Oberst i.G. assigned to OKW wearing Hungarian Order of Merit

[Kurt]

I hope this is the best sub forum to post this. I expect to get the most attention here from fellow collectors looking for information on this individual.

I just received this oil painting of a Wehrmacht Oberst im Generalstab (with golden tabs for OKW/OKH). He is wearing the Hungarian Order of Merit, Commander Cross which leads me to believe that it might be possible to figure out who he was.

The painting is signed (possibly 1941) and it looks like it was "denazified" (with possibly some awards being painted over). Does anyone have any clue as to who this guy was?

Thanks for your time... Kurt

[Kurt]

the face...

[PaulR]

Nice find. What are the positions of the awards you think are painted over?

[Kurt]

Nice find. What are the positions of the awards you think are painted over?

PaulR, I checked carefully in daylight today and must say that my assumption was probably false. Nothing was painted over so this individual really "just" wore the Iron Cross and Hungarian Order of Merit.

[Simon O.]

You might want to post this in the research forum.

[Kurt]

I'm glad I started this search as I already received a list of German recipients of the Hungarian Order of Merit through the help of two WAF members of whom one PMed me (thanks guys).

Interestingly enough, the recipients are all high-ranking officers and almost all of them served with the General Staff at some point in their career. I found eight individuals who held the Hungarian Order of Merit when they were Oberst i.G. (and excluded those who were obviously no match i.e. General der Infanterie Kurt von der Chevallerie who was an Oberst for 16 days after receiving the award).

Here are the names:

- Generalmajor Heinrich Gaedcke
- Generalleutnant Max Pemsel
- Generalleutnant Eberhard Thunert
- General der Gebirgstruppe Rudolf Konrad (received the award January 29th 1937; was promoted to Generalmajor April 1st 1939)
- Generalmajor Wolf Ewert (Führerreserve OKH)
- General der Artillerie Wilhelm Fahrmbacher (received the cross when he was an Oberst in 1937)
- Generalmajor Hans Doerr
- Generalleutnant Hans Boeckh-Behrens

This is where I need your help. It's a piece of cake to find pics online for most of these officers but I figured I start with the eight names without ruling anyone out due to some blurry photos online. Can anyone help with this information?

Thanks guys….. Kurt

[Johnny R]

Some of these guys like Hans Doerr and Eberhard Thunert had the award with Swords so he and maybe others can be eliminated from the list I sent.

[Kurt]

Some of these guys like Hans Doerr and Eberhard Thunert had the award with Swords so he and maybe others can be eliminated from the list I sent.

Johnny R, good point, hadn't paid attention to that "detail"... so these would be the six remaining potential candidates:

- Generalmajor Heinrich Gaedcke
- Generalleutnant Max Pemsel
- General der Gebirgstruppe Rudolf Konrad (received the award January 29th 1937; was promoted to Generalmajor April 1st 1939)
- Generalmajor Wolf Ewert (Führerreserve OKH)
- General der Artillerie Wilhelm Fahrmbacher (received the cross when he was an Oberst in 1937)
- Generalleutnant Hans Boeckh-Behrens

Does anyone have a clue which one of these gentlemen is pictured in my oil painting?
@Simon Orchard -- thanks for the hint. Will start a post in there pointing to this thread

Merry Christmas everyone.... Kurt