German Awards - Medal commemorating the proclamation of Duke Frederick VIII

This commemorative medal was established on 27 December 1863 by Duke Frederick VIII. in Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. The date is the day of the popular assembly in Elmshorn, where Frederick was recognized as the legitimate regent. This was preceded by a proclamation of November 16, 1863, in which the Duke Frederick announced his assumption of office in the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Friedrich came from the House of Oldenburg and (contrary to the London Protocol of 1852, which guaranteed Danish domination) demanded the right to inherit Schleswig and Holstein. Prussia, Austria and Denmark did not recognize the regency. Nothing is known about the award of the medal. Because of the very short reign, this medal is very rare.
Schleswig was a Danish imperial loan, Holstein and Lauenburg were members of the German Union. The decades-long conflict between the Kingdom of Denmark, under which the duchies were ruled, and the desire for unity and independence of the Schleswig-Holstein and the desired accession to the German Empire led to the Schleswig-Holstein War of 1848-1851 and ended with the German-Danish war of 1864. As a result, Schleswig-Holstein was ceded to Austria and Prussia. In 1866, the duchies finally became a Prussian province and Duke Frederick VIII. had to abdicate. His eldest daughter Auguste Victoria (Frederick Louise Theodora Jenny) in 1881 married the Prussian prince and heir to the throne Wilhelm, since 1888 Wilhelm II. German emperor and king of Prussia.

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 Frederick VIII. With a beard in a suit.
• Along the edge is the inscription: upper half - FRIEDR.- VIII - HERZ.- v.- SCHLESW.- (-) - HOLST.-.
• Separated by 2 points on the lower half are opposite:
• - MY - RIGHT - YOURS - SALVATION - ° - 1863 -.

Downside:

• Along the edge is a wide descriptive ring bounded inward by a raised line.
• It contains the inscription: - NO - FORCE - EARTH - MUST - US - SEPARATE -.
• Below between 2 points is the number of the year - 1864 -.
• In the included field, an allegorical representation .
In the
• center are 2 women in long billowing dresses and headdresses.
• They hold the spear left and right. On the female breast coat of arms
• Duchies on the left Holstein, on the right Schleswig. Standing on the city wall with teeth,
• females struggle with a wriggling below monster with wings and a pointed tail end.
• Monster sores grab the wall or dress of the right woman.
• On the head of the monster is a Jacobin hat.
• To the left of the women is a mountain with the sun rising behind it, to the right is a sailboat.

Tape:

30 mm wide, 3 stripes of the same width of blue/white/red.