Fun Quiz : strange picture

[Stijn David]

Hello,


This is a picture that is very strange ( the least one can say about it ) in a way

Lets give it a little quiz also here and see if the members can find out to what im reffering to ( one tip it is to find in the awards )


Greetings,

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Stijn,

From the pic it seems he received the Iron Cross 2nd class in WWI AND WWII, but not a "1939" clasp. Instead he wears a buttonhole 1939 EK2 ribbon.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Stijn David]

a winner

Hello ,


Damn that was quick ( and yes FRank is correct , he receives the non wearable ( + imaginary ) honour cross of the forum ) .

One should expect to find a Spange EK 2 on the ribbon but this one is wearing a ribbon EK 2 1939 !!!!!! ( see the attached picture ) , this is something i have not seen before , anyone else with this kind of pictures or anomaly's ?

Greetings,

[Ian Jewison]

Are you sure it is an EK II ribbon? To me it doesn't appear to be one but possible West Wall?
/Ian

[Daniel Krause]

Hi David,

to have both, the 1914 and 1939 EK II is definetly IMPOSSIBLE.
This ribbon in the buttonhole MUST be something different. I also don´t believe it is the Westwall medal.
What was allowed for the buttonhole?
- the EK
- the KVK
- the Ostmedaille
- WW1- war orders and decorations
- livesaving medal
In my opinion it might be the livesaving medal. Maybe the owner wanted to expose this rare award from the simple WW1- decorations.

Best regards

Daniel

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Daniel,

nope, life saving has a bright yellow ribbon this would show much brighter in contrast to the uniform, but the ribbon is DARKER. Must be something else then or just a bogus pic made for show by this guy for his wife.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Ian Jewison]

Daniel,
Interesting what awards you mention are/were permitted for wear in the button hole but there were many cases that "break" the rule....Ostvölker awards were also worn through the button hole...but I suppose this also could be equivelant to EK II or KVK II...I will plough through my photos as this is quite an interesting topic!
One thing is for certain it definately is not an EK ribbon!!!
Cheers, Ian

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Frank,

You might be right, but this black-white pictures cannot show the right relations of the colours. It looks quite dark for a livesaving medal, but when it is something else, then it is a WW1 award. The 3rd reich was very strict with wearing decorations, so I dont even think about he has worn something that was impossible or not allowed on his uniform.

Best greetings

Daniel

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Ian,

the Ostvölker medal was counted as war decoration, so it was also allowed for the buttonhole. Breaking the rules? on civilian dress maybe but not on a uniform. This is not a high decorated, high ranking Frontschwein - this is a small sergeant in the rear zone, full with looking-at-everything officers.

Best greetings

Daniel

[Frank Heukemes]

Hallo Daniel,

After examining the pic again closely my best guess would be Westwall now as well like Ian´s, judging by the contrast of the colours and width of the stripes on the ribbon. Even if that is unusual as well.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Frank,

You might be right with the Westwall medal but I still belive in the livesaving medal. Both ribbons have the same size of the stripes, ...is the colour a strong yellow or a light brown.....who knows?

Best greetings

Daniel

[John Hodgin]

Lifesaving ribbon?

Hello Fellows,

It could well be a lifesaving ribbon. Yellow does not always photograph light, depending on the type of B&W film used it sometimes records very dark. Film that records yellow darker was used much more during WW II than now. Improvments in B&W film have been made since then. If any of you have Nasse's book Green Devils, take a look at some of the yellow collar tabs on tunics and blouses among the studio portrait section.

Regards,
John

[Stijn David]

live saving it is

Hello,


After examining the picture again im with the theory that this is the ribbon for the German life saving medal .

Is there any way to trace the life saving medal winners ? , this picture has the following inscription on the back ( translated by me ) : with friendly greetings from France , Erich Otto , im Felde 1940/41 => the Erich Otto is probably the name from this uffz.

So according to this at this time this person was in France during late 1940 , early 1941 ( as occupying troops ? ) and he earned his life saving medal before early 1941 .

Interesting notition John regarding the colour yellow on old pictures.

Thanks for the help,