German Awards - Order of Albrecht Bear Silver Medal of Merit with Swords

The Silver Medal of Merit could be awarded with swords from 1864. Although Anhalt had no contingent in the German-Danish War, gilded swords were donated to all classes and merit medals attached on 18 July 1864. The first award of a silver medal with swords took place on September 18 at Dr. Bernhard Jan, who accompanied the Crown Prince in the German-Danish war zone. The following awards took place only for the war of 1870/71. 98 medals with swords were awarded, 59 of them to hitchhikers. Before the 1 World War, Scharfenberg gave about 180 awards. Until 1913, the names of 173 carriers are known. Including 97 hitchhikers and 76 Prussians. The rewards of World War I are unknown or have not survived. All swords were always bronze. Fastening was carried out using clamps on the ring of the tape or using an eye. Medals with shorter swords were produced and distributed after the war by suppliers such as Meibauer. Forgeries and installation of other swords of other honorary marks to the detriment of the collector are also known. Source: Gerd Scharfenberg, "Orders and Badges of Honor of the Anhalt States 1811-1935," 1999.

Round silver medal with rim. Above is a soldered ordinary eye with a ribbon ring. They are wearing gilded crossed swords.

Front side:

• Along the edge is a wide hoop bounded by a line inward. On it is rewriting:
• - FEAR - GOD - AND - FOLLOW - HIS - COMMANDS - top star.
In
• a closed field on a wall with teeth and a gate, a bear screams to the right.
• The wall is oblique, a bear with a collar and a crown.

Downside:

• Along the edge is a wide hoop bounded by a line inward. On it is rewriting:
• - ALBRECHT - DER - BEAR - REG. - 1123 - BIS - 1170 - upper 6-ray star.
In the surrounded
• field, the Anhalt coat of arms above it is a free-floating crown.

Tape:

• 38mm wide dark green, sidebar 8mm dark red

Photo: Private collection of Maximilian Ferdinand Leopold Prince of Anhalt

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Obverse: Order of Albrecht Bear Silver Medal of Merit with Swords

Reverse: Order of Albrecht Bear Silver Medal of Merit with Swords

Established:

November 18, 1836 by the Dukes Henry of Anhalt-Kötensky, Leopold Friedrich of Anhalt-Dessau and Alexander Karl of Anhalt-Bernburg
July 18, 1864 Sword Foundation

Awarded:

1864 – 1918

Data:

• Material: Silver, Swords Bronze Gilded
• Size: 31.5mm, swords 38mm
• Weight: 15.7g

estimated collector price:

400 – 430 €

OEK Number:

24