Looking for a Leutnant in the Prussian (?) Army

[LuckyStrike23]

I am looking for the service and units of Leutnant (most likely) Otto Putz. He earned the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class, but no other awards, so I assume he served in the Prussian army. According to his age, I would think he was promoted to Leutnant between 1915 and 1917.
Actually, Putz is a bavarian name but I can exclude the Bavarian army.

Does anyone has ever come over his name in one of the "Ranglisten"?

[kaiserwilhelm2]

The only Putz I have is H. Putz serving with IR 173 but he is a Hauptmann a.D., there is just one more Putz but he is a Gen.Maj. a.D..

[LuckyStrike23]

ok. thanks.

Is it possible that he served in the Army from Würtemmberg under prussian command?

[Dave Danner]

There was a Lt.d.R. Paul Putz in IR 64, promoted to Lt.d.R. on 2.6.1915.

There are a bunch of Leutnants Pütz with an Umlaut, both Landwehr and Reserve, commissioned during the war. Not sure if any of them were named Otto.

[LuckyStrike23]

Thanks for your answer. "My" officer´s first name is Otto. His name was Putz - not Pütz (what is more common in my Experience) He was born in 1897. He received the EK1 and EK2 but no other awards. Thats, why i assumed, he served in the Prussian Army. I can surely exclude the Army of Württemberg and Bavaria.

He was later reactivated as an officer in the Wehrmacht. Thats, why I thought, he must have been an officer in WW1.

[kaiserwilhelm2]

He was later reactivated as an officer in the Wehrmacht. Thats, why I thought, he must have been an officer in WW1.

That is not necessarily the case. With the rapid expansion of the Wehrmacht from 1934/35 on lots of senior Imperial NCO WWI veterans became junior officers in the Wehrmacht.

[LuckyStrike23]

If this was the case then it could be the reason, why I do not find him.

I have studied a few (original) files of so called "Ergänzungsoffiziere". All of them were former officers.

Unfortunately this guy does not have a file in the archive.

PS: When he was reactivated, he got the rank of a Hauptmann (RDA 1934)

[kaiserwilhelm2]

If this was the case then it could be the reason, why I do not find him.

I have studied a few (original) files of so called "Ergänzungsoffiziere". All of them were former officers.

Unfortunately this guy does not have a file in the archive.

PS: When he was reactivated, he got the rank of a Hauptmann (RDA 1934)

Yes I would tend to think that a Hauptmann reactivated would have been a former Imperial officer unless he had some rare specialist knowledge that would warrant several promotions but that would have been a rather unique situation.

[LuckyStrike23]

Yes I would tend to think that a Hauptmann reactivated would have been a former Imperial officer unless he had some rare specialist knowledge that would warrant several promotions but that would have been a rather unique situation.

Any other idea?

No Bavarian, No Württemberg, no Prussian.....

I think one can exclude the Saxon army as well, otherwiese he would have earned any low saxon award during his service.