Carl's Bavarian medal bar

[mott5ranch]

I liked this one the best. Carl will take it from here.

[Bob Rodgers]

What are these?

[Dez H]

Bob;
To me looks like from left to right;

1 Bavarian Military Merit cross with sword third class
2. Hindenbourg cross of honour with swords for combatants
3. Bavarian service medal
I could be wrong about that last one, looks very similar to the 9 year service cross I have.

Dez

[Frank Heukemes]

Yes, it should be the one for 9 years of service. I find it strange that the bright blue of that ribbon is almost completly gone while the colours are still quire vividly there on the MVK and Hindenburg cross ribbons. Looks untouched though. It seems some ribbons fade sooner than others under the same conditions.

Cheers, Frank H.

[JensF.]

Hi,

the fading depends on the colors the manufacturer used for their ribbons. Some of them are more resistent against light, some less.
Has the MVK got a makers mark (usually unter the blade of the sword)?

The most common maker-marks on bavarian MVKs are:

D = Deschler & Sohn, Muenchen

or

W. Co. = Weiss & Co. Muenchen


Best regards

[Eric Gaumann]

cool!

Hey, thanks for telling me where to look for the maker's mark on my Bavarian MMC! Sure enough, I found a small "D" on the reverse of one of the swords (way down at the tip).

So, are these MMC's (3rd Class w/ Swords)usually of 4 piece construction? Mine seems to have the swords, the cross body itself, and a seperate round center piece for the front and back. That round center piece seems to be pinned through the body of the cross. Is this the usual construction technique?
Thanks,
Eric

[JensF.]

Hello Eric,

so your cross was made my Deschler & Sohn. This manufacturer still exists today. They make the Bavarian Merit Order and other awards.

About the construction of your cross, yes, this is the usual construction. The medaillons are fixed with some glue and a small rod mostly. The swords are fixed with some kind of rivet.

Best regards

[Eric Gaumann]

Danke schoen, Herr Major!

Is this "Bavarian Merit Order" a current award? There's not too much info on current German awards and medals on the net. Anybody have any links to current German awards?
I'd sure like to get one or two of the recent "Honor Medals/Crosses". I'm starting to fill up the many holes in my 3rd Reich and Imperial collection, and now I want to add some DDR and Federal medals to round it out. I recently scored a very nice Federal breast cross - red enamel arms with a black Federal Eagle on it (Merit Cross 1st Class???). Not nearly of 'old' quality, but still, a nice heavy badge exhibiting some of the traits that earlier awards showed (particularly pin and hinge). Wish I still had a digital camera to post a picture or two (unfortunately it was stolen. Thankfully(!!!!) my German medals collection was almost right underneath it and was not touched.)

Eric
Klagt nicht, trink!
TGIF

[JensF.]

Hello Eric,

sorry, just Feldwebel der Reserve

Yes, the Bavarian Merit Order is the current highest award of the state of Bavaria. Here is a great link to Medals of the Federal Republic of Germany:

http://www.haus-der-geschichte.de/Final/deu/page21.htm

Just click on each name of our states.


The breast cross you have, is it 4 pointed with pinback and no ribbon? If yes, it is the Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland or Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse.

Greetings from Germany

[JensF.]

Bavarian Merit Order

http://www.haus-der-geschichte.de/Fi...u/page1981.htm