Any German Medal Experts?

[BKK]

I have a question about Baden medals.  This is a great uncle of mine, Wilhelm Glanzmann. I am not sure yet what Unit he was in 1915 (Age 42), but here he looks to be wearing the uniform of Landsturm Infantry Battalion Rastatt XIV/42.  His Awards are listed online in the Baden Archives (See Below). I hope to go to the Archive and see the actual Award orders this fall. This would give exact 1915 unit Info.

 

I am confused about two different types of Baden Medals. The Silver Merit Medal (BVM abbreviated in records, and quite common), and the Silver Medal of Merit on the Ribbon of the Military Karl Friedrich Medal of Merit (2800 awards since 1805). 

 

The Baden Archives have the following listing for him being awarded the "Order of Zahringer Lion, and the Silver Medal of Merit on the Ribbon of the Military Karl Friedrich Medal of Merit".

 

Is this the medal he is listed as receiving the medal with "The Brave" on the back, or the the other Silver Medal of Merit which says "For Merit" on the back?

 

I read that the Order of Zahringer Lion entitled you to Baden Tax Free Status, and the Silver Medal entitled you to annual cash payments. 

 

Below are the examples of both medals. Not my Great Uncle's Certificates.

 

Edited 16 July , 2019 by BKK

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear BKK,

All very interesting!

I was struck by the similarity of the Baden documents awarded to my wife's maternal grandfather, Leutnant der Reserve Rudolf Schneider. These attached for your general interest.

Kindest regards,

Kim. 

[BKK]

Kim

 

Thank you. A great record of documents you have there. Thanks for sharing.

 

Very interesting to see the wound medal document. My grandfather was wounded 3 times with IR169 and IR111 (1917-1918). 

 

Also very interesting to see the total awards earned by that unit.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 16 July , 2019 by BKK

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear BKK,

My pleasure. I was the only one in either my Australian, or my wife's German, family to show a greater interest in such things.

I was also clear about wanting to preserve the grandfather's respective decorations and medals - not to mention wartime photographs. The result is that they are now in my safe-keeping, rather than being assigned to cupboards or worse...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Michael Lowrey]

I handle much of the WWI side of uboat.net. I have some familiarity with German medals of that era, but am far from an expert on German medals.

 

In general, German decorations of that era are different for officers and enlisted soldiers: officers received orders and crosses while enlisted soldiers got medals. The obvious exception is the Iron Cross and its local equivalents in other (mainly north) German states.

 

So a couple of points:

 

1. Your relative was getting either the Order of Zahringer Lion (if an officer) or the Silver Medal of Merit on the Ribbon of the Military Karl Friedrich Medal of Merit (if enlisted), not both.

 

2. Attached is a screen capture of the Baden enlisted awards from the Rangliste der Kaiserlich Deutschen Marine for 1918.

 

* The Silberne Verdienstmedaille said, unsurprisingly, "Für Verdeinst" on the back. This translates as "for merit." When awarded on the ribbon of the Militärische Carl Friedrich-Verdienstmedaille the abbreviation used was BM. There were two classes, gold and silver. The reference to the ribbon indicates it's a war award. This is what your relative got presuming he wasn't an officer and what the document in the archive in Karlsruhe is about.

* The Militärische Carl Friedrich-Verdienstmedaille -- abbreviated as BgM or BsM depending upon if in gold or silver -- had "Dem Tapfern" and then the name of recipient on the back. This would translate as the "the brave." This is not what the document held at Karlsruhe is about.

 

[BKK]

On 20/07/2019 at 22:01, Michael Lowrey said:

I handle much of the WWI side of uboat.net. I have some familiarity with German medals of that era, but am far from an expert on German medals.

 

In general, German decorations of that era are different for officers and enlisted soldiers: officers received orders and crosses while enlisted soldiers got medals. The obvious exception is the Iron Cross and its local equivalents in other (mainly north) German states.

 

So a couple of points:

 

1. Your relative was getting either the Order of Zahringer Lion (if an officer) or the Silver Medal of Merit on the Ribbon of the Military Karl Friedrich Medal of Merit (if enlisted), not both.

 

2. Attached is a screen capture of the Baden enlisted awards from the Rangliste der Kaiserlich Deutschen Marine for 1918.

 

* The Silberne Verdienstmedaille said, unsurprisingly, "Für Verdeinst" on the back. This translates as "for merit." When awarded on the ribbon of the Militärische Carl Friedrich-Verdienstmedaille the abbreviation used was BM. There were two classes, gold and silver. The reference to the ribbon indicates it's a war award. This is what your relative got presuming he wasn't an officer and what the document in the archive in Karlsruhe is about.

* The Militärische Carl Friedrich-Verdienstmedaille -- abbreviated as BgM or BsM depending upon if in gold or silver -- had "Dem Tapfern" and then the name of recipient on the back. This would translate as the "the brave." This is not what the document held at Karlsruhe is about.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to post some insight and info. 

 

I should have clarified. Great Uncle recieved the Knights Cross 2nd Class of the Order of Zaringer Lion. Yes most likely the BVM medal.

 

Looking forward to go there in person later this year and see the documents