Germany, Imperial. A Golden Military Merit Cross Award Group to Ludwig Fröhlich, First and Second World War Combatant

(Ordens- und Urkundennachlass aus dem Besitz von Ludwig Fröhlich). An extensive lot of awards and documents from the estate of eventual Hauptmann (d.R.z.V.) Ludwig Fröhlich, consisting of:

1. A Prussian Golden Military Merit Cross, constructed of gilded silver, consisting of a Cross Pattée with ribbed arms, the obverse bearing a central medallion overlaid by a raised inscription of “KRIEGS-VERDIENST” (“WAR MERIT”), situated above laurel branches, the reverse bearing a central medallion overlaid by a raised monogram of King Wilhelm I, the twelve o’clock arm topped by an integral loop and suspension ring retaining a period original ribbon, the six o’clock arm maker marked with the logo of Johann Wagner & Sohn, Berlin, along with a silver content number of “938”, measuring 37.67 mm (w) x 41.78 mm (h), weighing 17.0 grams, demonstrating loss of gilt finish throughout the base metal, a scarce example of a prestigious decoration hailed as the Pour le Mérite equivalent for enlisted men and non-commissioned officers in near extremely fine condition.

2. A Prussian Golden Military Merit Cross boutonniere miniature, constructed of gilded metal, consisting of a Cross Pattée, the obverse with ribbed arms and a central medallion overlaid by a raised inscription of “KRIEGS-VERDIENST” (“WAR MERIT”), the reverse affixed to a period original bow tie-style ribbon with a blackened non-magnetic metal button, the former maker marked “J. GODET & SOHN, BERLIN”, the cross measuring 10.02 mm (w) x 10.02 mm (h), weighing 2.1 grams overall, a high-quality miniature in extremely fine condition.

3. A 1914 Iron Cross II Class, constructed of iron and silver, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, consisting of a Cross Pattée with a blackened magnetic iron core within a ribbed silver frame, the obverse with a central initial “W”, the six o’clock arm with a reinstitution date of “1914”, the twelve o’clock arm with a royal crown, the reverse with three central oak leaves, the six o’clock arm with an initial institution date of “1813”, the twelve o’clock arm with initials “FW” topped by a royal crown, the suspension loop stamped with an illegible maker’s mark, measuring 42.96 mm (w) x 46.84 mm (h), weighing 19.1 grams, demonstrating minor surface oxidation to the core, in near extremely fine condition.

4. A 1914 Iron Cross I Class, constructed of iron and silver, consisting of a vaulted Cross Pattée with a blackened magnetic iron core within a ribbed silver frame, the obverse with a central initial “W”, the six o’clock arm with a reinstitution date of “1914”, the twelve o’clock arm with a royal crown, the reverse with a narrow block hinge and vertical pinback meeting a rounded catch, the pinback stamped with a silver content number of “800”, measuring 42.10 mm (w) x 41.64 mm (h), weighing 17.8 grams, demonstrating loss of finish throughout the core in addition to softening of the frame’s ribbing consistent with friction, a privately purchased example in better than very fine condition.

5. A second 1914 Iron Cross I Class, constructed of iron and silver, consisting of a Cross Pattée with a blackened magnetic iron core within a ribbed silver frame, the obverse with a central initial “W”, the six o’clock arm with a reinstitution date of “1914”, the twelve o’clock arm with a royal crown, the reverse with a crimped hinge and narrow banjo-style pinback meeting a flat wire catch, unmarked but demonstrating the characteristics of manufacture by Wilhelm Deumer, Lüdenscheid, measuring 43.24 mm (w) x 43.47 mm (h), weighing 15.2 grams, demonstrating minor loss of finish to high contact points of the core exposing Deumer’s classic copper coating, an official veteran’s piece produced c. 1935 in near extremely fine condition.

6. A Saxe-Altenburg Bravery Medal, constructed of bronze, on loop for suspension, the obverse bearing a raised Cross Pattée bearing a central Saxon coat of arms, flanked by a date of “1914” and topped by a royal crown, the reverse bearing a raised monogram of Duke Ernst II, unmarked, measuring 32.18 mm in diameter, weighing 14.0 grams, in near extremely fine condition.

