A German (Baden) Officer's Wedding 1918 in Lahr (Black Forest), 1918.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

My German wife's maternal Grandfather Rudolf Schneider was a Bank Clerk (much later a Factory manager), but during the Great War was with the Reserve Artillery: Leutnant der Reserve. 

This Wedding group is perhaps something out of the ordinary, inasmuch as numerous British Great War wedding photos have been seen. For this reason I would like to share this German wartime Wedding image with GWF members.

The venue was Lahr, in the Black Forest area of Baden, in 1918. He married the demure-looking Elizabet, nee Glünkin, whose family owned a department store in Lörrach, on the Swiss border.

Ltn Schneider can be seen wearing his EKII and the (far more important) Baden Officers' decoration, Zähringer Löwe, 2nd Class. His EKI on the left lower tunic pocket, cannot be seen. Interestingly, his brother - an Infantry Officer, can be seen standing at right, wearing his EKII and Wound Badge... 

Kindest regards,

Kim. 

[GreyC]

Thanks for posting!

The one with the yellowish-brown/white ribbon is the Schutzwall-Ehrenabzeichen, awarded first late 1939 and last 1941 for Germans who helped built fortifications on the West- and Ostfront during 1938/39. Most recipients were from the RAD or Organisation Todt, but not all.

You can download the regiment´s history here:

https://digital.wlb-stuttgart.de/index.php?id=6&tx_dlf[id]=8991&tx_dlf[page]=1

GreyC

Edited 29 March by GreyC

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear GreyC,

Very thoughtful of you (in typical Great War Forum fashion!) to direct me to the Regtl history.

However, together with his medals and Great War photo-albums, my wife inherited the history, inscribed 'R.Schneider', and marked at the accounts of his participation in certain "Actions".  A knowledge of German is helpful, but the gist of it, states that his Battery was badly hit, and he and two other Officers were wounded...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[GreyC]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing (in typical Great War Forum fashion!)

GreyC

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear GreyC,

My pleasure.

I included Rudolf Schneider's signature (I knew his widow Elisabet quite well when I, a penniless Australian, but with three MCs in my family - she liked that! - married into the family), because it looks "schwungvoll"!

Interestingly, the tiny photo in the Regtl history, shows Ltn Hock (standing between Ltn Schneider and the hatless Ltn Weinrebe) to be wearing a "Picklehaube". This was well into 1917, when that particular "Parade" headgear was considered long-since obsolete. 

Schneider himself seems not to have bothered with a Helmet. all photos show him with his soft cap.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[GreyC]

One of my grandfathers also was at Verdun as a Leutnant der Landwehr.

GreyC