Awards of Germany - Badge of Honor in Bronze "For Merit" 1914

The common Badge of Honor with the year number on the back - 1914 - was formally donated in 1914 in gold, silver and bronze by the Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst. The reason for this was the recognition of the merits associated with the First World War. The first time for the war of 1870/71, the number of the year was added - 1870 - on the Silver Medal of Merit. In this tradition, the sword-inch was again introduced for military services to the enemy. The General Badge of Honor shown here without a sword was awarded for services in connection with the war, but not acquired in front of the enemy. For the choice of the stage, as before, the social position of the individual was decisive. The same was true for the soldiers. The bronze medal was received mainly by ordinary and lower employees. The Stampelschneider of the Common Badge of Honor under the Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst was Arthur Kruger, a medalist and since 1875 the holder of the Berlin Coin Medal. The 1914 badges of honor no longer have a signature at the bottom of the front side. By the end of 1918, medals also began to be made in bronze from military metal (zinc alloy). A famous supplier was Paul Meibauer from Berlin. The number of copies sold is about 12,300. How many people were awarded swords or without them, I do not know. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. III, 1999.

Round bronze medal with raised border. Above is a soldered ordinary eye with a ribbon ring.

Front side:

In the
• center of the picture is a portrait of Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst.
• Along the edge is the inscription: - WILHELM - ERNST - GRAND DUKE - VON - SAXONY -

Downside:

A
• dense oak-deciduous wreath is tied crosswise along the edge above and below.
• In the included field, three-line font:
• - DEM -/- MERIT -/- 1914 -.

Tape:

• Width 39 mm, side stripes green/yellow 5 mm each, central stripes black 19 mm.

.