The Balcarek Family

[Elliven]

If he was strapped for cash he wouldn't be an Officer.

I don't know his rank but I don't think he was an officer

[davecapps]

I posted this in Ahnenforschung.net
A German forum im a member of.
They say it is a Prussian Infantry uniform
He was a non commissioned officer.
You were right on the Schützenschnur
It was introduced in 1894
Regiment unknown

Dave

[Elliven]

Thank you davecapps,

I have had other information overnight which totally agrees with that.  They said he was most probably Prussian, definitely an NCO and an infantryman.  Were there Prussians fighting in WW1?  Please excuse my ignorance as my knowledge is air force based.

I don't want to present this photo until I can establish whether the soldier was the father of my subject or, if those who have given opinions on the clothing are correct, possibly even his grandfather!

[davecapps]

https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_Army&ved=2ahUKEwjgyfXBm_bwAhVIhf0HHV5TAxUQFjAhegQIORAC&usg=AOvVaw35_HX5aZ9S1b6MWCjCBX0R

See imperial Germany

[Elliven]

Thank you davecapps,

That tells me an awful lot!  It also leads me to think that this photo WAS taken before the First World war and that the man in it was actually the Father of the man it is claimed to be.  It is also backed up by the points made by others on the dress worn by the lady in the picture.
 
It gives me a great new area for research!

[Wiggy]

I wonder if the young child in your photo could be the one who fought for the Germans in the first world war - that would fit wouldn't it??  i.e. just a generation ahead of what you had thought.

 It wouldn't fit for the child who became an airman during WW11, but could explain part of the story of this photo and agree with the proposed date of the photo.  Just a thought.

Ooops - posts crossed - we are on the same track I think.

[davecapps]

Any names or places you can give us

[davecapps]

The Schützenschnur was awarded between 1894 and 1918

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sch%C3%BCtzenschnur#/media/Datei:PreussenSchuetzenschnurStufen.jpg

On the foto you can see a lanyard with an 1 „Eichel“ acorn at the bottom.
On the top is a escutcheon.
This would be Stufe 1 or 6

Stufe 1: was a wollen woven lanyard with 1 acorn and escutcheon..
Stufe 6: was a silk woven lanyard with a silver thread, 1 acorn and a metal badge on the escutcheon showing the abreiviations for Preussen, Würtemberg or Sachsen

[Elliven]

davecapps.

The only names I have are Wilhelm Andrzej Jerzy Balcarek who was killed in WW2 and his father Pawel Balcarek who was killed in France on 11th November 1915 in France.  Their hometown was Jankowice which I believe is near Katowice (Silesia) now in Poland