Today I will be showing 2 Medals bars, with 2 Decorations each. From all of them, just 1 medal has to do with the First World War. Still, I think it is worth to show them.
The first “Ordensspange” contains the following 2 Decorations:
– Verdienstkreuz Kriegshilfsdienst 1916 (Preußen).
– Verdienstorden Silbernes Verdienstkreuz ohne Schwerter (Königreich Sachsen).
The first Cross tells us, that this person worked in the war effort at home, at least for 2 years. The second cross, in its second form, was just awarded in around 2.400 occasions. It was made in one silver piece. Both of the crosses were also awarded to women, but this is not the case, because they would have worn them in a different way: in band loop (see example attached).
There is a big probability, that this person was from Sachsen. Having said that, normally the Saxons used to wear their Sachsen Awards before any others, including (or better to say) especially before the Prussian ones. I guess, as the first one was given for “war merits”, he preferred to put it before the “Verdienstorden”.
The second medal Bar has the following decorations:
– Fürstlich Lippischer Hausorden Silbernes Verdienstkreuz. Fürstentum Schaumburg-Lippe.
– Erinnerungsmedaille zur Silberhochzeit 1907. Fürstentum Schaumburg-Lippe.
Obviously, this person was a civil one from that small Principality. The first Cross is heavy and very similar to the one from the Principality of Lippe-Detmold. There is a clear connection between both of the States. The second medal was awarded to all of the guests at the celebration, including all of the military and civil servants. This last option is, I believe, the right one if we guess, who wore this “ordensspange”.
Still, just for “our” records, it is worth to mention, that this State contributed to the army with the Jägerbataillon Nr. 7, which was placed in Bückeburg.
So, even a small Medal Bar contains valuable information, as well as beauty, of course.