Waffenrock-Cavalry-Holters

[WW2-Collector]

A recent pickup. Despite some condition issues I was very pleased to add this one to my collection. Research project pending on Von Kries.

[WW2-Collector]

3 & 4

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5 & 6

[WW2-Collector]

7 & 8

[WW2-Collector]

9 & 10

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11 & 12

[WW2-Collector]

13 & 14

[WW2-Collector]

15 & 16

[NickG]

Based on the embroidered "Johanniter-kreuz" (religious nobility organization) Von Kries was a nobleman which is not surprising.
Many aristocrats were in Cavalry units...or at least if not nobility, somehow associated with that organization, earning this award.

[NickG]

And an aristocrat would definitely go to Holters! (but the tag lacks a title...)

[Johnny R]

I have been researching this grouping for 6 months and it is fun the see the assumptions roll out from Nick G. lol

[NickG]

I have been researching this grouping for 6 months and it is fun the see the assumptions roll out from Nick G. lol

Knight´s of Johanniter Orden (breast cross shown) means there is a good chance he must have been of "evangelical nobility".
That's my understanding of this medal. (breast cross) I know this first hand because my sister-in-law was bestowed such a cross.
She is a titled catholic aristocrat...so no speculation on my part!
Btw the membership in the order and the wearing of its badges was progressively suppressed under the Third Reich...which makes this Algemeine SS officer picture extra special as religion did not exactly go hand in hand with the SS.

Much much more common to see it being worn in other branches and the cavalry branch was a common career path for the Aristocracy,
as shown with the nice golden yellow piped Officers Waffenrock.
Of course one of the most famous Cavalry members of this order was Osttruppen Commander Wehrmacht Cossack General Von Pannwitz,
a Johanitter Knight and Aristocrat.

The Johanniter Order (Royal Prussian Order of St.John) was viewed as an elitist association of German nobility, a class that was not trusted fully by Third Reich authorities. On May 19, 1943 Adolf Hitler issued a decree stipulating that these knights were not allowed to be promoted to positions of authority in the government, NSDAP and Wehrmacht. (It is my understanding that Claus Von Staufenberg was also a member, but opted not to wear this religious order... Btw many co-conspirators were Johanniter order members wanting regime change).

After 1948 the proof of nobility no longer became a requirement to become a Knight...at least in Germany it wasn't. Germany eventually became a Republic. In many European Kingdoms on the other hand that requirement remained. The order has many foreign branches.
In Federal Germany the promotion to the Knighthood of St,John of Jerusalem (its name in English) is now available after at least four years of distinguished service. The wearing of Order decorations is permitted without any restrictions by the German Federal Law of July 12, 1957.

[J C Gray]

Beautiful Holters Waffenrock with undoubtedly original applied tags and in my favourite Waffenfarbe to boot and those Aufkl. cyphers are really nice.

I can't quite make out the name on the acceptance stamp...is it 'Stregs'?

Here is my A.A. Holters...

[MLH13]

Tom,

Spectacular waffenrock!!! Congratulations!

Mark

[Johnny R]

The name is Curt Von Kries, he was an older supplementary officer "E" assigned to W.E.I Erfurt. He had extensive service in WWI but was a staff officer in WWII. As an E officer, he would wear the modern version of a uniform of his last active unit or sometimes longest serving. If the unit was disbanded, they were assigned a legacy unit and wore that uniform with unit designation and branch color. I have a similar grouping to an Oberst with "A6" boards who was in a Kraftfahr unit in the 1920s. The unit had been disbanded and "A6" became the uniform he was authorized to wear.