landwehr DA 2nd class

[Jason1]

Hi Guys, just a quickie, how many years service does a Landwehr DA 2nd class medal indicate? I've got a couple of these in groups, and was curious.

Are the length-of-service times different for each state etc? The ones I have are Prussian if that makes a difference.

thanks

Jason

[Eric Stahlhut]

Depends!

Hi Jason,

It depends upon which type you have. Prussian Landwehr or regular DA. From the top of my head, these came either for nine or twelve years.

Hope this helps a little bit, at least!

[Jason1]

Thanks Eric, if Mr Lundstrom reads this he might be good enough to post my 2 medal bars with these medals on them...how 'bout it Rick?

cheers

Jason

[Rick Research]

Here's Jason's first bar: WW1 Honor Cross combatant, Prussian (or navy) Reserve Landwehr Medal, 1897 Wilhelm I Centenary Medal:

[Rick Research]

Jason's five bar, if it's not too big-- EK2, Hessian General Decoration "for Bravery," Honor Cross X, Prussian LD2, Third Reich civil service 25:

[Rick Research]

Actually, the Prussian (I have no regulations for the other states' versions) LD2 was not awarded for YEARS of service at all, but of a cumulative number of DAYS on certain types only of active duty.

WW1 awards of the Prussian LD2 were NOT made: no one who didn't have one in August 1914 got one afterwards. It would have cost too much to give MILLIONS of draftees this!

Here are the regulations in effect in 1918, with last date of amendments:

A.K.O. 9 March 1907: "1st Class to Officers and Medical Officers after 20 years of voluntary service in the Reserve and Landwehr... War years do NOT count double... On receipt of the 1st Class the 2nd Class is no longer worn... and returned to the General Command....

2nd Class is awarded to all ranks who

A) take part in a campaign (Feldzug) or in "war operations the equivalent of a campaign (kriegerischen Unternehmung... die einem Feldzug gleichzuachten ist)...

B) after completing active duty a) after one year take part in 4 training exercises (Übungen) of at least 13 days, or a combined period of at least 17 weeks, b) are called up for a total of 52 days duty in the course of any 2 year period, or c) are called up to active duty for at least 38 days in more than 2 years, or

C) after completeion of active duty serve an additional period of at least 4 months total...

Call up as military officials does NOT count as activation (! Kr.Min. 11.12.1868), but mandatory service with the colors during a general mobilization, on the other hand, does (Kr.Min. 21.7.1874)... Persons who become eligible for either the 2nd or 1st Class while called up on active duty will receive the award only after being released again."

So, a variety of possible times of cumulative service were involved in bestowal of the LD2. In quite a few cases, such as that of medical officer reservists, even though they were steadily promoted for their professional abilities, they might NEVER acquire the actual field service required for an LD2--and yet would get the LD1 on simple achievement of 20 calendar years of theoretical "service!"

After 1914 (since awards for Prussia and the navy were suspended for the war, actually only in 1919-20). regulations were changed. Beamten who had NOT been eligible for active long service awards were then permitted to wear BOTH active and any Reserve-Landwehr class they had.

[Rick Research]

Documents for a "normal" Reserve/Landwehr career. Arthur Horchler, born ca 1869/70, served as a One Year Volunteer 1 October 1888 to 30 September 1889. Here is his Prussian LD2 document, from 1901 as Oberleutnant der Reserve--

[Rick Research]

And his LD1 from 1909, as Hauptmann der Reserve in Field Artillery Regiment 31, after 20 years time as a reserve officer.

Neither of these documents would give any clue that Horchler was actually a career military justice official, and both these were granted while he was on permanent military duty as Kriegsgerichtsrat of the 28th Infantry Division (1900-1920). In 1920 he received the XXV Years Service Cross (search "Horchler" on this forum and that thread will turn up), which he wore in ADDITION to his XX Cross.

[Jason1]

Thanks guys - much appreciated!

Jason

[Rick Research]

Brought back up for Claudio

[Rick Research]

Back up for Paul. There are no doubt others, but the "search" function has been rather haphazard lately, and a lot of excellent old threads are just... gone.