The Imperial Austrian Tapferkeitsmedaille - Franz Josef and Karl

[Elmar Lang]

Many thanks for the kind comments. I hope these pictures could be useful.

Just a few more notes: during the reign of emperor Karl I (1916-18) the Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille was awarded also in gold and not only in gilt bronze, but such pieces are now extremely rare.

It's important to say too, that the officially awarded gilt Tapferkeitsmedaille of Karl I, should always have the typical, old-fashioned suspension.

To Roemisch: No, I'm not from South Tyrol, but my mother's family is from that region.

[Miro O]

Very nice presentation, congrats! I miss only the Leisek type with the FJ head looking to the left. I think they were pre-ww1, correct me if I am wrong.

I haven´t that type either, so I can´t serve with that. Here is my humble Leisek set - solid silver with A hallmark, silvered bronze cased marked BRONZE on the rim and fine zinc.
Regards, Miro

[Elmar Lang]

Hello Miro,

a fine group of 1st Class silver Bravery medals of the 1914-16 type.

The silver-plated medal with the "BRONZE" mark is really uncommon to see: I congratulate.

The Bravery Medals with the bust of Franz Josef facing to the left (models 1849-59 and 1859-66), weren''t engraved by Leisek, but by K. Lange.

Best wishes,

E.L.

[saschaw]

Wow, great medals. I especially like the old types one hardly ever sees...

Thanks you!

[Miro O]

Hello Miro,

a fine group of 1st Class silver Bravery medals of the 1914-16 type.

The silver-plated medal with the "BRONZE" mark is really uncommon to see: I congratulate.

The Bravery Medals with the bust of Franz Josef facing to the left (models 1849-59 and 1859-66), weren''t engraved by Leisek, but by K. Lange.

Best wishes,

E.L.

Hello, thanks for compliment, yes silvered medal marked "BRONZE" is very uncommon, this one is in fact the only I have ever seen. Before that, I thought these never existed.

Btw, I meant another very rare type with LEISEK signature and FJ looking to the left. According to von Heyde (1898) these medals were given to Austrian soldiers involved into Prussian-Danish war of 1864. It was very small contingent, so these medals are extremely rare.

Miro

[flik]

Wow, great collection!
Who is the pilot?

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

the pilot was Josef Kiss, a well known Feldpilot. He died in an air fight over Lamon (near Belluno) on May 24th, 1918.

E.L.

[Miro O]

Very interesting info, Elmar. Josef Kiss was the best Hungarian pilot of ww1. He was from Pressburg (Bratislava), Slovak by mother, Hungarian by father, he spoke fluently both languages. Most of his "kills" were forced landings, so he was called Knight of the Sky. If that is really photo of Kiss golden medal, I will proudly upgrade my photo database of Josef Kiss.

Photo is from Museum of Great War in Borgo Val Sugana. They claim to have his original uniform.

[flik]

I can only say

[Miro O]

Last time I wasn´t able to upload photo, so here it is. Uniform of Josef Kiss in italian museum.

[Elmar Lang]

Thank you for having posted a fine picture of Kiss's uniform.

I need to say that from the property of the late girlfriend of Kiss (a lady who lived in Pergine Valsugana, passed away at the end of the '70s), came the tunic only, the group of medals (these, still in my own collection) and two Feldpilotenabzeichen. Boots, "Kappe", leather belt and Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille were added later, for reasons of display.

The tunic, a tailor piece, made of a mix of wool and silk is of the finest quality; I remember that the inside, bears the tailor's mark (of Vienna) and the original owner's tag with name and unit (Flik 55-J, if I correctly remember).

There exist some official photos of the wreck of Kiss's plane and even of the medals he wore at the moment of his death (apparently, while flying, he didn't wore the ribbon-only "Feldspange"): the medals are severely damaged/bent, as a witness of the tremendous impact and death of that young, unfortunate hero. The "Sterbeakt", reported that Kiss died "Infolge der Kriegsdienstleistung erlittener Herzschuss im Luftkampfe und absturz mit dem Flugzeuge laut Todesfalleingabe" (I hope I've correctly transcribed, from the document). He was interred at the military cemetery of Pergine on May 27th, 1918, tomb Nr.393.

[Miro O]

Thank you for having posted a fine picture of Kiss's uniform.

