Prussian Officer spike with cross on eagle ?

[trixie123]

What does this cross represent?

[gwb123]

Karnten (sorry, no umlad) is a state in Southern Austria near Salzburg.

 

https://www.britannica.com/place/Karnten

 

This dates on here are post WWI. So what happened in Karnten in 1918 to 1919.

 

I found this website explaining the inscription on a statue:

 

To our comrades fallen in the World War 1914-'18 and in the Carinthian defensive struggle 1918-'19 by the Mountain Militia Regiment № 1.

 

http://vanderkrogt.net/statues/object.php?webpage=ST&record=atka021

 

This was apparently an armed struggle between Austrians and Slovenes, explained by this article:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Slovene_conflict_in_Carinthia

 

"In the aftermath of the First World War, there was an Austro-Slovene conflict in Carinthia in which ethnic Slovenes and ethnic Germans (Austrians) fought for control of the linguistically mixed region between Styria and Carinthia. The Slovenes were loyal to the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia), while the Austrians were loyal to the newly proclaimed Republic of German Austria. The disputed territory had belonged to the Austro-Hungarian empire. At the centre of conflict was the position of the border that separated the two new states. In Slovene-language historiography, the conflict is known as the Boj za severno mejo ("battle for the northern border"),^[4][5] while in German-language historiography it is the Kärntner Abwehrkampf ("Carinthian defensive struggle")."

 

If you type in "Kärnten badge 1918" into Google Images, you will find similar badges.

[trixie123]

Thanks

Why is it on this helmet ? Did German fight there ?

[trixie123]

Here the whole helmet ! A good one ?

[gwb123]

Thanks

Why is it on this helmet ? Did German fight there ?

 

I can only speculate that would be the case. Hard to tell without any documentation.

 

I doubt that anyone would just put these two items together for no good reason.

[stratasfan]

Super nice helmet! I love that style. Always makes me think of Col. Klink.

[patches]

Hmm maybe he was a member of some kind of Freikorps unit that took the part of the Austrians? Perhaps the other side was viewed as Red or with Red leanings???

[trixie123]

Hmm maybe he was a member of some kind of Freikorps unit that took the part of the Austrians? Perhaps the other side was viewed as Red or with Red leanings???

I thought that ! But would they still be using spikes this late into 1919 ? Im going to pass on this one !

[SARGE]

trixie123,

 

I think you made a good decision to pass on this helmet. There is really no telling when that insignia was put on the helmet. It might have been put on by the veteran to wear at postwar Soldatenbund reunions or it might have been put on by a dealer to cover an existing hole where the Reserve insignia was missing.

 

Frankly, I can't think of a very good reason for this particular insignia to be on this helmet plate either.