Today, I am going to talk about an exotic and named Medal Bar. It has the following decorations (in German):
– Roter Adler Orden – 4. Klasse – Maker: Johann Wagner & Sohn.
– Dienstauszeichnung für Offiziere.
– China-Denkmünze für Kämpfer.
– Zentenarmedaille (1897).
– Greifenorden Ritterkreuz, which is not available (Mecklenburg-Schwerin – Großherzogtum).
This “ordensspange” belonged to Ulrich Freiherr von Massenbach, who was a captain in the 14th Light Infantry Battalion from the Great Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, or in German, Großherzoglich Mecklenburgische Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 14. We can see his name in the List of Officers from 1900, along with his decorations (in this case, we see only the Greifenorden). I have to thank Frank from the Forum Sammlergemeinschaft Deutscher Auszeichnungen for putting a name to this Medal Bar.
He joined the Ostasiatisches Expeditionskorps, which was the German Force sent to China in 1900 and 1901 to protect the west citizens and interests during and after Boxer Rebellion, which I will explain next.
This uprising in China came because of many years of West Powers (including Japan) taking advantage of the Chinese Land and Commerce, for example, the Opium wars.
The Righteous and Harmonious Fists or Boxers movement, called like that because many of its members practiced martial arts, catalyzed all the hate against the foreigners and the Catholics (and foreign catholic missions). The first for what we saw just a couple of lines before. The seconds because the power, that they were accumulating and the protection, they were getting in the missions. The Boxers believed (or they tried to show to other people), that they had special powers, that could stop bullets.
At the end of the XIX, the Boxers were acting very violent against the groups seen above, ending up in the killing of Chinese Christians and missioners. At his stage, the position of the Chinese Empire, with Empress Dowager Cixi on the top (Qing Dinasty), changed in 1900 from “enemy” of the boxers, to be in their side.
In June 1900, the events were running already really fast and violent, with the foreigners and many Catholics Chinese seeking refuge in the “Diplomatic Quarters” in Beijing, protected by a few hundred soldiers from 8 Nations. Soon they were going to be surrounded by the Boxers, with the help of the Imperial Chinese Army. The 2 months siege of the diplomatic compounds started.
One of the main events happened on the 20th of June, when the German diplomat Ketteler was killed by the Boxers, when he was underway to negotiate with the Empress. With this and the previous events, a strong army of almost 60.000 Men from the nations of Japan, USA, Russia, British Empire, France, Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy arrived to China in July 1900 to break the siege of the Diplomatic Quarters. They were commanded by the British Lieutenant-General Alfred Gaselee.
At the same time, Germany sent an Expeditionary Force (Ostasiatische Expeditionskorps) over 20.000 Men strong to China. But before they even could arrive to China, the army of the 8 Nations made their way to Beijing, “liberating” the Diplomatic City on the 14th of August. This also meant the retreat of the Boxers and the Empress to the south. It also meant, the looting of the city by the soldiers and civilians.
When the Ostasiatische Expeditionskorps arrived to China, they were sent to the south, to the strong holds of the Boxers, to eliminate their threat. Something that they did already in short period, putting an end to the Rebellion.
Ulrich Freiherr von Massenbach arrived to China as captain in the 2. Ostasiatisches Infanterie-Regiment under the Besatzungsbrigade or Occupation Brigade (see Picture from 1901).
One year later, he will be sent back home and will be found in the 4th Light Infantry Battalion (Magdeburg). At this point, he had 4 medals already (from the list above, the positions 2 to 5).
In 1903, he will not be found in the Offices Rank Lists. He may have retired and in this moment, he got the Orden number 1: Roter Adler Orden – 4. Klasse.
The absence of the Greifenorden (the number 5) can be explained because his family returned it to the government in 1938.
This is one of my favourite Medal Bars in my collection. It is always special to have “a named one”.
Sources.
Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee und des XIII. (Königlich Württembergischen) Armeekorps für 1900 – 1901 – 1902.
Ostasiatisches Expeditionskorps und Ostasiatische Besatzungsbrigade (Bestand) – Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek.
Map – Wikipedia.
Forum: Sammlergemeinschaft Deutscher Auszeichnungen.
Flickr – Collection of Joe Robinson.