German Awards - Memorial Cross for Eckernförde 1849

The Eckernförde Memorial Cross, on the occasion of the parade of returning troops, was established on April 5, 1851 by Duke Ernst II. It was presented formlessly and was presented on this day with his own hand. All sent troops of the contingent received the cross, as well as several Prussian officers under the command of Lieutenant General von Foss and Saxon royal officers at headquarters. The officers received a silver-plated performance of the cross. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers received a cross (as shown here) made of tinted bronze. The project was developed by Professor Ferdinand Helfricht (1809-1892) as a court engraver at the Gothic Mint.
The Duchy of Saxony Coburg and Gotha sent troops to Schleswig-Holstein in 1849 during the German-Danish War. The musketeer battalion consisted of 21 officers and 758 soldiers under the leadership of Major von Brandenstein. On March 25, 1849, the detachment was combined with 2 battalions from Reuss and Meiningen and the Nassau foot brigade into a reserve brigade in the German federal army. Duke Ernst II. had high command. On April 5, 1849, Danish troops attempted to land in Eckernförder Bay. In 1848, the defense of occupied Eckernförd was already arranged with 2 separate batteries, consisting of 10 guns. Danish troops totaled 148 ship guns and about 1300 people. The Duke became a national hero after winning as the "winner of Eckernförde." For this he was awarded the Order of Pour le Merite and the commander's cross of the 1st class of the military order of St. Henry. After the armistice of 10 July 1849, the reserve brigade was disbanded on 30 July 1849 at Harburg. Coburg and the Gothic forces returned to Gotha on August 2, 1849. The cross in bronze was awarded about 800 times. The silver-plated option for officers was awarded only 30 times. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. III, 1999.

Tinted bronze cross. The cruciform arms have raised smooth edges that are once more graduated inward. The inner sides of the cruciform sleeves are roughly granular. On the upper cruciform shoulder is a soldered, blackish ear with a ribbon ring.

Front side:

On the upper cruciform shoulder under the 5-tuberous crown, with a fracture, the letter E increases.
Above the horizontal crosses, from edge to edge, stands the font - ECKERNFOERDE -.
On the lower cruciform shoulder is a raised image of a vertically standing anchor without a thaw.

Downside:

On the upper cruciform shoulder under the 5-tuberous crown, with a fracture, the letter E increases.
Above the horizontal crosses, from edge to edge, the font increases:
- D.-5 - APRIL - 1849 -.
An oval wreath of 2 oak-leaved branches rises on the lower cruciform shoulder, the stems crossed below.

Tape: