The Coburg Badge

[Military]

How was Grimminger involved in the Turkish front? Air service?

I suppose you are referring to the star-shaped medal on his right breast pocket?

Mil

[Matthew]

.

How was Grimminger involved in the Turkish front? Air service?

yup, he was a mechanic in the air service.

cheers
matt

[Max_Porter]

The Coburg Badge in wear

Hello all,

he are two recipients of the CB for you:

The first is Mr. Bauer (don´t know whether Hans or Erich). The pic is described on it´s reverse with "Scharführer Bauer, Führer des Trupps II" ( ..., leader of Trupp 2).

The second one is Paul Hofmann, 1923 in the "Musik-Zug Schwarz" (musician platoon Schwarz) and later a NSKK-Leader. I have a lot of intersting pics of him.

Have fun ...


Best Regards

Max_Porter

[ErichS]

Great photos Max, it looks like Bauer has Blood Order nipple protectors on his right pocket.

[ErichS]

One more photo of the CB in wear.

[Br. James]

Very good, Erich -- he resembles Boris Karloff in later years!!

Br. James

[Max_Porter]

Very good, Erich -- he resembles Boris Karloff in later years!!

Br. James

...


No, it´s Friedrich Freiherr von Reizenstein.


Best Regards

Max_Porter

[mametz]

That bloke in post 588 looks like he has three ears
Regards
Mametz

[Max_Porter]

That bloke in post 588 looks like he has three ears
Regards
Mametz

... Of course,

Mr. Hofmann was the only CB recipient who really had three ears. He had to listen carefully what the reds were planning in Coburg ....

[ErichS]

...


No, it´s Friedrich Freiherr von Reizenstein.


Best Regards

Max_Porter

Thanks Max for the ID on the photo. I think that he also had a son with the same name who also served during the TR.

[Br. James]

I was interested enough in the photo to look Baron von Reitzenstein up, once Max provided his name. My interest was piqued by the fact that he does not appear to be wearing the GPB, though he certainly was a Trager, holding NSDAP number 89052. A visit to the DAL of 1938 also tells us that Baron Friedrich was born in 1888 and received the EKI during WWI, but was apparently not entitled to the Coburg Badge, at least as of that year, since it does not show up in that year's DAL listing of awards. Both of those facts add interest to the photo. Of course, Baron Friedrich was promoted to SS-Standartenführer in April of 1934, as his uniform indicates, so perhaps that early date had some impact upon when he received each of those prestigious awards?

There are two other SS officers who bore the title of Freiherr von Reitzenstein at that time: the eldest of the three barons was Ludwig who was born in 1880, won the EKII in WWI, and was an SS-Obersturmführer in 1938; while the third was Albin, born in 1911 and held the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer. Age-wise, both Ludwig and Friedrich could possibly have been the father of Albin...

I hope this material adds further interest to this fine portrait photo.

Br. James

[chrischa]

It has been said there was 700 men involved in the 'Battle' of Coburg.

In Mein Kampf Hitler states over 800.

Why were only 436 men of whatever number was present awarded the badge? Had they left the party, died, etc?

Chris.

[ErichS]

It has been said there was 700 men involved in the 'Battle' of Coburg.

In Mein Kampf Hitler states over 800.

Why were only 436 men of whatever number was present awarded the badge? Had they left the party, died, etc?

Chris.

Chris, many who were there like you said, left the party, were killed or possibly expelled. Also that 800 figure maybe an exaggeration by the party to make it look larger than it possibly was. Don't forget that it has been said that there were about 3000 who took part in the Putsch yet only 1500 Blood Orders were awarded.

[Br. James]

And that, of course, makes good sense, Erich -- another, perhaps even more telling, comparison is seen in the awards of the Golden Party Badge: while the first 100,000 members of the NSDAP were theoretically eligible to apply for the GPB, fewer than 28,000 were actually awarded. Based upon the reconstituted structure of the Party, the numbering system began with memberships assigned at the end of February of 1925, and by the end of November, 1928, 100,000 membership numbers had been given out by the Party's National Treasurer's Office. And yet, by the time the GPB was announced in November of 1933, approximately 72,000 of those first 100,000 members could no longer qualify for this, one of the most prestigious awards ever issued by the NSDAP! While the original application process took time to complete, the only thing one had to establish was that he/she had been a current, dues-paying member of the Party since membership was granted. Certainly some of the original 100,000 members had died during the Kampfzeit, but most had simply lost their commitment and ceased to maintain their memberships in the years following their joining. With stats like these, it is easy to believe that perhaps hundreds of Coburg Badges were never awarded to some of those who participated, and that as many as half of those who marched with Ludendorff and Hitler on November 9, 1923 never qualified for the Blood Order.

Br. James

[chrischa]

Thanks for the answers.

As a mainly military collector I have little knowledge of the politcal awards.

After flicking through Mein Kampf while visiting Munich last week (yes, I am trying to make you jealous!) my intrest was pricked reading Hitler's description of the Coburg incident.

Chris.