Vojenské pamětní medaile 1914 - 1918

A commemorative medal with a war theme or directly with a portrait of a soldier, general, commanding marshal is always a great pleasure for the falerist for the "eye" and an interesting, even marginal addition to the collection.


We know these medals as embossings in base metal, or even in so-called war metal, but they are also carefully embossed medals made of silver and, exceptionally, gold. These 11 pieces of medals from the collection represent the command corps of the Russian Army. Beautiful specimens from the estate of these and other generals are stored in Vienna ( Military-Historical Museum -Arsenal), possibly in an art museum. Apart from the faleristic monument, they are also proof of the careful work of the so-called Vienna Art School, from which we know a number of Czech, Moravian and Slovak artists. The most famous in the consciousness is certainly Otakar Spaniel, the author of the first Czechoslovak coins.


Example:


The medals are sufficiently clear and described, there is also the name of the artist. Some are interesting in that such a medal was minted on the occasion of the award of the order, victorious battles, etc.


Literature:
Roman Freiherr von Prochazka: Österreisches Ordenshanbuch Vienna 1979
Rauch Vienna auction catalogs
Auction catalogs of Dorotheum Vienna
Archive: Alt.


I would like to ask, if possible, to link the medal with the biography of the general, which we have processed in the section: Curriculum vitae

Several other medals that are closely associated with the military. A very nice and interesting commemorative medal of the Chief of General Staff Field Marshal Knight Beck.


An interesting medal from 1915 of Free Lord Konrad von Hötzendorf (Chief of Gen. Chief of Staff of the Army), with the Order of Pour le Mérité on his neck.


We also see here a commemorative regimental medal and other interesting medals of the 1st Infantry Regiment on the anniversary of its founding 1716-1916. The medal in silver is in the Prague collection.


A very nice medal of Karel Stepan in the uniform of an Admiral.


The pictures are from a private collection and can be copied.


Archives :
Archive Alt.

This medal was struck by a Knight of the Military Order of Maria Theresa. Although the medal is not a high-end work of art, it is still interesting and deserves our attention .


The medal is struck from a composition of zinc ( kriegsmatall ), the metal in which we know the medals struck at the end of the war. The diameter of the medal is 70 mm with a weight of 185 g. This medal is also electroplated. This interesting technological procedure was intended to prevent the unpleasant corrosion that accompanies medals struck in zinc .


The obverse side features a relief portrait of Lance Corporal Willerding in his service uniform, without the decorations of the Order. The medal bears a two-line inscription :


FML. BARON RUDOLF WILLERDING COMMANDANT DER K. U. K. 32. ID. WEIHNACHTEN 1917 .


Heraldically in the lower left part there is also the name of the medal maker ( VASZARY L. )


The lower side, almost in its entirety, bears the relief of the MMTO Order Cross. The text around the perimeter :


MILITAR MARIA- THERESIEN ORDENSRITTER 17. Aug. 1917



The medallion comes from the collection of a colleague and friend V. W, from Jihlava .


Literature :
SIGNUN BRNO number 18 IV. Series of June 2007


Note :
In the magazine Signum there is a whole article dedicated to the personality of this high officer. ( Vilém Wodák : A little stop over an interesting medal ) .

Colonel Kopal


In memory of the soldier who died in battle at the age of sixty years. In memory of the Czech and Moravian soldiers who in 1848 proved their bravery and courage on the battlefield in northern Italy under the leadership of the Austrian soldier Czech nobleman Marshal Radetzky and native of Moravia, Colonel Kopal.


Remembrance of this event :


The 10th Battalion of Hunters was part of General Strasold's Brigade , its position was in the Santa Lucia area , where it controlled the access roads to the Verona fortress .


On May 6, 1848 the Italians ( Piedmontese ) attacked the position of the Austrian troops with great superiority . However, their attacks were repelled by our troops and the attacking soldiers ended up in the positions of the 10th Battalion of Hunters . The soldiers of this battalion had their conscription and replenishment districts from Lower Austria and South Moravia , i.e. from the area where their commander Colonel Karel Kopal came from. Marshal Radetzky, a great expert on the Italian battlefield, mobilized his reserves and these troops on the battlefield at Santa Lucia units of the Piedmontese definitely repelled. Infantry Regiment ( Prague ) and 18th Infantry Regiment ( Hradec Králové ).


