Some period photos....

For the lot to be complete you will also need a EKI. As I know he couldn't get an RK if he hadn't got an EKI. Am I right?

Hi Erik,
it seems that they have made a mistake with this bar assembly!
On the big bar the Order of the Crown has the Military Virtue ribbon (wich is ok!) and the Military Virtue medal has the ribbon from the Order of the Star first model!!!!
On the miniature bar,the Order of the Crown has the regular ribbon for this order
and the Military Virtue medal also!

The Order from the Crown (with swords!),could have been awarded with 2 kind of ribbons!With Military Virtue ribbon or the regular ribbon.

I don't know why have they used the ribbon from the Star Order for the Military Virtue medal! Maybe for lack of ribbons,they have used this one, I don't know!

I wouldn't change it, even if is not accurate!

Regarding the Crown Order...from your photo...it seems to be a Knight (silvered).

This post has been edited by b737 on November 17, 2006 12:24 pm

You are right, but during the last few weeks of the war many strange things happened. He was never awarded the EKI. The only RK he received was this crude "field version" which was awarded by Heinz Macher in a staff car on the way to Berlin during first half of April 1945. Macher gave him this cross together with one of his cuffbands and entered into his soldbuch.

I have a letter from Reichfuhrer SS dated in April 1945 that congratulates him on this victory in Breslau January 45, and also a newpaper article from Austria telling his story. Unfortunately, there is no reference anywhere to the RK.

The signed photo of Macher was sent him in January 2001 just months before Macher passed, and is addressed to him here in Florida.

Erik

Hi Erik,
it seems that they have made a mistake with this bar assembly!
On the big bar the Order of the Crown has the Military Virtue ribbon (wich is ok!) and the Military Virtue medal has the ribbon from the Order of the Star first model!!!!
On the miniature bar,the Order of the Crown has the regular ribbon for this order
and the Military Virtue medal also!

The Order from the Crown (with swords!),could have been awarded with 2 kind of ribbons!With Military Virtue ribbon or the regular ribbon.

I don't know why have they used the ribbon from the Star Order for the Military Virtue medal! Maybe for lack of ribbons,they have used this one, I don't know!

I wouldn't change it, even if is not accurate!

Regarding the Crown Order...from your photo...it seems to be a Knight (silvered).

That is very interesting!!! Remember what I said in one of my earlier posts, that he claims he received the "Rumenian Knight Cross" to wear in his neck, and that his officers told him he couldn't wear it. Do you think by any chance that this is the Order of teh Star? Isn't this worn in the neck? Just wondering here.....

Erik

It depends of the grade that he has recived!
For all romanian orders the neck badge is the Commander grade.
He could have recive this order, why not , but with this kind of ribbon he must have got it before 1932.

Ok, thanks for clarifying. He probably refered to the Order of the Crown.

Erik

Is it possible that he has recived the Michael the Brave order?
In this case the neck badge is the second class !
But according the rules for awarding this order he must recive first the 3rd class
before he recives the second one.

This post has been edited by b737 on November 17, 2006 01:01 pm

I think what you see above is it for Rumenian orders that he received. Keep in mind that he would most likely have displayed any other medals on his photo taken in the summer of 1942. Problem now is that he gets very confused because of his age. He does not know the English or Rumenian names of the medals he received.

Erik

Ok, than in the whole "story" the only one thing that doesen't have his place there is the ribbon fron the Star Order!
But how I said before ,I wouldn't change anything on that bar!

My intention is to restore the medals back into the exact state they were on the photo. And also add the known missing medals and awards.

This is why I rely on you guys input.

Erik

I spoke to him again today, and he tells me that the so called "Rumenian Knights Cross" was the Order of the Crown. It seems that as it was suggested earlier, that he had attempted to wear it in the neck, but was asked to wear it in his chest. Interestingly enough, he was awarded the Order of the Crown by the Rumenian Military Attache in France while he was in a Paris hospital in 1943. He got married later that year when the above photos of him were taken (correction).

I asked him if he had the Order of the Crown in Gold or Silver. He has always refered to it as "The Gold Cross", and tells me today that it was in gold. Does that make sense from the photos I have provided? The swords on the ribbon bar is clearly gold. The medal itself is golden, but it could very well be tarnished silver.

Erik

Here are some more photos taken outside in the sun. Is the medal giltet or not?

Erik










This post has been edited by erikofnorway on November 18, 2006 10:58 pm

Here is one more studio photo of him. He is wearing the Military Bravery Medal in Silver (or is it gold?) which seems to be suspended from the button in his breat pocket. But he has far fewer medals than in summer of 1943. Is that the ribbon for the Order of the Crown on the bar next to his Frozen Flesh medal?

Erik



This post has been edited by erikofnorway on November 18, 2006 11:24 pm

It sems to be an Officer, there are rests of gilding on the order.

In this case I think that he wears the ribbon for the Military Virtue Medal.