Militaria Museum Circa 2004


 

Mark Avery had originally designed this site for the display of only General's items from World War 2 and earlier. Although the main focus remained that of General's items, he eventually expanded the site to include Caps, Spike Helmets (Pickelhaube), Militaria Orders and other items that were interesting within the scope of Worldwide Militaria. For a number of years this was a facinating site for anyone interested in "Militaria."

Eventually the domain's registration expired and the site disappeared from the web.

Marc Judman resurrected parts of the original website which has been used as an educational tool for his lectures on the European Century of War. Although his main day job is as a driver for "one of the best Baltimore movers in Bel Air" his passion is with the historic military uniforms and accessories used by the European empires of long ago. He discovered his intense interest in this subject when moving a family from Baltimore to DC. They had hired his firm to pack the belongings and he discovered a treasure trove of antique memorabilia including uniforms from generations old Albanian and Polish military officers. The family was thrilled to have found someone willing to take these heirlooms, since the new house had no room for them. Judman then researched the origins of the most interesting items and "the rest is history," as he says in his opening lines of his now famous lectures. This archived site now shows just a couple of examples of the original site's numerous 2004 archived pages providing a tiny glimpse of what this site offered its visitors. He plans to expand this as time permits.

 

**Militaria Museum has been awarded the "Golden Web Award" for 2002-2003**

 

**** 2004 Want list ****

As I am always on the look out for new items, there are a few that I still have not been able to locate......

1) Imperial German General's Parade uniform group, to include the Spiked helmet

2) Imperial German General's Service uniform group

3) French WW1 period General's Parade uniform

4) Italian WW1 m15 General's uniform group

5) Italian m33 General's Service uniform group

6) American WW1 General's Parade uniform group

7) American WW1 General's Service uniform group 

8) American WW2 General's "Ike" style uniform

9) Royal Romanian WW1 and WW2 General's uniform groups

10) Hungarian WW2 General's uniform groups

I'm not limited to only this list so please contact me with any General's groupings.

 



 

General Nikolai Markov Totev, Royal Bulgarian Army Bio

Nikolai Markov Totev was born Febuary 28, 1888 in Tarnovo - Bulgaria

Educated

Currently Unknown

itary Service

Rank and Date

Dates and Ranks currently unknown
 

Command and Date

September 22, 1909 - September 22, 1912 Commander of the 20th Infantry Regiment
January 16, 1913 Battalion Commander
September 1, 1913 - August 31, 1915 Commander of the Bulgarian Military Academy
November 1, 1918 Commander of the 68th Infantry Regiment,
April 1, 1920  Commander of the 1st Infantry Division,
April 1, 1922  Commander of the 16th Military Police Battalion,
June 6, 1930  Commander of the 7th Infantry Battalion,
June 1, 1934  Commander of the 4th Infantry Regiment,
March 1, 1938 - 1944 Commander of Division (unknown)
Served from 1938 to 1941 as "Vice Minister of War / Defense - Infantry" (also known as Chief Inspector of Infantry)

 

 

Campaigns and Expeditions

General Nikolai Markov Totev saw service and action during both World Wars

 

Decorations

Order of St. Alexander, 3rd class (top neck order, green enamel)

Military Merit Order, 3rd class (bottom neck order, red enamel)
Military Order for Bravery, 4th class, grade 1 (breast star)
Orders and Medals on the Medal Bar
Military Order for Bravery, 4th class, grade 2
Order of St. Alexander, 4th class
Military Merit Order, 4th class
Order of St. Alexander, 5th class with swords
Military Merit Order, 5th class
Officer's 20 year long service
Officer's 10 year long service
Cross for the Proclamation of the Kingdom

 

Portrait of General Markov Totev, circa 1943

 

A WW1 vintage photo of Markov Totev in Budapest after being wounded. (Markov Totev is standing in the doorway)

 

NO IMAGE

A newspaper photo of General Markov Totev during a war games exercise in 1937 (General Markov Totev is front row, 3rd from right)

Service tunic, the belt could also be worn with a shoulder strap

Another of the service tunic and cap. 

 

NO IMAGE

General's orders (not his original one, these are a made up bar of his exact ones)

 

NO IMAGE

Close up of collar and shoulder board. Note the cypher to King Boris III

General's overcoat

 

NO IMAGE

Close up of overcoat and Royal Lion buttons

Back of overcoat

General's service breeches, front

 

NO IMAGE

General's service breeches, back

General's service breeches, stripe

 

 

 

 

NO IMAGE

 

General's cap. Officers wore the khaki and white cover caps. Normally the khaki would be worn with the service dress. However Generals wore the white cap with both the service dress and summer dress.

 

NO IMAGE

 



 

General of Artillery Hans Ludwig Speth, German Army

Hans Ludwig Speth was born on 7 October 1897 in Friedberg, Hessen and was the son of Ludwig and Auguste Reiber.

