Interesting EK1 to a Jewish Soldier

[Eric Stahlhut]

This one has seen some use! The silvering is gone from the front of the frame.

If only it could speak-and it sort of does!

Keep reading.

[Eric Stahlhut]

Reverse of award still has some silvering intact. The pin has been knurled by hand to provide a bit of added stability.

[Eric Stahlhut]

Here's a closeup of the inscription.

It reads, "Festung Verdun 1916" and is named to a 'Alois Horwitz' under the catch.

What does you guys think? An EK1 to a Jewish soldier, or was Horwitz a common German name for this period?

In any case, this cross looks to have been in a battle or two. I like it very much.

[Tony & Kaiser]

Great pin. Eric, do you have the history that makes the Jewish soldier connection? T

[Eric Stahlhut]

Hiya, T

Nope, nothing. That's why I asked about the individual's name in my last post.

Even if the cross cannot be attributed to a German Jew (name sounds jewish to me, but what do I know) the cross has quite a bit of character.

P.S. I did do a Google search on the surname-- came up with a bunch of bar mitzvah announcements!

[Chris Boonzaier]

Call me a sceptic, but normally patina and gunk collect inside the engraved lines, and here they see to be the cleanest part of the cross?

[Eric Stahlhut]

Call me a sceptic, but normally patina and gunk collect inside the engraved lines, and here they see to be the cleanest part of the cross?

It's perfectly OK to be sceptical, Chris!

If you held it in your hands you would have a very hard time seeing the chickenscratch with just your eyes. I had a tough time taking pics of it, messing with angles, etc. I finally was able to get the right reflection. If one were to glance at this cross, one would be fairly certain to miss the inscription. Looking at it from a foot and a half away from my eyeballs I can't hardly see any part of the inscription.

Take a look at the indentation where the pin has left a clean spot below the hinge. Shouldn't that part be gunky as well? I dunno. I consider myself fortunate to have stumbled upon this one.

[Tom Y]

A neat little trick for bringing out faint inscriptions. Sprinkle on a little talcum powder and gently wipe. The powder stays in the recesses and makes nice white letters.

[Eric Stahlhut]

Talcum, Gold Bond, etc.

Yeah, I thought about that initially, discovered that I didn't have any. Briefly considered toothpaste but quickly abandoned that idea. Didn't have any corn starch, flour, or baking soda either, but found some white-out; also quashed that idea. So I had to rely on about 50 attempts with my camera.

[Gary B]

Dear Eric,

It is very possible that the recipient was Jewish. After all Lt Frankl, who won the Pour le Merite, was a Jewish pilot.

Gary B

[Gerd Becker]

Very nice and interesting cross, Eric.

Horwitz is a primal jewish name. Of course, there are non-jews with this name, but not many. IMO its one of the most typical jewish names.

best,
Gerd

[McCulloh]

There are 2 books which might help. One is "The Jewish War Dead" for WW1. I've seen and lost it ebay many times. There's also a smaller volume of "Jewish War Heros" put out @1933 which lists Jewish award winners and their bios. It might not have a mere EK1-but you never know.
Lastly, I'd lay 3:1 odds he was a Leutnant dR. Regimental histories might help.

[Eric Stahlhut]

Thanks very much for all of the input, guys!

Much appreciated.


Jeff,


The last thing I would want to do is bid against you on an item that you have been pursuing. If you ever happen to acquire a copy of either book, keep this cross/name in mind, will ya?

In the mean time, I'll be looking for those titles at all of the used book stores and also at our main library, which surprisingly enough has some awesome arcane stuff from the teens, twenties, and thirties back in the stacks.