Original German WWI & WWII Era Bavarian Veteran’s Framed Medal Collection with Merenti Cross, 1914 EKII, Hindenburg Cross, 1905 Luitpold Medal & More! Original Items

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a fantastic genuine medal set, acquired at a recent military show directly from the grandson of German WWI Veteran Ernst Schroeder (or possibly Schröder). They were from the Kingdom of Bavaria, and received several awards from there, as well as some general awards from the German empire. They also look to have served in or with forces of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin for a time, and thus qualified for an award from that state of the German empire.

After the war, they look to have been very active in veteran and civil service organizations, and received several membership pins from them. At the top left is an NSDAP era Reichstreubund Former Professional Soldiers Für hervorragende Tätigkeit (For Excellent Work in Service) award, and at the top right is a very similar pin which reads Für hervorragende Tätigkeit im Dienste de R.d.Z.. The Reichsbund der Zivildienstberechtigten (National Association of those entitled to civil service) was an organization that helped with finding civil service employment for former soldiers. Above these two awards is a Bavarian service pin that we have unfortunately not been able to identify.

The bottom left has two additional awards from the post WWI period, which look to be from the Bavarian Veteran’s association in Fürth, outside of Nuremberg. The one in the center indicates that they were the Stenographer and Cashier of that particularly branch.

The WWI Era awards in this set are represented first by a very nice buttonhole ribbon pin, which has six ribbons stacked up with swords on top. Below this is an Imperial German Prussian Iron cross 2nd class, and below this are two ribbon bars, one large, and one small. It should be noted that the smaller ribbon bar on top pre-dates Schroeder receiving the Honor Cross (Hindenburg Cross), so it only has 5 ribbons represented. As Schroeder was from Bavaria, the most independent of all States of the German empire, he placed the Merenti cross above the Iron Cross in the order of precedence.

Below the ribbon bars are the six awards, removed from the ribbon bar, though they are not in the correct order as on the ribbon bars. The awards are (in order of precedence):

– Bavarian Merenti Cross of Military Merit with Swords, 3rd Class, 1913.
– Imperial German WWI Iron Cross 1914 2nd Class Medal (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, or EKII).
– WWI Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1914 Military Merit Cross 2nd Class
– German WWI Honor Cross of the World War 1914/1918 Medal (Hindenburg Cross) with Swords (For Frontline Combat).
– Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold 1905 Jubilee 70 Anniversary Military Medal
– Bavarian Military Long Service Cross First Class – 15 Years of Service.

At some point after their military service, Schroeder was awarded the German WWII Faithful Service Decoration 2nd Class Cross for 25 Years of Service, which is mounted at the bottom right of the frame.

Definitely some great research as well as display potential in this lovely set!

Below is an explanation of each medal in detail:

Bavarian Merenti Cross of Military Merit with Swords, 2nd Class 1913.
Order of Military Merit was instituted in 1866 in 5 Classes. In 1905 the Cross of Military Merit was revised initially to 2 Classes and in 1913 to 3 classes. Each class was awarded according to the rank of the recipient and could be issued with or without swords (for peace or war time period) and crown (for a 2nd award). The old non-enameled 2nd Class became the 3rd Class and was changed from silver to bronze. The old 1st Class became the 2nd Class. The new 1st Class was identical to the 2nd Class except that it was gilt rather than silver.

This is the second class award, indicating it was received by a lower rank officer, and the swords indicate it was awarded during wartime.

German WWI Prussian Iron Cross 2nd Class with Ribbon:
Established by Frederick William in 1813 for gallantry in action, the Eisernes Kreuz (EK) decoration was revived several times for later conflicts. The bulk of the issues are divided into 1st and 2nd class versions, but a rare and superior ‘Grand Cross’ was also awarded for successful field commanders. During WW1 the lower decoration was freely awarded with 5½ million second class types issued. Originally, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, however given Prussia’s pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it became an award for all of Germany.