Hans Speth was wed to Leni Mathe Rittnitz on 15 March 1921. Leni Mathe was the daughter of Major (ret) Mathe von Rittnitz

Hans and Leni had two daughters,

Gisela, born 23 March 1925

Margot, 14 September 1934 and died 16 September 1934

Educated

April 1912 to June 1915, Secondary School in Butzbach, Classical Education

28 June 1915, National Emergency Examination

4 December 1919, Sport Training Course, Torgau

5 March 1928, Passed Regional Defense Examination

Military Service

Rank and Date

 

War Volunteer, 1 July 1915

2nd Lieutenant, 15 December 1917

Lieutenant , 31 July 1925

Captain , 1 December 1932

Major, 20 April 1936

Lieutenant- Colonel , 20 March 1939

Colonel, 13 May 1941

Major General , 18 December 1942

Lieutenant General, 1 January 1944

General of Artillery, 1 October 1944

 

Command and Date

1 July 1915, 47th Field Artillery Regiment

1 January 1916, 17th Mountaineer Battery Regiment

6 April 1917, 16th Foot Artillery Regiment

18 October 1919, 16th Res. Artillery Regiment

1 January 1921, 6th Artillery Regiment

1 June 1928, 15th Infantry Regiment

10 September 1928, General Staff Kdo 1

12 September 1930, 2nd Artillery Regiment

1 November 1931, General Staff, 4th Division

1 October 1934, I/Army Corps Naumburg

15 October 1935, Army Corps 14

1 September 1939, General Staff, 27th Army Corps

30 September 1940, General Staff DMMR

4 October 1940, Rumania

5 April 1941, Military Attache to Albania

24 May 1941, Chief of General Staff 54th Army Corps

6 December 1942, Chief of General Staff 18th Army

1 December 1943, O.K.G.

15 January 1944, Commander 28th Jager Division

28 April 1944, F.R. OKH -D.r. Chief GenStdH

1 June 1944, Commander War College

 

 

Campaigns and Expeditions

 1915 to 1918 W.W.I : Various campaigns and actions

1918 to 1939 Home Service: Remained in the 100,000 man Army.

 1939 to 1945 W.W.II. : Various posts to Army General Staff. Military Attaché to Albania and Romania. Action on the Southern Front, Eastern Front. Final position and Commander of the Army War College.

 

Decorations

Knights Cross, 23 February 1944

German Cross in Gold, 14 April 1942

Iron Cross 1st Class, 29 September 1918

Spange to the Iron Cross 1st Class, 26 May 1940

Iron Cross 2nd Class, 11 March 1917

Spange to the Iron Cross 2nd Class, 14 May 1940

Hessen Bravery Medal, 25 April 1917

Russian Front Medal, 5 August 1942

Krim Shield, 23 August 1942

Hindenburg Cross with Swords

Army Long Service 18 Years

Army Long Service 8 Years

West Wall Medal (??)

Bulgarian War Medal (??)

Rumanian War Medal (??)

Albanian Order of Scanderbeg , Commander (??)

Albanian (??)

Rumanian Medal Against Communism

Italian War Medal (??)

Italian (??)

 

Citations, General Orders, Etc.

 1 April 1942, General (unknown)

Always fresh, witty and humorful with comrades. Free spirited and opinionated. Tactful and opportunive in a big way. He doesn't hide things and is straightforward. Heart and compassion (understanding). Outstanding leader of the staff. Skillful handling of people. A trusting, understanding, outstanding Army Chief. Specially gifted and talented in teaching attaché in Foreign Countries.

 12 April 1942, Comments by General Wuhler

Healthy and takes charge. Efficient and a very good Corps Chief.

 Date Unknown, General von Manstein

A very good Corps Chief. In the beginning of Autumn 1942, he qualifies to be a Division Commander.

 1 March 1943, General Lindemann

In face of the enemy, still in full control. A very intelligent General Staff Officer with great knowledge and ability. Tactful, outstanding, qualified. Thinks ahead. In battle he was an outstanding assistant to me and was through, fast and had the right timing. Has participated in the defense or success of the Army. Healthy and fresh and proficient. Qualified as Division Commander and Chief. A military mission above average (superior). It is suggested that he remain in his current position.

 18 March 1943, General Kinzel

Fresh and seldom without direction, a very good Army Chief.

 22 March 1943, General von Kuchler

Understanding, full knowing Army Chief.

 21 December 1943, General Lindemann

Ladoga battle, full and total control Division Commander.

 24 December 1943, General Kinzel

Future high troop leader

 24 December 1943, General von Kuchler

A high troop leader qualified to be on promotion lists.

Photos of General Speth and Photos of a uniform once belonging to General Speth

 

This photo shows young Speth as an Army Lt. Right after World War I. Photo is dated 1919. Note the collar insignia.

This photo shows young Speth with his new bride Leni Mathe. This photo is dated 1921.

This photo was taken of Speth c1926. Note the tunic with the sharply angled top pockets.

This is a nice portrait of Speth taken c.1944

Nice formal portrait of Speth as a General Major. Note the Krim Shield, German Cross (in Gold), WWI Iron Cross 1st class and WWII Spange and the Spanish Breast star.

 

NO IMAGE

Probably one of the last wartime photos of Speth. Note the Knights Cross. After a close examination, you will notice that the tunic is an enlisted combat model that has had the dark green collar and the general rank insignia added.

Interesting photo of Speth with German and Spanish Generals. Note Jodl and von Manstien.

Original newspaper article announcing the award of the Knights Cross to Speth.

 

NO IMAGE

Speth's General rank visor cap. This cap is made by Erel and has gold bullion piping, national emblem and wreath.

Nice close up of the insignia. The ribbon bars are for display only. These are not the proper awards for Speth. All the generals' insignia is the Celleon thread. . Interesting note, if you examine the underside of the shoulder knots you will see a hole that was for the single pip for that rank. When Speth was promoted to General of Artillery, the existing pip was removed and two were added.

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Tunic, Pants and Cap that belonged to Speth. This is a summer weight wool tunic. The tunic is identified to Speth as a Lt. General on the tailor's label in the hip pocket. David Mosher of Louisville, KY has professionally sculpted mannequin to look like Speth.

 



 

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