Central Powers WW1 Commemorative Medals: Hungary

[Rick Research]

Created on 26 May 1929 by "Regent" Admiral Miklos Horthy to all former Central Powers veterans. It was bestowed in two designs and three ribbons:

with swords on the obverse shield and the ribbon shown here for combatants, and

without swords on the obverse shield with ribbons for

noncombatants and

next of kin

It was not, therefore, actually necessary to wear swords on a ribbon bar ribbon, since each type was distinct.

Early issues were THICKLY silver plated and stamped "BRONZ" on the rim immediately to the right of the suspension ring. This is that type. (For other types, do a search on "Hungarian" in the International Forum). Note that the original horizontal ribbon stripes were a distinctlly spruce-blue green shade which was not colorfast and has often faded away over time.

These medals were still being awarded as late as the end of 1942, and indeed may never have ceased being awarded until the collapse of 1944/45.

[Rick Research]

The reverse. I will post award documents of the "tear off pink" and "mock tear off pink" type to German recipients when my scanner is cooperating. there was also a large type document with galloping cavalry and allied infantry which seems only to have been issued from the Hungarian Military Attaché's office in Berlin.

[JensF.]

Here is the rare medal for non-combatants:

[JensF.]

Back. Interesting is, that the combatants medal shows the german Model 1916 helmet on the back and not the austrian. The austrian helmet has the lower rivet with the chin strap attachment higher than the german helmet. But the back of the medal shows the lower "german" rivet!

[JensF.]

And a zink example with the "BRONZ" mark on the reverse. Maybe made with the same die as the earlier bronze medals.

[Ed_Haynes]

A good site without much information, but illustrating a nice women's bow-mounting of the non-combatant medal:

http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Europe...om/WWI/WWI.htm

Ed

[Rick Research]

Here is a 1930 award document to a former German Foot Artillery Battalion 7 officer, Hauptmann aD Paul Erich Schneidewind, who had served during the war with Heavy Coastal Mortar ("Fortress Busters") Battery 6 . His battery was cited, individually, by the German General Staff, for reducing the tsarist fortresses of Modlin and Novo Georgievsk.

This format may originally have been RED paper, but all I have seen have been this faded PINK color. Note the perforations along the top, where this was torn off a duplicate ledger, preseumably. The serial numbers were consecutive, so awards, to non-Hungarians at least, can be judged by that number and date over time. Later documents were the same size, but no longer actually perforated. I'll rummage one of those out later.

[stogieman]

And here's how it was issued

Plain manila envelope, with small paper insert and a form letter "entitling" the bearer to the medal.

[stogieman]

Another view

No maker marks, no titles to the packet. No wonder none/few survived

[AOK4]

Some pics

A few scans of the two papers accompanying the medal...

Jan