Friedrich August Medaille

[Chris Wainwrigh]

I have a medal bar with the Friedrich August Medaille.It looks to be unmarked and bronze.Was it awarded for bravery or is it a service medal? Thank you for any info you can give me on this medal. Regards Chris

[Chris Wainwrigh]

[Tom Y]

It was established on April 23, 1905 for ""for the acknowledgment of deserving achievements for rank of sergeant downward and civilians of equal standing in war and peace."

[Christian L]

and for the peacetime exist another ribbon - yellow with 3 thin black stripes through it.
christian

[Dave Danner]

Was it awarded for bravery or is it a service medal?

We call this the fallacy of bifurcation, also known as the "either/or" fallacy. If not A, then B. But A and B are not the only choices.

It was, as Tom stated, an achievement or merit medal, i.e., for individual acts, not a service medal ("I was there"). In the case of this medal (indeed, most basic awards of the German states), "achievement" included both bravery and merit. Bravery could be one single act of valor or a sustained period of valorous conduct. Merit could also be a specific achievement or a pattern of excellence over a period of time.

The distinction between service and merit is sometimes muddied when an individual award like this is given to everyone in a unit (or even an entire army) as a sort of unit citation, without regard for the individual's own actions.

Your bar is a typical group for a Saxon private or junior NCO who had been decorated at least twice (although it is possible both the Saxon and the Prussian award were for the same act).