Luftwaffe Ribbon Bar Query

[Robin Lumsden]

Does anyone know what the last ribbon on this group is? Could it be Italian??

[Robin Lumsden]

Here's the back.

[Rick Research]

Robin-- that's a VERY nice and unusual ribbon bar!


Typical period confusion about obscure foreign awards' appropriate devices, though!

It's the Spanish Military Merit Order on white ribbon, which thanks to our Spanish expert on Spanish Civil War awards you will find more about here:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...military+merit

[Robin Lumsden]

Rick.

Many thanks.

That's cleared up something that has had me puzzled for years.

Looks like my little bar was for a vet of the Condor Legion.

The value just went up!

Regards,

Robin.

[Daniel Krause]

Niiice bar!

I would not say he was a Condor veteran, the fitting Spanish campaign medal is missing. Either he was doing something Condor-related in Germany or received the MMO for "diplomatic change" reasons.

Best regards

Daniel

[Rick Research]

Yup, I agree with Daniel-- with 18 to 24 years of service in by 1939, this guy was probably a quite senior member of the Military Attaché's office, and could even be identifiable to somebody with the right Luftwaffe (out of my ken) references.

[Klaus O.]

Daniel, Rick,

The white ribbon of the Spanish Military Merit Order didn't mean for merit during peacetime and the red based one for merit during wartime?

Ciao,

Claudio

[Rick Research]

NOT always-- go to the link to the other thread above-- they were also awarded during the Civil War as what must have amounted to "Kriegsverdienst" decorations.

[Robin Lumsden]

Thanks everyone.

Not Condor Legion, but still an interesting little bar.

[panzerpionier]

It's the Spanish Military Merit Order on white ribbon, which thanks to our Spanish expert on Spanish Civil War awards you will find more about here:

Well, I agree with Daniel... if the guy was a LC vet, he would have received also the "Medalla de la Campaña". Probabli he received the Spanish award for pre-SCW (I would say pre-1931, read below) peacetime service - adjutant to the air attaché or the like.

I have never seen that device before, and it does not look Spanish. Perhaps the guy received that medal before the 1875-1931 royal crown was changed for a "wall"-type republican one in 1931... the guy saw a crown on his medal, and he added one to his ribbon bar. See the following links:

http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/.../texto/omm.htm
http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/...estudioomm.htm


Note that LC-era (post-1936) medals should have open-type crowns. Note also that general design of the medal insignia has changed a lot due to changes on Spanish national symbols. Note also that regulations have also changed a lot from era to era.

Best regards

[Klaus O.]

Hi to all!

Here a picture of my brother's German Einzelbandspange of this order.

Ciao,

Claudio

[Robin Lumsden]

Thanks again for the information everyone.

[panzerpionier]

Hi to all!

Here a picture of my brother's German Einzelbandspange of this order.

Ciao,

Claudio

Note that the crown belongs to the medal, not to the ribbon.

Best regards

[Daniel Krause]

You are right,
the crown does not indicate anything; it is a normal part of the Orders cross.
But Germany were weird in that. The Order has a Crown at the top so they put a Crown on the ribbon bar.

Best regards

Daniel

[panzerpionier]

Hi to all!

Here a picture of my brother's German Einzelbandspange of this order.

Ciao,

Claudio

Note that that medal was awarded before 1931 (royal crown and three fleur-de-lys of the house of Borbon on the center disc). In 1931 house of Borbon had to exile from Spain. Its symbols were abolished and a republican "wall"-type crown was adopted. See this thread, post #50:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=spanish+crown

(Note that the left crown text should read "1931-1936". It was not Mr. Stump's error... I composed that pic and sent it to him).

Best regards