Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine group of decorations awarded to Rittmeister Adolf Victor Korb von Koerber, The Death’s Head Hussars, Prussian Army

i. Germany, Federal Republic, Order of Merit, Grand Cross of Merit, neck badge, gilt and enamels, in its case of issue, together with original bestowal document and statutes, dated 15 June, 1964
ii. Malta, Order of Malta, Knight of Honour and Devotion, neck badge in silver-gilt and enamels, in its Gebr. Hummerle, München, case of issue
iii. Prussia, Iron Cross 1914, 1st class
iv. Russia, Georgia, Order of Queen Tamara, breast star in silver and gilt, the central legend on a red enamel ground, by J. Godet & Sohn, Berlin
v. Turkey, Campaign Star 1915, superior quality badge in silver and enamel, the reverse with a finely engraved verse from the Koran, this, together with the two previous items, contained in an old fitted carrying case
vi. Mounted group of nine, comprising: Prussia, Iron Cross 1914, 2nd class; Saxony, Order of Albert, Knight’s badge with swords, silver-gilt and enamels; Weimar Republic, Marine Corps Cross, with 3 ribbon bars, Yser, Ypern, Luftkrieg; Kyffhäuserbund Medal 1914-18, with swords on ribbon; Commemorative Medal 1914-18, with sword and wreath emblem on ribbon; Austria, Military Merit Cross, 3rd class with war decoration, crossed swords on ribbon; Marian Cross, silver and enamels; Honour Legion Cross 1914-18; Hungary, War Commemorative Medal 1914-18, the group on an original Prussian style mounting bar by Godet-Werner, Berlin, and contained in an old fitted carrying case, together with War Commemorative Medals of Austria and Bulgaria
vii. Germany, Military Observer’s Badge, silver and enamels
viii. Austria, Military Flying Badge, bronze, gilt and enamels, by J. Zimbler, Wien.7
ix. Ottoman Empire, Military Flying Badge, this, together with the two previous badges, contained in an old fitted carrying case
x. Prussia, Death’s Head Hussars, metal skull and crossbones device, and metal ‘ribbon’ with the regimental motto “Mit Gott für König und Vaterland”, as worn by the officers on their fur cap

The lot is sold with a small portrait photograph of the recipient and a quantity of correspondence between himself and various Order Chancelleries, the insignia generally in extremely fine condition

Adolf Victor von Koerber was born on the Baltic coast at Bergen on the island of Rügen on 27 February 1891, and was educated at the Gymnasium at Stettin and at the Cadet schools at Potsdam and Gross-Lichterfelde. Commissioned into the Death’s Head Hussars, he saw service from 1912 in Zeppelins, and during the First Word War was attached to the War Ministry in Vienna. In 1916, he was appointed to the Austrian Imperial Flying Corps and saw service in the final year of the war as an Observer. His final rank was Rittmeister (Captain). Turning to political journalism after Germany’s defeat, von Koerber was drawn during the lean years of the Weimar Republic to National Socialism as a reaction to the Bolshevist threat and in the early 1920’s became the first publisher of the infamous Nazi mouthpiece Völkischer Beobachter. However, by the time the Nazis seized power in 1933, he had adopted a ‘national liberal’ standpoint and was ‘rabidly anti-Hitler’. His uncompromising views resulted in his dimissal as the European chief-correspondent of Neues Wiener Journal. He subsequently renounced his Christian name, Adolf, on account of its inescapable associations with ‘the monster of Brannau’, as he dubbed the Führer.

In 1934, while continuing to contribute articles illegally from his estates on Rügen, von Koerber expressed his opposition to the new regime by publicly demonstrating to a gathering of foreign diplomats that not everyone in Hitler’s National Socialist nirvana was of the same accord. Outraged by the murder of the Austrian Prime Minister Dollfuss, he arrived at the requiem celebrated for Dollfuss at St Hedwig’s Cathedral in Berlin, wearing the conspicuous black pre-Great War uniform of the Hussar Guards, complete with its distinctive Imperial Death’s Head insignia on the fur cap. The Nazis, who of course were behind the murder of Dollfuss, were furious and detained him.

In August 1938, von Koerber arranged a meeting with Mason-Macfarlane, the British Military Attaché at the Berlin Embassy and, claiming ‘any number of friends and acquaintances in the Army’, warned that ‘war in September has already been decided upon by Herr Hitler and his intimate advisers’. Mason-Macfarlane was guarded in his response, but informed the Ambassador, Sir Neville Henderson, that von Koerber’s statements ‘may be worthy of credence’. During the Second World War von Koerber was called up for service at OKW (Supreme Headquarters), where he further infuriated party members by openly refusing to resign from the Order of St John. Following the failed attempt on Hitler’s life in July 1944, he was arrested by the Gestapo in the round-up of suspected ‘traitors’, and, having ‘several times escaped execution’, was finally liberated by the Russians from Sachsenhausen concentration camp. In fulfillment of a vow taken in captivity he and his wife, Felicitas, whom he married in 1916, converted to Catholicism. In 1947, he reached West Germany and resumed his career as a journalist, becoming an ardent advocate of European unity. Von Koerber spent his last years in South Africa where he died on 19 November, 1969.

In addition to his journalistic output, his literary efforts included two books on the air war of 1914-18, The Flying Army and Front-Line Flyers. According to his close friend, Count Henckel von Donnersmarck, von Koerber was throughout his life ‘a great idealist, a lively and active man, an efficient cavalry officer and an imperturbable gentleman who stuck to his guns in an atmosphere of enmity towards men of his class and background.’