examples for: Blutorden & Ritterkreuz

[Dieter Zinke]

Hallo forum,

I’ m interested to know the reason (and perhaps the dates) for the bestowal of the Blood Order to the following three officers:

1.: Julius von Bernuth, finally Generalmajor and Chief of Staff of the 4th Panzer-Armee (KIA 12.07.1942, crash with Fieseler Storch by shooting down)

2.: Theodor Kretschmer, finally Generalmajor and Kommandeur of the 17. Panzer-Division

3.: lesser known
Alfred Greim, * 08.08.1902 in Langensalza (Thuringia), entered the Reichswehr in 1922, 1925 Leutnant in the Infanterie-Regiment 15, Kassel. 1933 removed to the Infanterie-Lehrregiment Döberitz, 1939 Kommandeur II. / Infanterie-Regiment “Großdeutschland”. In the Western campaign he gained both Iron Crosses. On 29.09.1941 he was named in the Honour Roll and won the Clasp (Army Style). 20.10.1941 German Cross in Gold. 04.06.1942 Knights Cross of the Iron Cross as Oberstleutnant and commander II. Battalion / Grenadier-Regiment 1 “Großdeutschland”. He died on spotted fever 19.05.1943.
Spotted fever:
The bites of the louses transmitted the infection from the mostly immune population in the eastern occupied countries to the soldiers. On the Eastern front were more than a million soldiers fallen ill of the Ricksettsiosis Provazecki, about 70.000 died. Vaccinated people took ill for three or four weeks, most of them survived. At first a vaccination was only possible for the ambulance soldiers. (The “Institut für Fleckfieber- und Virusforschung des Oberkommando des Heeres“ was in Krakau / Generalgouvernement, 1939 - 1944 under the direction of Stabsarzt Professor Dr. Dr. Hermann Eyer)

Oberstab

[Svennie]

Just a guess: could it be that these officers served in the Bavarian 7th Infanteriedivision at the time of the Putsch and assisted Hitler's attempt in one way or the other? A bit like Eduard Dietl?

Sven

[Peter]

Theodor Kretschmer was at the Infanterieschule when he won his Blood Order in 1923.

His medal was No.1486.



cheers
Pete

[Peter]

I have found ALFRED GREIM, he was also at the Infanterieschule, (many Blood Order awards went to men there).

His Medal was No. 691


Pete

[FANGIO]

Hi Oberstab!
Are there any other pics of Officers wearing the RK and the Blutorden at the same time? Could you or anybody post some please?
Best regards.

FANGIO

[Denis]

Hello guys
Richard Ernst was also awarded the Blutorden (N° 1390). As far as I remember, a photo shows him wearing the ribbon in Biblio Verlag's volume 1 dealing with RKT from the Gebirgstruppe.
Regards
Denis

[Dieter Zinke]

This is Richard ERNST.
He was in service with the Bundeswehr as an Oberst 09.07.1956 - 30.09.1964)

Oberstab

[FANGIO]

Thanks for the help Denis & Oberstab. Blutorden Nr 1390, wow! I can see that many men won the Blutorden. Hope there are more pics if possible.
Please could you give the exact date and unit when Ernst won the RK?
Best regards everybody.

FANGIO

[Phil Nix]

Thanks for the help Denis & Oberstab. Blutorden Nr 1390, wow! I can see that many men won the Blutorden. Hope there are more pics if possible.
Please could you give the exact date and unit when Ernst won the RK?
Best regards everybody.

FANGIO

Richard Ernst RK as Oberstleutnant and Kdr Gren Jag Reg 100 award 6.11.44
Philmil

[Denis]

Hi Fangio
see below :
ERNST RICHARD
DoB : 25/07/1906
DoD : 07/06/1986
Last rank : OBERST
Last unit : GEB. JÄG. RGT. 100 (5. GEB. DIV.)
EK1 : 15/10/1942
DKiG : Not awarded
RK : 20/10/1944 (3857th) as Obstlt. GEB. JÄG. RGT. 100 (temporarily attached to 71. INF. DIV.)
Regards
Denis

[FANGIO]

Incredible fast reply. Thank you very much Phil and Denis.
Best regards.

Edit: didn't see carefully, RK: 6.11.44 or 20.10.44 ???

FANGIO

[USAF1986]

Hi! Another holder of the “Blutorden” and Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: Luftwaffe Generalleutnant Josef “Beppo” Schmid. I believe the crop from the larger photo of HG Division officers is him; the one with Knight's Cross is definitely him.

Best regards,
Shawn

[Tom Houlihan]

Had I paid a little more attention, I would have caught Iltis' post, but here's further information on it.

This is taken from God, Honor, Fatherland: A Photo History of Panzergrenadier Division “Grossdeutschland” on the Eastern Front 1942-1944, page 27:

Suspended from his right breast pocket, (Oberleutnant Alfred Bruno Eduard) Greim wears the most important medal of the Nazi Party, the Blutorden (Blood Order), which commemorated the abortive “Beerh Hall Putsch” of November 9, 1923, in Munich. However, Greim was no party militant. Indeed, soldiers were prohibited both from membership in the Nazi Party or any of its organizations. Greim’s Blood Order was authorized because he had been a young cadet at the Infantry School in Munich on November 9. The school commandant ordered the cadets out under arms to support the Putsch, which subsequently collapsed before the cadets could take part in the short-lived fighting. The Reichswehr command subsequently moved the school to Dresden and the cadets acquired an entirely undeserved notoriety as “Putschists” until calm returned some time later. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, they authorized a general issue of this most prestigious award to all serving or retired members of the Infantry School who participated in the events of November 9, 1923. This resulted in the bizarre situation of hundreds of soldiers who had no connection with the party wearing a medal to which only a handful of genuine party faithful were entitled.

[Dieter Zinke]

Hi! Another holder of the “Blutorden” and Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: Luftwaffe Generalleutnant Josef “Beppo” Schmid. I believe the crop from the larger photo of HG Division officers is him; the one with Knight's Cross is definitely him.

Best regards,
Shawn

Hallo Shawn,

your holder of the Blutorden is an Oberstleutnant, but not the Generalleutnant (01.07.1944) Josef "Beppo" Schmid.
BTW: I never saw a pic of Beppo with Blutorden. Are you shure about this award presented to him ??

Oberstab

[VJK]

Hi Oberstab!

Here's a pic of Schmid wearing the Blutorden.

Regards,

VJK