Luitpold-Medaillen

[Carl Christense]

Recently, a very beautiful Luitpold Medal was posted on our forum. My reference book indicates these were given out as Gold, Silver, and Bronze, as well as with and without a crown (OEK 459-464). Looking at various pictures, I see some with a red ribbon with green stripes, and some with a plain red ribbon.

There are obviously a lot of variations to this award. My question for the forum is: What determined the grade of the award, if it was awarded with or without a crown, and which ribbon was used?

Looking forward to any helpful information that can be shared and discussed.

Thank you.

Carl C

[Dave Danner]

I posted on this a little over a year ago at GMIC. Here is what I posted there, with additional information on the crowned versions provided by forum member "Bavaria".

1. By an Armeebefehl dated 12. März 1905, Luitpold, Prinz von Bayern, regent of Bavaria, announced the creation of the Jubilee Medal for the Bavarian Army (Jubiläumsmedaille für die bayerische Armee). The event was the 70th anniversary of Luitpold's entering the army. This medal is a bronze medal, oval in form. It is worn on a watered ribbon in the colors of the House and Knighly Order of St. Hubertus (cinnabar red with light green edges/zinnoberrot mit hellgrünen Randstreifen). The obverse has a bust of Luitpold and the inscription "LUITPOLD PRINZ-REGENT VON BAYERN". The reverse has the inscription: "AM 70. JAHRESTAG MEINES DIENST-ANTRITTES DER BAYER. ARMEE GEWIDMET XII. III. MCMV."

The Jubilee Medal was awarded to (1) all active officers, medical officers and Fähnrichs, and all active higher officials (obere Beamten) in the military administration, (2) the Inhabers of Bavarian regiments and those officers à la suite to Bavarian units, (3) recalled officers and medical officers zur Disposition, (4) officers of the 1. Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment (Luitpold's old unit) who had been retired with the permission to wear the uniform, and (5) capitulant NCOs, Büchsenmachers, Waffenmeisters and Regimentssattlers. On 12. Juli 1905, this was extended to include all officers and medical officers zur Disposition, all officers, medical officers and higher officials retired with the permission to wear the uniform, and all officers, medical officers and higher officials of the reserve and Landwehr.

The Jubilee Medal ranked after the Iron Cross 2nd Class but before any other awards of German states.

2. By a decree dated 30. Juni 1905, Luitpold created the Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille, This was a similar decoration for civil servants. This medal came in gold, worn as a neck badge, and silver and bronze, worn as a breast badge. It was oval and worn on a ponceau red (ponceaurot) ribbon. The obverse was exactly the same as the Jubilee Medal for the Bavarian Army, while the reverse had the crowned Bavarian coat of arms and the inscription "IN TREVE FEST 1905".

3. By a decree dated 6. März 1911, it was decided to award the Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille to all those qualified military personnel who did not already have the Jubilee Medal for the Bavarian Army. This medal was bronze like the Jubilee Medal, but the form was the same as the 1905 Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille. It was also worn on the same ribbon as the Jubilee Medal. Thus it was officially called the Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille in Bronze am Bande der Jubiläums-Medaille.

The same personnel eligible for the 1905 medal were eligible for the 1911 medal. In addition, also eligible were (1) active lower officials in the military administration, (2) active Fahnenjunkers, (3) active Unterärzte and Unterveterinäre, (4) Bavarian officers, medical and veterinary officers, officials and NCOs in the Schutztruppen, (5) civilian instructors at military institutions and military chaplains, and (6) NCOs retired with permission to wear the uniform. Also, all recipients of the Militär-Sanitäts-Ehrenzeichen and the Militär-Verdienst-Medaille.

The decrees don't mention Imperial naval officers with Bavarian citizenship, but like the Schutztruppen, I believe they were also eligible.

The crown was created as an additional honor for the Jubilee Medal in 1909. This was, according to GMIC member "Bavaria", for then-serving officers and NCOs of the 1. Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment, and for veterans of the regiment from the 1866 and 1870/71 wars. The dates on the scroll between the crown and medal were "1839" and "1909", commemorating the 70th anniversary of Luitpold becoming Chef of the regiment. About 2000 were awarded, with a handful (5-6) as golden neck badges for certain personages.

On Luitpold's 90th birthday in 1911, another crowned version of the Jubilee Medal was created, with the dates "1821" and "1911". There were about 30 awards of this version in bronze and a similar number in gilt, to people closely connected to Luitpold or to 1. Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment. At the same time, a crowned version was also created for the Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille. The obverse was the same, with the "1821" and "1911" dates, but the reverse was that of the Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille ("IN TREVE FEST 1905") and the ribbon was the red ribbon of that medal.

-----

So, you have three basic versions without the crown:

1. ponceau red ribbon, reverse with the Bavarian coat of arms and the inscription "IN TREVE FEST 1905": Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille, mainly for civil servants. Gilt (neck badge), silver or bronze.

2. cinnabar red ribbon with green edges, reverse with inscription "AM 70. JAHRESTAG MEINES DIENST-ANTRITTES DER BAYER. ARMEE GEWIDMET XII. III. MCMV": 1905 Jubiläumsmedaille für die bayerische Armee. Bronze.

3. cinnabar red ribbon with green edges, reverse with the Bavarian coat of arms and the inscription "IN TREVE FEST 1905": 1911 Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille am Bande der Jubiläums-Medaille. Bronze.

And three versions with the crown:

1. ponceau red ribbon, crown with scroll with dates "1821" and "1911", reverse with the Bavarian coat of arms and the inscription "IN TREVE FEST 1905": Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille mit Krone, mainly for civil servants. Gilt (neck badge), silver or bronze.

2. cinnabar red ribbon with green edges, crown with scroll with dates "1839" and "1909", reverse with inscription "AM 70. JAHRESTAG MEINES DIENST-ANTRITTES DER BAYER. ARMEE GEWIDMET XII. III. MCMV". Jubiläumsmedaille für die bayerische Armee mit Krone. Gilt (neck badge) or bronze.

3. cinnabar red ribbon with green edges, crown with scroll with dates "1821" and "1911", reverse with inscription "AM 70. JAHRESTAG MEINES DIENST-ANTRITTES DER BAYER. ARMEE GEWIDMET XII. III. MCMV". Jubiläumsmedaille für die bayerische Armee mit Krone. Gilt or bronze.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Crowned versions of the civil Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille, such as the one in Dedman's thread, are uncommon. Crowned versions of the Jubiläumsmedaille für die bayerische Armee are rare. All neck badges are rare.

And if you have a version with the medal on the red ribbon with green edges, you need to check the reverse to know whether it is the 1905 Jubiläumsmedaille für die bayerische Armee or the 1911 Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille am Bande der Jubiläums-Medaille.


There are a number of pictures of different versions in the thread, which is here.

Regards,
Dave

[Volksgrenadier 44]

Thanks for the education Lads

Best

Ross

[luftkrieg]

Certainly most useful information.

Kind regards
Pierce

[Konigtiger]

So any non-officer bar with the Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille of 1905 can be narrowed down to NCO's or other speciality types mentioned? The average enlisted man was not awarded this medal?

Thanks

[Carl Christense]

Thank you Dave for the very well written and useful article.

Carl C