7. An Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 for Combatants, constructed of bronzed magnetic metal, consisting of a Cross Pattée with crossed swords piercing the centrepiece, the obverse bearing central wreathed dates “1914-1918”, the reverse maker marked with the logo of Funcke & Brüninghaus, Lüdenscheid, measuring 37.72 mm (w) x 41.67 mm (h), weighing 15.4 grams (inclusive of ribbon), accompanied by an extra length of ribbon, demonstrating minor oxidation, in better than very fine condition.

8. A War Merit Cross II Class with Swords, constructed of bronzed zink, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, consisting of a Maltese Cross with pebbled arms and crossed swords piercing the centrepiece, the obverse bearing a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse bearing a central wreathed date of “1939”, the suspension loop maker marked with an illegible Präsidialkanzlei code, measuring 48.62 mm (w) x 49.78 mm (h), weighing 21.5 grams, demonstrating total loss of bronze finish, in very fine condition.

9. A ribbon bar featuring five decorations, including a 1914 Iron Cross II Class, a Golden Military Merit Cross, a War Merit Cross II Class with Swords, a Saxe-Altenburg War Merit Medal, and an Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 for Combatants, affixed to a 75 mm-long zink bar with a horizontal pinback and field-grey wool liner, unmarked, demonstrating minor soiling, in near extremely fine condition.

10. A rare award document for the Golden Military Merit Cross, presented on off-white paper stock with black ink, named to Fröhlich as a Vizefeldwebel of Fusilier-Regiment General-Feldmarschall Graf Moltke (Schlesischer) Nr. 38, 6. Kompanie, issued from Berlin and dated 8 July 1918, certified by the handwritten signature of Georg Elias Graf von Kanitz, measuring 21 cm (w) x 33 cm (h), demonstrating folding creases, soiling, and minor material fatigue, a rare accompaniment to a prestigious award in very fine condition.

11. An award document for the Saxe-Meiningen War Merit Medal, presented on off-white paper stock with black ink, named to Fröhlich as a Vizefeldwebel of Fusilier-Regiment General-Feldmarschall Graf Moltke (Schlesischer) Nr. 38, 6. Kompanie, in Alt-Gleiwitz, Oberschlesien (Upper Silesia), issued from Meiningen and dated 24 July 1917, measuring 21 cm (w) x 32.5 cm (h), the document has been cut in half along folding seams and demonstrates soiling throughout, in fair condition.

12. An award document for the War Merit Cross II Class with Swords, presented on off-white paper with black ink, named to Fröhlich as a Hauptmann of Reserves who has been called up to active service, issued in Hannover and dated 1 September 1944, certified by the handwritten signature of an unidentified Major, measuring 15 cm (w) x 21 cm (h), in near extremely fine condition.

13. A Militärpaß, constructed of a field-grey card stock binding with paginated interior pages filled with handwritten entries, featuring a detailed service record for Fröhlich encompassing both his First World War and post-war Reichswehr service, notably including a handwritten entry for his receipt of the Golden Military Merit Cross, measuring 9 cm (w) x 13.5 cm (h), demonstrating material fatigue and the separation of some papers, in very fine condition.

14. A Wehrmacht-issued Soldbuch, constructed of a brown card stock binding with 26 paginated interior pages filled with handwritten and stamped entries, opening with a certified studio portrait of Fröhlich in a Hauptmann’s uniform, issued on 27 April 1941, featuring entries for awards and service, measuring 10.5 cm (w) x 14.5 cm (h), demonstrating moderate material fatigue throughout, in very fine condition.

15. A group photograph depicting Fröhlich (second from the right) in uniform alongside decorated Heer Officers, the reverse in unused postcard format and bearing a Mimosa paper mark, measuring 14 cm (w) x 8.5 cm (h), in extremely fine condition.

16. A lot of three newsletters from a Golden Military Merit Cross recipients fraternal organization, dated for the years 1957 and 1958, accompanied by a postwar copy of the statutes of the Golden Military Merit Cross, an interesting accompaniment in overall extremely fine condition.