A Superb Pour-Le-Merite Grouping U-82 Commander Hans Adam Destruction Of 1917 Convoy

eMedals is pleased and privileged to offer the complete PLM award grouping to Hans Adam; Adam stands as one of the most successful U-boat commanders of the First War, sinking 30 ships and damaging 2, all in all almost 100,000 GRT (Gross Register Tonnage). He was awarded the Pour le Merite on Nov 6th, 1917 as Captain Lieutenant and commander of the U-boat U 82, for an attack on a strongly secured convoy in September. In just three minutes he managed to sink the three most important steamboats guarding the convoy by firing well-aimed torpedos. When the Emperor, Wilhelm II., heard about this, he did not award Adam the House Order of Hohenzollern, which he had been nominated for, but upgraded the reward to the Pour le Merite.

Included are the following awards having been awarded to Hans Adams; A fine Pour-le-Merite by Wagner exhibiting the characteristics typical to this maker, marked 938 as well as W on bottom of 6 o'clock arm with blue enamels of a quality necessary for this level of award; measuring 53.5 mm and weighing 25.2 grams inclusive of well employed loop; the cross is indeed worn by Adams, with expected enamel contact and minor loss, otherwise it remains extremely fine. Accompanied by miniature Pour-le-Merite also in silver, measuring 20mm, suspended from buttonhole bronze suspension with original ribbon.

With superb and rare crystal goblet to a Pour-le-Merite recipient standing at 30cm in height and a width 12cm; with careful repair to lower stem; outstanding etched Pour-le-Merite.

Iron Cross 1st Class (silver with black enamels, maker marked with the A. Werner & Sohne insignia and marked "925" (silver) on the reverse, 44 mm, vertical pinback with stay); Crown Order, 4th Class (bronze gilt with blue enamels, 42.8 mm, replacement ribbon); Imperial: Submarine War Badge (bronze gilt, 49.2 mm x 50.5 mm, vertical pinback); Submarine War Badge Stickpin (bronze gilt, 15 mm x 17 mm, on a 57.3 mm pin); Austria: Order of the Iron Crown (silver gilt with red, white, green and blue enamels and iron ring, 30.5 mm x 60.5 mm inclusive of its crown suspension, original triangular ribbon); Austria: Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration (silver gilt with red and white enamels, maker marked "VA" (Vincent Mayer) on the loop, 30.5 mm, original triangular ribbon); Turkey (Ottoman Empire): 1915 Campaign Star (Iron Crescent 1915) (three-piece construction, silver with red enamels, 53.5 mm x 55.5 mm, missing its silver date bar in the centrepiece, enamel chipping evident on three stars points); Turkey (Ottoman Empire): 1915 Campaign Star (Iron Crescent 1915) (silver with red paint, 53.5 mm x 56 mm, horizontal pinback); Miniature Group of Five: Turkey (Ottoman Empire): 1915 Campaign Star (Iron Crescent 1915) (silver with red enamels, maker marked "Godet" and marked "938" (silver) on the reverse, 16 mm x 16.5 mm); Austria: Order of the Iron Crown (silver gilt with red, white, green and blue enamels, 14.5 mm x 25.8 mm inclusive of its crown suspension); Austria: Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration (silver gilt with red and white enamels, 15.2 mm); Prussia: Order of the Crown, 4th Class (silver gilt with blue enamels, 15.5 mm); and Iron Cross 1st Class (silver with black enamels, 14.5 mm); suspended from a 95 mm long dual-link chain, 39.5 mm long stickpin at one end and a button hole attachment maker marked "Godet Berlin" at the other end; Three Ribbon Bars (one four-ribbon Ribbon Bar: Prussia: Iron Cross 1st Class, Prussia: Order of the Crown 4th Class, Order of the Iron Crown with bronze wreath and Turkey (Ottoman Empire): 1915 Campaign Star (Iron Crescent 1915), with swing bar pinback; one five-ribbon Ribbon Bar: Prussia: Iron Cross 1st Class, Prussia: Order of the Crown 4th Class, Order of the Iron Crown with bronze wreath, Austria: Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with bronze wreath and Turkey (Ottoman Empire): 1915 Campaign Star (Iron Crescent 1915), with swing bar pinback; and one six-ribbon Ribbon Bar: Prussia: Iron Cross 1st Class, Hindenburg Cross for Combatants with crossed bronze swords, Prussia: Order of the Crown 4th Class, Order of the Iron Crown with crossed bronze swords, Austria: Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with bronze wreath and Turkey (Ottoman Empire): 1915 Campaign Star (Iron Crescent 1915), with swing bar pinback); Kriegsmarine Breast Eagle (die-stamped gilded tombac, unmarked, 36 mm x 94.2 mm, horizontal pinback); Nationwide Navy Association Meeting at Dusseldorf, July 1937 Badge (aluminum, unmarked, 32.5 mm x 47 mm, horizontal pinback); Wesel Navy Club Badge (bronze gilt with red, white and blue enamels, unmarked, 23.5 mm x 32.5 mm, vertical pinback); Cigarette Case (silver, black vertical rule pattern on both exterior covers, maker marked, hallmarked with the Imperial crown, marked "800" (silver) and stamped "130" on the inside lips, engraved "Zur Erinnerung an m./1.Hans Lemmer Jan. 1915. gef.m.:S.M.,,U 5" " on the inside front cover and "Tennis-Weltspiel 1906." on the inside back cover, original elastic restraining bands on both sides, the one in the back cover having separated from the body of the case near the hinge, green bead in the push closure, 89.5 mm x 98.5 mm x 15.5 mm); Imperial Naval Officer's Belt Buckle (bronze gilt, marked "88" on the reverse, 60.5 mm x 71.8 mm inclusive of its belt loop) with accompanying receiving loop and single dagger hanger.