I need to say that from the property of the late girlfriend of Kiss (a lady who lived in Pergine Valsugana, passed away at the end of the '70s), came the tunic only, the group of medals (these, still in my own collection) and two Feldpilotenabzeichen. Boots, "Kappe", leather belt and Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille were added later, for reasons of display.

The tunic, a tailor piece, made of a mix of wool and silk is of the finest quality; I remember that the inside, bears the tailor's mark (of Vienna) and the original owner's tag with name and unit (Flik 55-J, if I correctly remember).

There exist some official photos of the wreck of Kiss's plane and even of the medals he wore at the moment of his death (apparently, while flying, he didn't wore the ribbon-only "Feldspange"): the medals are severely damaged/bent, as a witness of the tremendous impact and death of that young, unfortunate hero. The "Sterbeakt", reported that Kiss died "Infolge der Kriegsdienstleistung erlittener Herzschuss im Luftkampfe und absturz mit dem Flugzeuge laut Todesfalleingabe" (I hope I've correctly transcribed, from the document). He was interred at the military cemetery of Pergine on May 27th, 1918, tomb Nr.393.

Thanks for any additional info. Yes, they claim only uniform to be original, everything else are only display "replicas".
Name of pilot´s fiancee was Erica Bonecker. She never got married, died in 1972, I think.... She visited his grave in Pergine every single day... When she died, the body of Josef Kiss was moved from Pergine to bigger military cemetery in Rovereto, where - according to my sources - he rests now.

If you have link to the photos you mention, please post it, thanks. Here are my photos that slightly doubt your opinion about wearing feldspange in the fight. First photo is Kiss ending one of his sortees, the second photo is Kiss (right) with his Italian foe that was just forced to land.

Regards, Miro

[Elmar Lang]

Dear Miro,

thank you for your interesting reply.

Actually, I've never affirmed that Kiss wore the Feldspange while flying, in fact I've written "...while flying, he didn't wore the ribbon-only "Feldspange"..." adding the info that exist a picture of his medals, damaged and bent by the effects of the impact on the ground.

I know that Miss Erika Bonecker was Kiss's fiancée, but he had a girlfriend in Pergine too (it was wartime... life can be strange also in those hard times) : everybody in the town, knew that she preserved his uniform, medals, a pocket watch and other minor memorabilia. She died at the end of the '70s and through her heirs (and with the most precious help of a Carabinieri Officer), I've had the exceptional opportunity to obtain the uniform (actually, the tunic), the medals and two Feldpilotenabzeichen. In the late '90s, due to personal reasons, I've decided to sell the tunic, but retained the medals, being Austro-Hungarian Orders & Decorations the core of my collection. The uniform passed through some different owners and now I think it should still be on display in Borgo Valsugana.

Back to the picture with the wrecked medals of Kiss, I don't know whether it would be available on the web. I've seen it nearly 25 years ago, during my researches on this subject and now, I can't find the copy I took of it then, with my film camera.

I'm happy that this thread on the Tapferkeitsmedaillen has started an interesting discussion. I hope to be able to post more images soon, of a Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille für Offiziere (Karl I) in real gold and, in another section, a discussion about these important Austrian awards, from Emperor Joseph II, to Ferdinand I.

All the best,

E.L.

P.S.: the other pieces displayed in Borgo along with Kiss's tunic are not just display replicas: boots and Kappe are surely old and the Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille was an original piece of the 1914-1916 type (although not awarded and belonged to Kiss).

[Elmar Lang]

Talking about the Imperial Austrian Tapferkeitsmedaillen, I would like to add a complete excursus of all types of the Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille, from the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II (son of Maria Theresia), until Karl I (the last Emperor of Austria and King of Hungaria).

The Golden medal of Emperor Franz I is presented in its two variations: the first with the engraver's signature "I.N. WIRT" and the second, "HARNISCH"; two types also of Emperor Ferdinand. The last one, with the portrait of Emperor Karl I is in gold and, curiously to say, also the "K" ribbon device is made of gold.

I think that it's interesting to imagine how many hostorical facts happened under the reign of these monarchs.

All the best,

E.L.

[jaba-the-hunt]

holy cow. That is a lot of gold. You know the gold price is on a high level, maybe a good time to sell all this gold ;-)

Vary impresive collection of medals. Thank you for posting this.

As an collector of imperial german aviation i would be vary glad to see the medals and badges of Josef Kiss.

Please post this group on a new thread.

Regards

Alex