Help Identify Medal

[JeromeSimpson]

My great grandfather fell in the first world war, but his brother in law survived. In a photo I have of the latter, he wears three medals. I believe to have identified the first two, but not the last. I wonder if you might be able to help me, or would find in turn useful the limited detail that can be seen on the latter? I attach the photo, and below, short summary text I have written about his remaining fortunes during the war after his brother in law had passed away.

Any help you can provide I will be extremely grateful for, even if it may be a reference to another source.

Many thanks in advance and best wishes,

Jerome

[ONEALM]

Jerome -

I'll have to do a little digging to ID one of the medals - or maybe a more experienced forumite will have that handy, but I see:

On the medal row:
1) Iron Cross Second class
2) Unknown (Saxon maybe - very light ribbon, maybe cornflower blue and yellow....just a WAG at this point)
3) Hindenburg Participants Cross (WW I)

I also see a small version of the WW I wound badge, probably in black, above the medal bar and what appears to be the top arm of the Iron Cross 1st Class just peeking up at the bottom edge of the photo near the pocket centerline.

Let me see if I can ID the center medal.

If you have a high res scan of just that one, it would be helpful.

All the best,
Mike

[jaba-the-hunt]

The medal could be the saxon Friedrich-August-Medal in silver. If he was a saxon i think it is the right medal.

Regards Alex

[JeromeSimpson]

Thank you friends. I agree with your observations, all but one at least.

And I had not seen the glimpse of a medal peeking up at the bottom edge of the photo near the pocket centerline. Well done on spotting that!

As for the small badge above, I too thought it was a wound badge. Yesterdat I was informed by the Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt in Potsdam this is an award (or rather a badge of membership) called the “Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher Frontkämpferbund/Stahlhelm” which marks former participants of the First World War. It was awarded to members in 1915. There is more in Wikipedia here: Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stahlhelm,_Bund_der_Frontsoldaten). It's a little confusing because the foundation was only established at the end of 1918 so the 1915 award is a bit misleading - it's something I must check. After the end of war in 1918 the foundation “Stahlhelm” became a fascistic organisation which has been characterised anti-Semitic and anti-democratic, the Amt in Potsdam write.

I have no higher resolution version of the picture unfortunately. I was rather lucky to procure this scan from a distant relative. In the short term I am not likely to be able to get a better version :-(

Thank you in lieu for any further comments or observations.

[Malaula]

Hello Jerome. There is also the top arm of the Iron Cross 1st Class visible below the medal bar. Best regards, Dave:apickel: