Axis ribbon bars

[James Clark]

I thought I'd show my Axis ribbon bars (now that I have managed to amass a whole three of them!).

First, a Spanish trio of German Eagle Order with Swords followed by what I believe is a Spanish military service cross and the 1936-39 Civil War Medal. The Eagle Order ribbon measures 37.5mm. I wondered if this might indicate the Eagle Order 3rd Class as opposed to the Merit Medal. The two Spanish ribbons are 30mm each. The ribbons seem to be very tightly rolled then sewn up with no obvious supporting material.

[James Clark]

I think this pair might also be Spanish - that's where I got it and I saw other groups of purely Spanish ribbons which were made the same way. The ribbons again measure 30mm each and are sewn over what appears to be a strip of leather.

[James Clark]

This bar is Hungarian, consisting of the Fire Cross with Swords (for front line combatants) and the Medal Commemorating the return of the Hungarian Uplands (an area on the Slovakian border which was returned to Hungary in 1938). The ribbons are 40mm each - the same as full-size medal ribbons. The central stripe of the Fire Cross ribbon is pale green. It feels as if the ribbons are sewn over something, but they are tightly stitched all the way round with no other material showing.

[Rick Research]

The blue ribbon with narrow white center stripe is Spanish War Cross for NCOs and privates.

Nice "also Axis" bunch!

[James Clark]

So that would make the DAO ribbon the Medal of Merit with swords. With silver or bronze grades to choose from it's a pity the only swords the tailor could find were gilt!

[panzerpionier]

James Clark wrote:

First, a Spanish trio of German Eagle Order with Swords followed by what I believe is a Spanish military service cross and the 1936-39 Civil War Medal. The Eagle Order ribbon measures 37.5mm. I wondered if this might indicate the Eagle Order 3rd Class as opposed to the Merit Medal. The two Spanish ribbons are 30mm each. The ribbons seem to be very tightly rolled then sewn up with no obvious supporting material.

I am far from an expert, but I do not like that ribbon bar.

Spanish soldiers received a lot of German Eagle Order medals for Spanish Civil War and/or Blue Division service. I am almost sure the would-be recipient of that medal should have fought in both campaigns, as the ribbon has a SCW Campaign Medal and a post-1942 NCO and enlisted men War Cross. Having fought in two wars, I would expect more Spanish and German decorations.

On the other hand, adding crossed swords to a ribbon was not a Spanish custom. I know German Legion Condor vets added swords to their Spanish ribbons, but it was against, or at least not according to, Spanish regulations.

Any comments?

Best regards

[Daniel Krause]

..but what about that the 1st one is just one row of a bigger ribbon bar?

Best regards

Daniel

[James Clark]

I think it's much more likely that the DAO is one of the mass awards made to Spanish servicemen in 1939, rather than for service in WWII.

Unlike the Spanish Civil War medal (which Germans did indeed add swords to for no good reason) the DAO came with and without swords after 1939, so it would be important to add swords to the ribbon to show the difference.

I have seen another multi-row Spanish group where the DAO was the only German award - that DAO ribbon also had swords. I don't know if this group included a Spanish War Cross. But there was no Blue Division medal ribbon (German or Spanish). Nor was there an Ostmedaille ribbon (which you would also expect from the Blue Division). So obviously you could have a distinguished (or at least highly decorated) career in the Spanish military around the time of the WWII without being in the Blue Division or at least without gaining any German awards apart from the DAO.

I'm sure the Spanish War Cross for NCOs and privates could not have been limited to the Blue Division - Spaniards also served in other branches of the German forces. And remember that although this is a post-1942 award, the Blue Division medals were only instituted in 1944.

Daniel is right to point out that this could be one row of a larger group - as could the KVK/Ostmedaille pair.

[Mark S.]

Very interesting James, thanks for sharing!