds Medal there in 8th place-- this guy had a TOUGH war indeed!!!
The Kärnten/Carinthian Cross 2nd Class in 9th place is also of the "valor" type, Austria's "Freikorps" type award for disputed border fighting with the new Yugoslavia. This guy just never quit!
Next to last is some sort of, presumably Austrian FIRE DEPARTMENT medal. Yellow was their traditional generic ribbon for these. The reverse of that should indicate what province it was from. It may well be from the Tyrol, since that Province's WW1 Medal (1928-1940 ) is in 11th place.
The 1939+ Volkspflege Medal indicates his status was not higher than an "Oberleutnant" level civil servant-- the top grade someone without a college degree could achieve.
Awards just STUCK to this guy!
This is an outstanding two wars medal bar!
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wow rick!!!
YOU DID IT AGAIN! AND MY FRIEND THANKS YOU!
he is selling this at: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2213770170
so if anyone is looking for a super long award, this is it
thanks Rick
gregComment
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Very nice bar Greg, but the starting price seems a bit too high for me... and probably for anybody else...
Ciao,
ClaudioComment
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Nice bar! I must agree with Claudio though, price is definitely too high for a bar comprised of relatively common awards... Good luck to him but I doubt he would get a singe bid at that price...
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ya he does that, if he doesw not sell it he'll send it out to an auction place.but he always sells to people who e-mail him with an reasonable offer.
he'll always work with people. i just got some really nice mini chain awards and a cool s/p.
i'll show you when i get them because i don't know what some are so you'll all have to help me with them.
gregComment
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These days we are pretty certain this is a "sum of all parts" bar made in Austria and often sold by am-militeria from Austria. Beware!Comment
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funny, browsing through the net i found this special bar 5 years after the thread was started.
http://www.najafcoins.com/Images/o574.jpg
haynauComment
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