Accompanied by an extensive collection of award documents and photographs of Adam including;

Appointment to Fähnrich zur See (midshipman). Dated Apr 22nd, 1902. With imperial seal; Promotion from lieutenant to senior lieutenant. Dated Hamburg, Apr 27th, 1907. With imperial seal; Award document by his Majesty of Prussia to Oberleutnant (Senior Lieutenant) Friedrich Hans Constans Adam. He receives the Königlicher Kronenorden (Order of the Crown) 4th Class. Dated Berlin, Oct 3rd, 1912. Signed by Court Marshal Georg von Kanitz (1842–1922); Promotion certificate: from senior lieutenant to captain lieutenant, Mar 22nd, 1913. Signed by Emperor Wilhelm II. (1859–1941); Award certificate, July 12th, 1915, stating that on June 21st, 1915 Hans Adam has been awarded the Österreichisch-Kaiserlichen Orden der Eisernen Krone dritter Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration (Austrian Royal Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class with War Decoration) by the Emperor of Austria. Signed by Obersthofmeisteramt; Award document by Emperor of Austria, Apr 23rd, 1917: Militärverdienstkreuz (Military Merit Cross) 3rd Class with War Decoration 3rd Class. Signed by Geheimer Rat and Oberstkämmerer (Privy Councilor and Keeper of the Privy Purse); A signed picture of Hans Adam in uniform, and a congratulation card, for receiving the “highest award”, from the Flaggenleutnants (flag lieutenants) of the fleet, dated Pola, June 21st, 1915;

Pour le Merite Doucments: Award certificate Pour le Merite, signed by Emperor Wilhelm II., carrying his seal. Dated: Großes Hauptquartier (Great Headquarters), Nov 6th, 1917; Newspaper article from Nov 1917: the Mayor of Wesel congratulating Captain Lieutenant Adam for receiving the Pour le Merite.

Additional documents and articles also include; A photo of him as the commander of U 82 (1916–18), as well a picture of Grand Admiral Raeder, and one of a Lieutenant Lemp, possibly Fritz-Julius Lemp (1913–1941), who commanded the same U-boat, the U 82. These two pictures are dated to 1940. A newspaper article about Hans Adam and his service in WWI is included, featuring the story of why he was awarded the Pour le Merite. Also a telegram from Admiral Scheer, in which he thanks captain lieutenant Adam for congratulating him. There is also the program for a wedding on Dec 5th, 1912 for the wife of senior lieutenant Adam, including which music will be played and what food will be served. Another article from 1937 about a speech by Reichsverweser (Imperial Vicar) Horthy for the inauguration of a Hungarian navy memorial for Austrian and German sailors of WWI is included, as well as an invitation to Hans Adam, retired captain lieutenant, and his wife to dinner for that function. There’s a photo of the memorial, showing a lighthouse and the bow of a ship with two people.

In addition to this extensive documentation are two complete photo albums;

A small photo album (16 x 20.4 cm), containing 32 pictures from the WWI period. Several pages are empty, but still carry handwritten picture information, indicating that some pictures are lost. The photos show navy officers, sailors, ships and U-boats. The pictures feature several indecipherable names. The readable ones include: Archduke Karl Franz Joseph (1887–1922), from 1916 until 1918 the last Emperor of Austria as Karl I. It also includes some handwritten information about Adam’s relatives in the form of biographical stories. A photo album (32 x 32 cm) showing a drawing of a sailing ship on the cover. It contains ca. 300 pictures, and an envelope with pictures of the Hungarian navy memorial and invitation cards. The pictures show: Hans Adam, sailing ships, U-boats, battle situations, navy officers and sailors, a diving operation. Few pictures are dated or carry a description. Those that do are from the WWI period. The second half of the album shows pictures from the period of Nazi Germany and WWII. The still revolve around Hans Adam. Some still show boats, but many now also show army soldiers and officers on the street. There are also pictures from a get-together of Pour le Merite recipients in Döberitz near Berlin on Jan 24th, 1941.

Adams Military Career begins when he enlisted in the Marine Kaiserliche in 1901. Having completed his studies was embarked on a number of line units. He participated in courses at the Submarine School and became captain of the U 15 in July 1912. Being promoted to Kapitänleutnant on March 22 1913 he was appointed to command the IV Half Flotilla U Boote 1913-1915 while the torpedo boat SMTb D 10. He was transferred as Chief of Special Forces (Leiter des Marine-Spezialkommandos) at the Austrian Pola with the task of organizing and commanding the newly formed The U Boote Half Flotilla in the Mediterranean until August of 1916, when it was called back to Germany to take command of the new attack submarine oceanic SM U-82 into service in the IV Flotilla, with whom he gathered all his achievements with a total of almost 100,000 tons.

He was awarded the Order Pour le Mérite November 6 1917. From April to November 1918 commander of the U-boat flotilla at Constantinople. At the end of the war he remained for a short period in service being promoted to Korvettenkapitän on November 18, 1919.

Invoked at the beginning of the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War he was appointed an instructor at the Submarine Training School II Gotenhafen (2.U-Boot-Lehrdivision) from 1940 to 1941 and then to the base commander of Rotterdam Ispector Defense of the Netherlands (Niederlande Rüstungsinspektion) until November 1944. He was promoted to Kapitän zur See 1 September 1944 and left the service on grounds of age February 28, 1945. He died in Düsseldorf 23 June 1948.