1813-1814 campaign medals

[Joel S]

Hey guys I hope this is a easy question. Whats the difference if there is one between combatant 1813-1814 medals and noncombatant medals if there is such a thing. I see on some web sites were they say combatants and non and for the life of me I see no difference except for ribbons and even that gets crazy. Theres almost no info that I can find about them. Any help would really be great, thanks in advance.

[Fred Borgmann]

1813--1815 campaign medals

Joel I assume you are asking about the Prussian medals. Combatants medals are round and bronze. Noncombatants are oval and are blackened iron. Fred

[John Harman]

If you mean the Prussian ones, the 1813, 1814, 1813-14, and 1815 campaign medals had a round combatant medal made out of cannon bronze. There were also noncombatant medals which were oval, blackened iron medals with the eyelet parallel to, and directly attached to, the medal. The obverses are very similar (the NC does not have a wreath on the cross). The reverses are the same except for the inscription: "Preußens tapfern Kriegern" on combatant, "Für Pflichttreue im Kriege" on the NC. The ribbon for the NC is the reversed colors of the combattant.
To further complicate things, the first batch of 1813, 1814 and 1813-14 combat medals had rounded cross arms which extended to the rim. This was likely a goof by the Parisian makers, but the resourceful Prussians used them anyway.
For example, here is a "round arm" 1813:

[Joel S]

Thanks guys, its insane when your trying to get a handle on all of this. I see all kinds of medals they all look the same but its a different ribbon on them and the all call them combatant or non combatant. So the the 1813 you pictured is a combatant medal, very informative. P.S. sorry for not specifing Prussian that is what I was lookig for. Thanks agian

[Blitz]

To clear things up further, here is a Prussian 1813-14 combatant campaign medall.

obverse.

[Blitz]

And reverse.

[Dez H]

Antti; on your piece is the ribbon original? I understand the original ribbon for these is rarer than the actual medal?

[Peter J.]

The combatant 1814. And yes, not the correct ribbon

KR
Peter

[Blitz]

Dez, sadly it's not an original one. But i don't mind i since it's still atleast a hundred years old.

The ribbon is indeed a rare bird to find. At Stuttgart Wikler had atleast a dozen Prussian Freedom Wars campaign medals, but not a single original ribbon. Infact most didn't have one at all. It's only natural since we are talking about awards that will soon be 200 years old.

[John Harman]

Almost every German kingdom, grand duchy, duchy, principality, or independent city had its own Napoleonic campiagn medal or cross. Here is a Bavarian 1813-14 campaign cross. These were made of bronze and had a dark green paint on the arms originally, most have had the paint chip off. The Prussian and Bavarian ones are the most common; does anyone have any of the smaller state's awards?

[Joel S]

Wow Thanks for all the help guys. Its nice to get good honest answers quickely. I still have alot to learn but I do love the napoleonic wars and am slowly moving from books to medals.