German Awards - Freikorps of Loewenfeld 2nd Class Cross

"Freikorps von Loewenfeld" was created on February 3, 1919 by Corvette Captain Wilfried von Loewenfeld as the 3rd. The Marine Brigade became operational. Since November 1918, von Loewenfeld began to create volunteer detachments. The Parole Badge Fund III. Marine Brigade, Loewenfeld Cross, took place on March 31, 1920. The 2nd, shown here, was awarded. Class after 3 months of impeccable service in the Freikorps. 1st class was assigned only after 6 months of service. 1st class was a nodal cross, and 2nd class was a ribbon decoration. Each of them received a patent (certificate). The project was developed by Lieutenant at Sea Collins. The only producer was Paul Küst from Berlin. The volunteer corps numbers 235 officers, 39 cover officers, 1,040 non-commissioned officers and 3,354 personnel. Used III. The Marine Brigade first participated in the riots in Berlin. After that, from August 1919, she took over the tasks of guarding the border in Upper Silesia. During the Kapp-Lüttwitz coup, the Marine Brigade occupied Breslau. After the failure of the coup on March 23, 1920, the Löwenfeld Marine Brigade was sent to the Ruhr region to suppress the communist uprising. There she fought as part of the 3rd Cavalry Division at Red, Bottrop and Gladbeck and suffered heavy losses. After the occupation of Essen, hostilities ended. May 31, 1920 disbanded at the Sennelager military training ground. Many former members of the Löwenfeld Marine Brigade were accepted into the Reichsmarine and Security Police. The award ended with the ban of the National Socialists in 1934. Freikor Loewenfeld crosses are often forged and offered to the detriment of the collector. Source: Ingo Haarke, Awards of the German Volunteer Corps and Volunteer Troops in 1918-1921 and their subsequent organizations, 2019.

Cross made of bronze. Cruciform shoulders with a wide smooth edge. The inner sides of the cruciform sleeves are roughly granular. On the upper cruciform shoulder there is a soldered small ear with a small ring of tape (9.2 mm). The back side is smooth. In the center - the name of the manufacturer.

Front side:

• Above the cross sleeves lies a wreath of right oak foliage, left laurel foliage, tied in the center 3 times.
• On it in the center rests a sea anchor with an ear and a shrouded dew.
• On the cross to the left of the anchor - V. - (from) to the right of the anchor - L. - (lion field)
• On the upper cruciform shoulder - May 31 -, on the lower cruciform - 1920 -.

Downside:

• 4-line manufacturer's designation and No. - 317 -/- GES.- PROTECTED -/- P. KÜST - BERLIN - C.19 -/- SEYDELSTR. 19 A -

Tape:

25 mm yellow, middle stripes black 9 mm, black side stripes 1 mm 3 mm from the edge.

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