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Flipped German War Medal of 1870-71

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Military Medals79 of 378anyone know what exactly this is and what's it's value? Pilots Military Gold Pin
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    Posted 8 years ago

    Chrisnp
    (310 items)

    The war between the Second French Empire and a Germanic coalition led by Prussia lasted from 1870 to 1871. It ended in a German Empire and a humiliated France. This is the second German Franco-Prussian War Medal I’ve posted. The earlier one was an unmounted version.

    The German War Commemorative Medal of 1870-71 was created in 1871 in two classes, Bronze for combatants, and steel for non-combatants. The edge of this bronze medal is stamped “AUS EROBERTEM GESCHUETZ” (From conquered cannon). What should be the front has the royal cypher of Wilhelm I over the inscription “Dem siegreichen Heere” (To the victorious army). Inscribed around it is “Gott war mit uns, Ihm sei die Ehre” (God was with us, to Him be the glory). What is technically the reverse shows a Germanic cross, and at the center is a laurel wreath surrounding the years 1870 and 1871.

    It is interesting that the medal is mounted reversed. Although the medal can be detached from the mount, I’ve left it as it came to me because photographic evidence of the time shows that many veterans wore the medal with the back side showing, and it does not look tampered with. Also, I think the back has a more attractive design, which is probably why it was reversed in the first place. The ribbon is mounted in the typical fashion of the time. The medal ring slides through a long slender vertical hook on the back that is further secured under the horizontal pin which is also used to attach it to the uniform.

    At some point in time the regulations allowed that the ribbon could be worn with or without the medal depending on the occasion. No way to know when it was reversed, or by whom.

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    Comments

    1. racer4four racer4four, 8 years ago
      I agree it is much more stylish reversed.
      Your collection of militaria continues to impress Chris.
      Last week we spent a few days at the National War Memorial in Canberra - for the centenary of WW1 it was fully refurbished and is a great museum. If you ever get to Oz I recommend it to you.
    2. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 8 years ago
      Thanks for the kind words.

      Actually, the Australian War Memorial is already high on my "bucket list" of places to see!

      I've been collecting military items since about the age of twelve, and now I'm approaching sixty, so I have a lot to go through. About five years ago I started on a project of posting an item each week, and storing the data as well as posting it here. Eventually I hope to have the whole collection recorded.

      Chris
    3. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 8 years ago
      Thanks for the love Militarist, officialfuel, Manikin, TassieDevil, fortapache, racer4four and vetraio50

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