Vojenská medaile za zásluhy (1794)

Gold and Silver Military Merit medals with a bust of the elector Karl Theodor, granted in the years 1794 – 1797.

Die Goldene und Silberne Militär – Verdienstmedaille des Kurfürsten Karl Theodor.

Bavarian medal For bravery they have their own history and tradition, but for our purposes it will be sufficient to draw attention to three issues, which we distinguish from 1794 to 1918, when it was the award of the medal shall be terminated.

Unique and rare medal was established on June 30. October 1794 as the valuation and the highest proof of the bravery of a soldier from the enemy. The medal was intended for all soldiers and non-commissioned officers to the rank of (feldwebla) master sergeant. Here we can talk, that for these brave soldiers medal equivalent of the bavarian order of Max Joseph.

The author of the medal was Cajetán Destouches (1784 – 1807).

The medal has a diameter of 34 mm and in gold has a weight of 5 ducats (17.1 g). The medal minted in silver has a weight of approximately 15-17 grams.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MEDAL:

AVERS:
On the desktop is a baroque effigy of the founder with a ponytail on his head looking to the right side and dressed in an opulent and precious armor which is the visible emblem of the order of the GOLDEN FLEECE.

A copy of the medal: CARL. THEOD. PF. B. RH. H. Also. B. CHVRFÜRST.

The crossed sleeve is the brand name of the manufacturer: C.... D. F. (Cajetán Destouches facit-he made).

REVERSE:
On the back is a bavarian crowned heraldic lion. The figure of the embattled vztyčeného a lion holding in the paw a drawn sword and in the left then sign shield with the bavarian routami.

Around is the inscription:

DER TAPFERKEIT

RIBBON:
The width of the ribbons is around 35 mm. Color is black with two 3 mm wide bělomodrými side stripes and 1 mm black fringe strips.

The medal is awarded very shortly from the year 1794 to 1797. The original medal is extremely rare and even in specialized collections is not represented. A poor picture Even. the type of medals is taken from the German colleagues.

Literature:
Václav Měřička: Memorial and merit honors from the period 1789 – 1815.
Georg Schreiber: Die Bayerischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen
Dr. To. G. Klietmann: Pour le Mérite und Tapferkeitsmedaille (Munich 1966)
Jörg Nimmergut: Orden und Ehrenzeichen (sales catalogue)
Hermann von Heyden: Ehren-Zeichen (Kriegs-Denkzeichen, Verdienst-und Dienstlters-Zeichen Deutschlands und Österreich – Ungarns reprint).


Part. no. l.

Gold and Silver Military Merit medals with a bust of the elector Max Joseph IV.

Die Goldene und Silberne Militér-Verdienstmedaille des Kurfürsten Maximilian IV. Josef.

- golden medals with a diameter of 34 mm, a weight of 5 ducats (17.1 g)
- silver medal with a diameter of 34 mm, a weight of 15-17 g.

Description of the medal:

On the front side is a bust of the founder of the baroque ponytail on his head. The ruler is displayed in the palatial armor. Around the portrait is the inscription:

MAX. IOS. CHVRF. ZV. PFALZBAIREN

On the sleeve is a letter: "D" DESTOUCHES
Reverse of the medal is absolutely identical to the previous type.

RIBBON:
The ribbon is in all the works the same.

The literature is listed in the introductory part of the article.

Part: 2.

Gold and silver Military Merit medals with a portrait of king MAX JOSEPH I.

We could all dismiss the fact that the medal is the same, only the portrait of the monarch is different and somewhat smaller. But I'd rather have the history of this medal the more we explain, and we will illuminate. The medal is again divided into a gold and silver medal which are the dimensions and weight exactly the same as the already described decoration.

AVERS:

The medal is displayed to the left looking portrait of the monarch in a general's uniform (without braid on the head). A copy of the medal:

MAXIMILIAN IOSEPH KONIG VON BAIERN.

At the bottom of the medal is the signature medailéra:
LOSCH - ( Joseph Losch 1803 – 1862 )


REVERSE:

The back side is at first glance the same. In this case, it is the lion slightly modified in the drawing. The character of the bavarian electors is replaced by the character of a royal and a copy of it with a somewhat bigger letters.

The medal was very rarely awarded even in the years of 1849 and 1866.

In the years of the franco-prussian war, Bavaria was attended by is already a medallist JOSEPF RIES.

In this war period 1870/71 was granted:

- 133 gold medals
- 612 silver medals

In the period of the Great war in the years 1914 – 1918:

- 1198 gold medals
- 2932 silver medals

After 1916 are gold medals minted in silver and gold plated, which in any case does not diminish their importance.

These numbers reported by G. Schreibr

Dr. Klietmann in the years of the Great war it is reported somewhat different numbers:

- 998 gold medals
- 2839 silver medals

The medal is generally better known under the inaccurate name

MEDAL FOR BRAVERY

For those interested in more detailed information I recommend the publication of G. Schreibera: Die Bayerischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen

Literature is mentioned in the introductory part of the

Part: 3.

Die Bayerische Tapferkeitsmedaille

Bavarian medal for bravery


The bavarian equivalent of the Prussian Pour le Mérite. Gold version for officers, silver for junior officers..

These medals, which we commonly call the medals FOR BRAVERY are rare and extremely interesting. Can without exaggeration be compared to our Austrian medals, which we can follow since the inception, i.e. from the monarch JOSEF II. up to the end of the monarchy in 1918.

The first types are quite extraordinary and quite unique. But also the decoration from the period of the war 1914-18 ranks among the rare and therefore expensive decorations. In the German collections are these medals primarily in silver, gold pieces are exceptionally. The medals that the soldiers use on your order's clamps are so as is the custom in Germany made of base metal and finished with gilding or postříbřeny. Even these "replacement" medal is very rarely appear on the auctions and the offer from the price 500 euro above.

Over time, as we can provide additional images, we will insert them into this gallery rare bavarian medal..