There is actually quite a bit of contoversy going on at the momment, over the Bavarian medal:
Here's one persons take on it, I might add he is a respected fiqure amongst the worlds Imperial German collectors
Don't know how to "prove" a negative. German decorations were never bestowed by papers that
made absolutely no mention of what was being given. THIS is the award document for a late war Bavarian MMC3X:
They were NOT awarded via telegrams from the Minister of War.
Somebody's got the story completely wrong and is apparently happy with that, even though it makes zero sense to anybody who has been immersed in normal (and abnormal) German award practices.
It couldn't have happened and it didn't happen and it wouldn't have happened because...what he got was the TELEGRAM expressing Official Recognition thanks.
That was it. That's what they DID in these situations.
There is absolutely NO mention whatsoever, since there wasn't any reason for there to have been, of a Bavarian frontline military decoration in that telegram. If they've got the telegram, they already have something quite spectacularly extraordinary.
In my eyes, it does nothing but DETRACT from the real story to insist on fantasy.
Somewhere around here I've posted the paperwork for a 1920s Prussian Lifesaving Medal with both the award document and the cover letter from the Berlin police requesting that the bestowal of the medal and its reason be read out to the man's coworkers. THAT'S what happened at THAT level of lifesaving award. Here's the main thread showing that paperwork:
http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3129&hl=Wustrow
It bothers me that somebody at the museum for my SECOND favorite Canadian regiment would take a Sunday morning cartoon as gospel, when that really mucks up a sensational TRUE story.
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I have been in contact with the Sgt Grahamat the MOR and he is looking to see what paper work comes with it.