Our "Austrians" were aware that it was necessary to take the top of Monte Berico by attack. It was again Colonel Kopal who dismounted and led his battalion in the attack. It was also to the credit of the battalion commander, Colonel Kopal, that the victory was ours. June 1848 .


Colonel Kopal for his act of heroism and bravery , when with the deployment of his own life alongside his unit to victory , although no longer personally received the Military Order of Maria Theresa . But in our memories, this officer is and will be a famous knight of this unique military order .


10th Hunting Battalion , as a collective honorary reward, however, received from the Emperor a magnificent , silver and decorated trumpet on which there is an inscription:


MONTE BERICO - KOPAL RUFT - ( Kopal is calling)


For those interested, I recommend the book Under the Imperial Banner .



II.


The city of Znojmo has not forgotten this honorable man and so already on October 16 , 1853 , in honor and memory of the Theresian knight is unveiled in the city of Znojmo a beautiful monument . The author of this monument was the Viennese artist, sculptor Antonín Fernkorn. For those interested, this monument is located in Znojmo on J. Komenský Square, other monuments can be found in the city museum in Znojmo.


The newspapers describe this social event in glowing terms , military bands , speeches , high level celebration , which was attended by, among others, General of the Cavalry Schlick and the sons of Colonel Kopal .


III.


But there were also issued commemorative medals for this event in the number of 700 pieces ( auction catalogues of Rauch and Dorotheum) . The medal was struck in copper , but it is rare to find a silver plated medal . It is also certain that this medal was struck in silver in several pieces and it can be speculated that at least one piece was also struck in gold . The medal in silver was in a private collection in Prague until 1980 . However, its further fate is unknown.


Description of the medal :
In the center of the medal is a bust of Colonel Kopal in uniform with a clearly visible cross of the Order of Leopold and the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa . Around the bust is the following inscription:
CARL . v . KOPAL OBERST DES X . IAGER- BATAILLONS .


On the sides of the bust on the left :
GEB . 3 . FEBR . 1788


On the right :
17 . JUNE 1848


Around the perimeter are oak branches , which are divided by medallions with the names of the battlefields :


ST . LUCIA and VIENZA


At the top we see a military action scene and at the bottom a military burial ground ( grave ) .
Below the bust are the initials of the medal maker : "C R " ( C. Radnicky ) .


Back side of the medal :


In the centre of the medal , in its axis is placed the obelisk of the Znojmo monument with a cannonball on top with the goddess of victory Nike .


On the sides are spread inscriptions :


ENTHÜLLT AM 16 . OCTOB . 1853 . On this a double inscription :


BEABSICHTIGT IM AUGUST 1848 ( left )


ANGERECT IM JAHRE 1849 ( right )


Around the perimeter of the medal is the inscription :


CARL VON KOPAĹS DENKMAL BEI ZNAIM


At the very bottom is the city emblem , i.e. a single headed eagle in a decorative cartouche with a castle crown and ornaments .


Diameter of the medal is 64 , 5 mm .


Note : The next picture presents us the medal of Marshal Radetzky , the victor of the campaign of 1848-49 .


Sources :
Aucational catalogues of DP Prague
Aucational catalogues of Rauch and Dorotheum Vienna
Archive : Alt.

Vojenské medaile jsou poněkud drahé, a tak snad i proto, nejsou tak oblíbené jako odznaky nošené na čepicích, tedy plukovní či Patriotikum. Je to jistě škoda, neboť právě tyto moderní medaile reprezentuji zároveň i uznávanou Vídeňskou medailérskou školu.


Velmi zajímavá je předválečná medaile věnovaná při příležitosti služby veliteli 99. pluku (Znojmo).


Ale i obyčejné malé medaile ražena z náhradního kovu (zinku) mají svůj půvab .