Kaiser Wilhelm Centennial Medal

[Chris B.]

I am really interested in the Kaiser Wilhelm Centennial medal and I have some questions which perhaps someone could help me with. For starters, who were the makers. Is there any reason the ribbon is yellow? Is that significant? Why is it so huge? Who was eligible? I know about the 1866 and 1871 vets. The medal I have is a brown colour,but on ribbon bars they look gold, maybe the finish wears off with time. How many were issued? Any other interesting tidbits of information regarding this medal would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks, Chris B.

[Red Eagle]

The official Kaiser Wilhelm Medal from cannonbronce was made by Berliner Medaillenm?nze L. Ostermann and Otto Oertel. The design cames from Prof. Walter Schott. The awarddoc was designed by E. Doepler.

Greetings

Red

[Chris B.]

Thanks Red. That was fast. Nice award doc pict. Cheers, Chris B.

[Guest Rick Research]

It WAS too big and heavy, often damaging the bars it was sewn into--

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though of course they were NOT intended to be WORN for 100+ years!

It was given to PRUSSIAN veterans of the wars listed in the document's design, and ALL veterans of 1870-71; to all members of the Prussian army, imperial navy, and colonial forces (as Imperial troops) on active duty on the 100th anniversary 22 March 1897,

and to selected NON-Prussian military personnel in regiments that either served with Prussian units in the "Reichs" area of Alsace-Lorraine, that the Kaiser was honorary colonel of, and so on. While a "universal" medal in Prussian military groups for anyone serving on that date, it is a much harder to find "clunker" in say, Bavarian groups.

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This one ought to be of especial interest to Wild Card!

[Guest Rick Research]

A Prussian Uhlan NCO circa 1900, wearing his medal on the "wrong side" as was regulation for this branch, and his long service brooch pinned on his lower left:

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Hauptmann Polst of Infantry Regiment 52 circa 1905:

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an unexpected Saxon recipient, J?ger Hauptmann (have you seen my umbrella, Mrs. Peel?) Kurt Bramsch (WW1 St Henry Order knight)

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entirely expected on this naval Beamter, whose eagerly anticipated noncombatant EK2 1914 is obviously making him purr like a kitten!

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And still being worn by Count Drakkala....

I mean Paul Hartlaub, as the classic "movie" Nazi in real life, in tux and monocle all spiffed up for this Christmas 1938 card:

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[Chris B.]

Thanks Rick. I wonder why it was so huge, when you consider that the Prussian lifesaving medal is so small. Maybe because Wilhelm II held Wilhelm I in such high esteem. I also wonder why they would choose yellow for the ribbon. Yellow is not really a "Prussian" colour, is it. Not like black or white. But then, the Red Eagle band is kind of a reddish orange, so who knows... Questions, Questions. Thanks for the replies, Chris B.

[W McSwiggan]

As to the color - note the color of the Black Eagle Order Ribbon.

Thanks Rick. I wonder why it was so huge, when you consider that the Prussian lifesaving medal is so small. Maybe because Wilhelm II held Wilhelm I in such high esteem. I also wonder why they would choose yellow for the ribbon. Yellow is not really a "Prussian" colour, is it. Not like black or white. But then, the Red Eagle band is kind of a reddish orange, so who knows... Questions, Questions. Thanks for the replies, Chris B.

[Guest Rick Research]

Von Hessenthal and Schreiber don't mention any reason for the ribbon but that was probably it!

Random ribbon bars, into WW2 being worn by "60 something" 1897 veterans

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[Guest Rick Research]

More, and some photo groups snipped for space

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then- Generalmajor Bernhard Rathgen:

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an unfortunately unnamed Rechnungsrat, former career OFFICER with at least "XXV" years in before his career change, veteran of 1866 as well as 1870, winner of a 1914 EK2 "white-black" and... the 1918 Black Wound Badge!!! --

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the Major Friedrich von Grolman:

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[Guest Rick Research]

Another award document. Military Beamten at this level were not shown in the Rank Lists. (No, I have no idea why not). The documents were also HUGE-- most have had all the extra wide blank margins cut off.

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Horchler was eventually the Kriegsgerichtsrat of Baden's 28th Infantry Division from 1900 to 1920 (!!!)

[Wild Card]

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This one ought to be of especial interest to Wild Card!

[Wild Card]

Hi Chris B.,

Thank you for an excellent presentation on a medal too often taken for granted. I do have a question.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that there were several variations of this medal which were considered to be legitimate. Has your research uncovered anything in this regard?

As to the ?un-Prussian? yellow colored ribbon, besides the sash and neck ribbon for the RAO grand cross (yellow with white stripes), the sash for the SAO could be considered to be yellow. Another interesting thing about the color of the ribbon is how the yellow comes out so very dark in the old black and white photos as seen above.

In closing, I would like to present an example which, at 29 mm, is classified by Nimmergut as a reduction piece.

Thank you again Chris B.,

Wild Card

[Wild Card]

Reduction group, obverse.

[Wild Card]

Reverse.

[Paul R]

My only example. So this award could be compared to the Combattant Hindenburg Cross, in the manner it was to be awarded?

[Stogieman]

Of course, one cannot think about the Centennial Medal without considering it in its' Prinzen-Gr??e size of about 30mm. Despite the fact that this style of medal/decoration was usually used by nobility and high ranking officers to make room, as it were, for their many decorations. Many oridinary soldiers/recipients opted for this reduced format piece!

[Stogieman]

Here's a nice mint P-G example, with P-G ribbon in its' sales packet...

[Stogieman]

Of course, even this piece could be purchased in a case, if one wanted...

[Stogieman]

But, if you were someone special....... sometimes the Kaiser was known to hand it out like this!

[Stogieman]

Very spiffy this one is!

[Paul R]

Very nice Rick!!! The P-G example seems to have a gilt finish? Were they all made this way?

[Christian L]

here we have an awarded medal, which was privatly gilded (as you can see how worn the bar is, the owner was proud, but still liked to save money )

but a lot more interesting is the mounting style - i guess, that the wearer was a soldier carrying in service a metal breast plate where it wasn't possible to attache the medalbar pin to.

[CRBeery]

Here is my little Kaiser medal bar.

[Nico]

Hello,

Here's my little addition to this very interesting thread.

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[Nico]

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