WORLD WAR I
(German Infantry Soldier's Framed Commemoration)
(A Lovely hand woven tapestry with a photo of the recipient enclosed in a plaster cast relief of a WWI German sentry box..with Imperial German flags and an embossed card Iron Cross 2nd Class 1914). ("UNIQUE ?)
To:
'Musketier Joseph Anton OELMAIER"
(Holder of the Iron Cross 2nd Class, 1914)
2nd Comp, Infantry Regt Konig Wilhelm I (6 WURTT) Nr 124 WEINGARTEN.
This is surely a "one off" item maybe sewn by a female members of his family. We have certainly never seen one before.
The hand embroidered wording reads:
" DAS VATERLAND HAT GERUEEN WIR FOLGTEN DER FAHNE GERN"
('The native flag called. We followed gladly')
"UNSER FELDHERR FUHRTE UNS SIEQREICH BE SCHUTZ VON GOTTUNSERM HEERN"
(Basically,"God our Lord & Captain took us Victorious with a sigh")
Joseph Anton Oelmaier was Killed in Action on 17th September 1917, probably while in action against the Australian Infantry during 3rd Battle of Ypres. He was born in 1896 and was a native of WALTENHOUSEN (near Munich) in Bavaria.
He is commemorated at EROLZHEIM (Chapel) District of BIBERACH, BADEN- WURTEMBURG- OPEN CHAPEL
(Parish Church of Saint Martin)
In a contemporary WW1 period heavy frame (approx 24" x 17")
with modern back.
£355
NOTE ** Maybe if anyone knows the OELMAIER family in Germany they might like to repatriate this lovely family item.