Description
Oberleutnant Max Immelmann was one of Germany’s early aviation heroes. He and Oswald Boelcke were the first pilots to receive the Orden Pour le Mérite in January 1916, after they had achieved the score of eight victories. By January 1917, it took sixteen kills. Soon the prescribed number rose to twenty, and finally thirty victories for achievement of the award. Many say that the PLM was nicknamed the “Blue Max” for Immelmann. He died in June of 1916, with fifteen total victories to his credit. In this photograph he is wearing a PLM at his throat. He also wears a five-place medal bar high on his left breast. Below that is his 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class and Prussian Army Pilot Badge. The card is clean and fresh on both sides.
