FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR MEDALS

 

Before 1871, the country of Germany was made up of a collection of independent states, including Bavaria, Saxony and Hanover. In total, there were 43 such states, styled as Duchies, Electorates, Principalities and even Kingdoms, each with its own army, the most powerful of which — and the most militaristic — being Prussia.

Indeed, so powerful was the Prussian state that on its own in 1866 it fought and won a decisive war against the entire country of Austria, which it defeated in only seven weeks. Four years later, Prussia was at war again. This time it against France, considered at the time to be one of the most powerful armies in Europe. France, under Emperor Napoleon III, had become concerned with the growing strength of Prussia and mobilized the army on July 15, 1870. Three days later France declared war against Prussia, and on Aug. 2 crossed the border.

Prussia, under Kaiser Wilhelm I, responded to France's actions and mobilized its army. To many military minds, victory looked like a forgone conclusion for France, since it was almost twice the size of Prussia and had more manpower for its military. However, almost from the start, things went badly wrong for France on the battlefield. Over the next six months the French army stumbled through one defeat after another. Napoleon III was taken prisoner on Sept. 2, after the Battle of Sedan, but the war dragged on for another four months before culminating with the capital city of Paris being surrounded and besieged.

Humiliated, France surrendered on Jan. 28, 1871 bringing the war to an end.

Only four months after the end of the war, on May 20, 1871, Prussian Kaiser Wilhelm I instituted a medal for the soldiers who had delivered another victory to a grateful state. Known as the Kriegsdenkmunze fur die Feldzuge 1870-71 (War Commemorative Medal 1870-71) it was cast in bronze, which came from a French cannon captured in battle. This fact was substantiated by the motto appearing in upper case lettering, reading: ‘AUS EROBERTEM GESCHUETZ' (FROM CONQUERED CANNON)

The medal is a circular disc measuring 33mm in diameter, making it much smaller than many campaign medals. On the upper edge is a simple attachment ring through which passes the ribbon ring. The ribbon itself is the national colors of a united Germany, with central vertical red stripe bordered on either side by a stripe in black, followed by white stripes and ending at the edge either side with black stripes.

In the center of the obverse there is the Royal cypher, a Gothic-style ‘W' for Wilhelm I. It is surmounted by a crown and below is the inscription ‘Dem siegreichen herre' (To the Victorious Army). This is framed by a circle which is set in slightly from the edge to form a margin around the circumference of the medal. Within this margin appears the inscription ‘Gott war mit uns, ihr sei dei ehre' (God was with us, to Him be the glory'. On the non-combatant version of the medal in steel, the center inscription reads ‘Fur pflichttreue in krieg' (For devotion to duty in the war). The design on the reverse consists of a cross pattée, also known as a tatzenkreuz, overlaying a sunburst, the rays of which radiate out equally from between the junctions of the four arms of the cross. In the centre of the cross the date 1870 appears over 1871 and is surrounded by a garland of laurels. No wording appears on this side.

To read the complete article, see:
A look at the medal that commemorated the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 (https://www.militarytrader.com/militaria-collectibles/pursuit-of-the-prussian-prize)

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