[Johannes]

Hi Guys

With regards to Michael's list of published works and there totals for Tanzer, remember what John Foreman said "Once published, it's cast in stone" basically these totals have been so duplicated over the years it's hard to imagine them untrue, but I do feel that is the case. We have not yet established the very first use of these high figures. Seems that Toliver/Constable used it in 1968, but I suspect it goes back further than that.
If I were a betting man(which I'm not), then I would say Hans Ring had something, or a lot to do with it.
Does anybody have Ernst Obermaier's 1966 Ritterkreuz publication?

Let us not forget that Tanzer died in 1960, chances are he was ignorant of the 128/143. Decorations had a habit of equalling themselves out i.e a "cheap" Ritterkreuz might not have been added to despite many later claims, yet still this would be somewhat of a record I think.

So we still need to establish when and by whom the 128/143 was first used. Perhaps in the end it was just a typo error !!!

Kind Regards

Johannes