deutsche schutzdivision badge

[Eric Stahlhut]

even though current literature and catalogs call it a bewaehrungsmedaille, a short search shows that the term plakette is equally valid for this piece, if it was intended to be worn from a necklace, watch fob, or bierzipfel. it certainly wasn't made to be suspended from a ribbon

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Eric Stahlhut

[bolewts58]

10 hours ago, Eric Stahlhut said:

even though current literature and catalogs call it a bewaehrungsmedaille, a short search shows that the term plakette is equally valid for this piece, if it was intended to be worn from a necklace, watch fob, or bierzipfel. it certainly wasn't made to be suspended from a ribbon

 

It's true that Plakette can mean badge or sign in certain cases. But, it's not a common military usage of the term and I don't think it was used that way 100 years ago. The medal has the word "bewährten" (proven, guard or preserve). The phrase

Ihrem bewährten MITKÄMPFER für GESETZ u. RECHT

  which literally means "Your proven campaigner for law and right" probably should be translated as "Your defender of law and the legal system". I think this supports the medal being Die Bewährungsmedaille or The Defence Medal of the Deutsche Schtuzdivision.

In any case, I don't know that we're going to solve this until either this medal shows up in a group with this document or vice versa the Erinnerungsplakette shows up in a group with the document.

Such is the problem with having a very incomplete record with regards to Freikorps awards and insignia and the fact that even with existing references there are mistakes. For example, Haarcke's catalogue and Bichlmaier and Hartung's catalogue, both of which are used as bibles by dealers and less experienced collectors have several mistakes in each. Even von Salomon's Das Buch vom deutschen Freikorpskämpfer has mistakes.

Edited November 11, 2018 by bolewts58

[Eric Stahlhut]

i suppose you could also get away with calling that medal a jeton