JamesT Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 Here is an impressive group of awards attributed to Otto Körner (10 May 1868 in Tuttendorf, Saxony - 16 Dec 1950 Gelnhausen, Hesse). I believe that he was the Zahlmeister with Schutztruppe in German East Africa 1892-1901. I have seen a gift from the Schutztruppe thanking him for his service during these dates. So he was 24 years old when he went to East Africa, 33 when he left and 46 when WW1 started. I'm trying to find out about his service in WW1 because there are three awards in this group that suggest very active front line merit and bravery during WW1. Does this suggest that he was not a Zahlmeister in WW1 but a junior officer? I also have a set of minis which are also attributed to Otto Körner that consist of Prussian Order of the Crown, Colonial Medal, Jubilee Medal and a Prussian 15 year Long Service Cross! These must date from the early 1900s. Perhaps they are not Otto Körner's mini medals. I have contacted the Saxony Archives in Dresden and am awaiting their reply. I hope they can help or suggest a researcher if they won't help. I also need to find him in one or more annual volumes from WW1 era of the Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee. I already know that he is not listed a Zahlmeister with Schutztruppe in 1914 (thanks Fritz for that information) So what was he doing then? Work to be done. Any advice most welcome. Medals are: Iron Cross 2nd Class - conferred upon military personnel who performed a single act of bravery in the face of the enemy or acted in a way that went above and beyond the call of duty. Saxony Order of Merit, Knight's Cross 2nd Class with Swords - A civil order but in this case awarded with crossed swords to recognise recipients for military merit and service. Saxony Albert Order, Knight's Cross 2nd Class with Swords - An award of Swords indicated a recipient's bravery in wartime. This grade was awarded to first lieutenants and lieutenants. Honour Cross for Combatants Prussian Royal Order of the Crown, 4th Class Saxon 25 year Long Service Award for Officers Colonial Medal with the clasps "German East Africa 1896" and "German East Africa 1900” Prussian Jubilee Medal of 1897 Austrian Merit Cross in Gold with Crown 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesT Posted December 28, 2021 Author Share Posted December 28, 2021 progress report. I may have identified my man in WW1 but then again I may be bending the facts to fit. Luckily Körner isn't a very common name. Sources consulted: 1924 Rangliste der Deutschen Reichsheeres. Lists one Körner only who is serving in Artillery Regiment 4 as a Hauptleute, based in Dresden. Photo 1. The index (Photo 2) lists his awards as (assuming I have interpreted them correctly) EK1, Saxon St Henrichs Order 3rd Class, Saxon Verdienst Order 3rd Class with Swords and Albrechts Order 3rd Class with Swords. The obvious problem is that there isn't a St Henrichs Order on the bar. So is this a mistake in the publication, an omission on the bar or the wrong man? EK1 - From what I can deduce only the higher award is listed so having the EK2 on the bar is not an issue. What I haven't been able to work out yet is the significance of the date after his name 1.5.22. The date of his appointment perhaps? 1914 Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee lists: Listings for Körner as follows (two for a Dr - dismissed) - Haupt Körner 5 Artillery Abteilung (Photo 3) the award symbol looks like Red Eagle Order 4th Class with Crown rather than the Crown Order - mistake or wrong man? Oblt Körner Field Artillery Regiment 53 (East Prussia) no awards listed .... ? wrong man Lt Körner, 2nd Adjt 5th Baden Field Artillery Regiment No 76 no awards listed ....? wrong man Körner, A role in V Army Corps, Luben (Photo 4) - Haven't yet deduced what the abbreviations mean. Carn Berrm?? Db Insp. Awards listed - Crown Order 4th Class (correct for the bar), D2 - Dienstauszeichnung (Prussian Long Service Cross 15 years - correct for the minis) 2nd Class, A1 -Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen (General Honor Decoration) in silver. Crown Order and Long Service Decoration are both on the mini chain. Our man?? Körner, reserve officers - Eisenbahn Regiment 1 (railway troops) a Körner is listed at the very bottom in small print Photo 5. Not our man? Dr Körner - wrong man. There don't appear to be any Körners listed in the Saxon Rangliste for 1914 is all of this just a load of cod's wallop 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 Certainly worth trying, don't give up, you may still find the answer somewhere. You could always send an enquiry to the Wehrgeschichtliches Archiv in Freiburg or Potsdam. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesT Posted December 28, 2021 Author Share Posted December 28, 2021 Further progress but I'm not sure it helps particularly. The Abbreviation for the Körner stationed in Lüben is Garnison Verwaltungsoberinspektor or Garrison Administrative Inspector General. I wonder if this is the kind of role that an ex Zahlmeister with Schutztruppe in German East Africa 1892-1901 would have held at the start of WW1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 Possible. However, Körner was with the Saxon Army, Lüben is Brandenburg-Prussia. Many former soldiers returning from the colonies entered the civil service or police. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesT Posted December 28, 2021 Author Share Posted December 28, 2021 Yes, that is a hole in the theory which I need to try to understand. This brings me back to the 1924 Rangliste and the only Körner listed being in the Artillery so the Lüben lead may be a complete red herring. So I lean towards Artillery Regiment 4 which was based in Dresden. More work to be done. incidentally, in WW2 Zahlmeister was also Verwaltungsinspektor (administrative inspector) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesT Posted December 29, 2021 Author Share Posted December 29, 2021 Progress I got him in the 1901 Rangliste with the Schutztruppe in East Africa as expected. In the 1895 Rangliste he is the with Husaren-Regiment von Zieten (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3. This I wasn't expecting as the presentation gift I have seen from the Schutztruppe stated 1892 - 1901. I wonder if formed units were sent to the colonies or the dates on the trophy I saw is incorrect. In both cases he is shown with the award FW2 which in these editions of the Rangliste is the abbreviation for the Dienstauszeichnung 2nd class. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesT Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 A bronze statuette of an askari as a farewell gift for Paymaster Otto Körner in German East Africa, 1892 - 1901 The plate states: "Dem scheidenden Zahlmeister Körner / 1892-1901 / Das Offizier-Corps der Schutztruppe für Deutsch-Ost-Afrika" "Presented to Paymaster Körner as a farewell gift / 1892-1901 / The Officers Corps of the Schutztruppe for German East Africa" 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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