The basic design of the WW1 crosses is a central Tatzenkreuz (cross pattée) struck from iron and mounted in a silver frame which has a raised crenulated decorative border. The obverse of the cross bears the date 1914 under a crowned ‘W’ monogram. Reverse bears an oak leaf cluster with the date of the decoration’s institution, 1813 underneath – the crowned initials of Frederick William are in the top arm above the oak leaf cluster. Suspension for second-class types is by means of a ring, and frequently this ring bears a maker’s stamp.

Please examine the edge seam for authentication, which is not present on reproductions. Iron crosses were commonly constructed from an iron core sandwiched in a surrounding two part silver frame, normally the seam of these two silver parts is visible around the edge of the cross as is seen on this fine example.

The Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross 1914
The Military Merit Cross (Militärverdienstkreuz) was established by Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin on August 5, 1848. Mecklenburg-Schwerin, a grand duchy located in northern Germany, was a member of the German Confederation and later the German Empire.

In several respects, Mecklenburg-Schwerin’s Military Merit Cross was patterned after the Prussian Iron Cross. Both came in two classes, a pinback 1st Class and a 2nd Class worn from a ribbon, both were awarded without regard to rank (most other orders and medals of both states were awarded in different classes based on the rank or status of the recipient), and both were awarded for specific campaigns, as indicated by a date on the bottom arm of the cross. However, there were more versions of the Mecklenburg cross than of the Prussian cross (which was only awarded by Prussia in the Napoleonic Wars, the Franco-Prussian War and World War I, and by NSDAP Germany in World War II).

The second class award has the text FÜR AUSZEICHNUNG IM KRIEGE (For Award In War) on the front, and the back has a crown at the top, with an FF for Friedrich Franz II in the middle, and 1914 on the bottom.

Hindenburg Cross with Crossed Swords (for combat):
The Honor Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (German: Das Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs 1914/1918), commonly, but incorrectly, known as the Hindenburg Cross was established by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, President of the German Republic, by an order dated 13 July 1934, to commemorate the distinguished deeds of the German people during the First World War. This was Germany’s first official service medal for soldiers of Imperial Germany who had taken part in the war, and where they had since died it was also awarded to their surviving next-of-kin. Shortly after its issuance, the government of NSDAP Germany declared the award as the only official service decoration of the First World War and further forbid the continued wearing of German Free Corps awards on any military or paramilitary uniform of a state or NSDAP Party organization.

Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold Jubilee Medal 1905
dated 12. März 1905, Luitpold, Prinz von Bayern, regent of Bavaria, announced the creation of the Jubilee Medal (Jubiläumsmedaille) for the Bavarian Army. The event was the 70th anniversary of Luitpold’s entering the army. This medal is a bronze medal, oval in form. It is worn on a watered ribbon in the colors of the House and Knighly Order of St. Hubertus (cinnabar red with light green edges/zinnoberrot mit hellgrünen Randstreifen). The obverse has a bust of Luitpold and the inscription “LUITPOLD PRINZ-REGENT VON BAYERN“. The reverse has the inscription: “AM 70. JAHRESTAG MEINES DIENST-ANTRITTES DER BAYER. ARMEE GEWIDMET XII. III. MCMV“

– WWII 2nd Class 25 Year Civil Service Faithful Service Medal: The Civil Service Faithful Service Medal (Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen für Beamte Angestellte und Arbeiter im öffentlichen Dienst) was a NSDAP Germany medal of honor that was founded on 30 January 1938, in two grades, to reward civilians and military in the employ of the German public services for long and faithful service.

All officials, employees, and laborers at any level of the public service (local, regional or national) who complete 25 or 40 years service were eligible. The second class award was for 25 years of service was a silver cross, with a silver wreath and a black enameled swas in the center of the cross. The first class award was for 40 years of service was a gold cross, with a gold wreath and a black enameled swas in the center of the cross.

The reverse of both classes was stamped with Für treue Dienste (For faithful Services). in German black letter typeface. The ribbon for the medal is cornflower blue.