Award List - Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty

[Stauffenberg II]

Excellent pic VJK.

I don´t know if you saw the rare pic of Jodl wearing Ritterkreuz and Eichenlaub some months ago. The pic was from USAF1986.

I will give the link:
http://www.thirdreichforum.com/viewtopi ... l+d%F6nitz

Regards

[USAF1986]

Did anyone mention Generalfeldmarschall Ferdinand Schörner? Per Die Ritterkreuzträger der Gebirgstruppe, Band 2, he received the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class with Oakleaf and Swords on 1 June 1942.

Regards,
Shawn

[Stauffenberg II]

Thank you Shawn!

btw: Found another one (Gen. d. Kav. Philipp Kleffel)

Regards

[Tom Houlihan]

Just out of curiosity, could someone PM or e-mail me the requirements for this award? I was not aware of it until I read this thread, but it might have some bearing on the project I'm working on. Thanks!

[Stauffenberg II]

Found another guy. If this is the breast star


we have a further recipient. It´s obviously a 1st Class with breast star, maybe it´s the award ceremony? The pic must have been taken before Dec. 19th, 1941 at which he was awarded the DKG.

Gen. d. Kav. Hans Feige

[Stauffenberg II]

Another recipient (pic is from VJK):

Gen. d. Inf. Friedrich Karmann

Curious that he already died on 15.09.1939. So he must be one of the very first recipients.

Regards

[USAF1986]

The award to General der Infanterie Karmann is most interesting! For gee whiz, here are his decorations from the 1930 Rangliste...quite an impressive lineup!

Regards,
Shawn

P.S. Stauffenberg II, I recall from an earlier post that you were thinking of writing to the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty for a list of recipients of the 1st Class during WWII. Any luck on that?

General der Infanterie Dr. phil. Friedrich Karmann

Decorations & Awards:
• Prussian Royal Hohenzollern House Order, Knight’s Cross with Swords
• Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914)
• Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914)
• Princely Hohenzollern Honor Cross, 3rd Class with Swords
• Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Swords
• Saxon Albert Order, Knight 1st Class with Swords
• Baden Order of the Zähringer Lion, Knight 2nd Class with Swords and Oakleaf
• Hamburg Hanseatic Cross
• Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, 2nd Class
• Lippe War Merit Cross

[USAF1986]

I think the decoration in the photo of General der Infanterie z.V. Feige is that of the Grand Cross with Swords of the Order of the White Rose of Finland. While the breast stars of the grand crosses are similar, the White Rose had alternating silver and gold rays while the Order of the Cross of Liberty was all silver. Note what appear to be gold rays between the arms of Feige's breast star. Also, the sash in the photo appears to be a solid color: the White Rose had a plain red sash/ribbon.

Regards,
Shawn

Here are Feige's decorations from the ubiquitous 1930 Rangliste with additions by me...!

General der Infanterie z.V. Hans Feige

Decorations & Awards:
• German Cross in Gold: 19 December 1941, General der Infanterie z.V., Commanding General of the XXXVI Mountain Army Corps.
• Prussian Royal Hohenzollern House Order, Knight’s Cross with Swords
• Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914) with 1939 Bar
• Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914) with 1939 Bar
• Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Swords
• Saxon Albert Order, Knight 1st Class with Swords
• Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, 2nd Class
• Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross, 1st Class
• Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross, 2nd Class
• Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach House Order of Vigilance or the White Falcon, Knight 1st Class with Swords
• Saxe-Ernestine Ducal House Order, Knight 1st Class with Swords
• Reuß Honor Cross, 3rd Class with Swords
• Lübeck Hanseatic Cross
• Prussian Officers’ Long Service Cross (Not authorized for wear after the establishment of the Third Reich-era Armed Forces Long Service Awards on 16 March 1936.)
• Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918
• Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross)
• Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal)
• Austrian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration
• Turkish War Medal (“Iron Crescent”)
• Bulgarian Military Merit Order, 3rd Class (Commander’s Cross)
• Wound Badge in Black – World War I award

[Stauffenberg II]

P.S. Stauffenberg II, I recall from an earlier post that you were thinking of writing to the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty for a list of recipients of the 1st Class during WWII. Any luck on that?

I wrote to the Office of the President. The President (Mrs. President) is the Grand Master of all 3 orders. I will tell you if (and when) I succeed.

Regards,
Stauffenberg II

[Harri]

Interesting information.

Just add that according to Finnish sources Hans Feige's rank was General der Kavallerie (not Infanterie).

BTW what "z.V" after the rank means?

[Stauffenberg II]

z. V. means "zur Verfügung"

That means that he was already off duty but was "z. V.-placed" by the High Command (i. e. held at disposal, although retired).

[USAF1986]

Stauffenberg II,

Excellent! I hope you'll share the list if you receive it ! Now, if we only knew where to obtain a roster of the German recipients of the Romanian Order of Michael the Brave...THAT would be a most interesting list! Perhaps, our Romanian colleagues might know who to write to?

Regards,
Shawn

[Stauffenberg II]

Sure. Btw Shawn! After finishing the finnish awards I would like to aim at the Hungarian Order of Merit. The order is still in use and I therefore think the list of recipients must be stored anywhere in an office.

Of course I´m also interested in the Romanian and Bulgarian Awards. I know for example that the Romanian Star is still in use.

[Requin Marteau]

Another Recipient :

- SS Gruf Hans BAUR,
Finnische Orden des Freiheitskreuz 2. kl mit Schwertern (1943).

Thierry

[USAF1986]

Another recipient of the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class with Swords: Luftwaffe GL Walter Lorenz.

Regards,
Shawn