German Awards - Service Award for 12 Years of the Gendarmerie 1913

New service awards were established by order on August 7, 1913. The buckle-shaped service awards donated in 1847 were replaced by a new uniform. Since the military convention with Prussia on July 15, 1867, service awards of the Grand Duchy have been issued only to the state gendarmerie. The division into 3 degrees of service distinction remained. The 1st stage was granted after 18 years and was a copper cross. The 2nd level was assigned after 12 years, and the 3rd - after 9 years of service. Second and third. The stage was medal. The service awards project was drafted by Oldenburg medallist Richard Knauer, his father Bernhard Knauer's successor and court supplier.
Persons who no longer belonged to the standing army and retired gendarmes could exchange the old form of service distinction (buckles) for a new form at their own expense. The 2nd class of service distinction was awarded only 35 times from 1913 to 1917. Knauer won 50 medals. Source: Friedhelm Beyreiss, Order of the House and portable honorary signs of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg 1813-1918, 1997.

Round medal of gilded tombac with raised border. Above is a soldered ordinary eye with a ribbon ring.

Front side:

• At the top along the edge to the left and right is the inscription - FIDELITY - SERVICES -.
• Under the crown are large interlocking letters - F A -

Downside:

In the
• center is a large Roman number 12-XII -
• Perpendicular lines are cross-hatched.

Tape:

• red 35 mm wide, edges 1 mm, side stripes blue 4 mm.

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