Czechoslovak Awards of the 1st Resistance

[nickstrenk]

I am going to start new topic-The Czechoslovak awards of the 1st Resistance.There are not many of them but I hope topic will be interesting for the members of the forum to read .

As we know the Czechoslovak Republic came into being in 1918 from the Austro-Hungarian Empire after WW1.The main merit in it had soldiers-legionnaires.So it was necessity to honour them.It is interesting to know,that after WW1 only soldiers had their awards,except of Order of White Lion,there were no civil awards.First, I put some my awards on the boards to take photos,later I will try to take pictures in more details to show versions of the awards,certificates or etuis.All pictures will be from my collection.

[nickstrenk]

1.Czechoslovak War Cross 1914-1919

He highest military award was instituted 7.11.1918 .It was determined to honour the soldiers who showed the bravery and personal courage and other merits during the WW1 and in the fighting acts in Slovakia in 1919.Also soldiers of Allied Armies and all who contributed to the liberation and forming of Czechoslovakia were bestowed to this award.

The award is made from bronze,diam.3,6mm.In the obverse we can see the signs of Bohemia,Slovakia,Moravia and Silesia.In the reverse the abbr.ČS-that means Česko-Slovensko.

There are some diferences in crosses,but the main diferences are in the loops-a narrow loop is  Parisian version,the round loop is Prague version.

On the ribbons we can see many decorations,typical are limb branches those mean mentions in the army orders.Except them are leaves,stars ,...etc.

Left French-Paris version,rihgt Prague version.notice the loops.

The award in the etue and the miniribbon.

The certificate ,the are many types of the certificates,but I can show only one for now.

[nickstrenk]

2.Czechoslovak Revolutionary Medal

It was instituted by the decree of the President of the Czechoslovak Republic T.G.Masaryk 1.12.1918 as an award for merit in Czechoslovak Resistence.The members of armies abroad and volunteers at home could be honoured with the medal.

 The medal has a design of a greek cross with the ribbon among the arms.In the ribbon is a tittle-Upwards at the guard duty you the free nation-Vzhuru na stráž svobodný národe.In the midlle of the obverse we can see the horse rider with a flag in his hand,in the reverse there is a woman with wings.

[nickstrenk]

Some medals have various decorations on the ribbons.All depended from the phantasy of the awarded .In the picture we can see the medals with bars of the battles in France,Russia and Italy.They also have the labels  with the numbers of the regiments.The medal is made from bronze,heavy.Weight 52 gr,but some were quite light,e.g.the medal rihgt with the bars of the battles in Italy has weight 32 gr.The medal was designed in France by the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle,some medals have his signature in the obverse some versions have not.

I am not sure about the number of awarded ,but I think the number can be more than 80 000.That is why the medal is common ,it is not difficult to get it,but it is not easy to buy the certificate to this medal.The dimensions of the certificate are about 41x44cm.It is big like a poster.It is not easy to get the certificate without damages,most of them have a hole in the middle,because we usually buy them quired.

In my  practice of the collector I had two certificates for  one person.I think it was uncommon.

Edited October 6, 2017 by nickstrenk

[nickstrenk]

I would like to add the miniature of the  Revolutionary Medal.On the long ribbon,more than 50cm length.I do not know its purpose,probably functioned as a tassel of a boook?compare with the dimensions of the normal medal.

[polietrix]

Hello, I'm interested in buying the Czech Revolutionary Cross with italian locations (Doss Alto, Piave...).

Can someone help me? many thanks, Paolo Pedri (Italy)

here is my private email: polietrix67@gmail.com