Belgium Belgian (religious?) medal from WWI

[Rittmeister]

I've just gotten a Belgian medal that I can't quite identify. First of all, it's not a military award but rather a memorial medal of some kind. It's round, has no ribbon ring, and shows Jezus on the cross appearing from the sky with a dying soldier on the ground. Inscription reads;

SACRE COEUR DE JESUS PROTEGEZ LA BELGIQUE.

Below is the year 1914. The backside shows a figure meant so show Jesus and the words:

POUR L'HUMANITE - POUR LA PATRIE

Can this be a religious award, rather than some sort of military memorial award?

[redcross]

quick translation

the sacred heart of Jesus protects Belgium

For Humanity, For Country

without seeing a picture

I would guess it was a war relief fund raising medal

[Jef]

Hello Rittmeister,

I'm afraid I can't answer your question, but I'm interested in that kind of medals. Have some of those medals myself and so far, wasn't able to find any catalogues nor other information.

Does your medal has a ribbon or is it a medal with an eyelet. As an example I enclosed a religious medal with ribbon.

A scan of your medal would be helpful.

Jef

[Jef]

Hello again Rittmeister,

Your medal also might be a patriotic medal. I enclosed some examples. I remember as child, relatives, veterans of the Great War wore such patriotic medals on the chain of their pocket watch.

Jef

[Rittmeister]

Hello Jef,

Thank you for your interest and helpful replies. I've attached a photo of the medal, as you can see it has no eyelet. It's about 6,5 cm wide and 3mm thick. So it seems to match the size of the patriotic medals you posted. Just like you write; it seems impossible to find any information about these kind of medals. Now, I gather from your medals that these were created postwar?

So that means;

• The medals are nicht-staatlich
• Do not have any official charachter
• Created post-war

I would assume then, that they were handed out by patriotic organisations after the war, but why and whatfor? Maybe the reply from redcross is correct; fund-raisers, yes, but perhaps for relief for wounded soldiers or families of fallen soldiers?

Fragen ?ber Fragen ...

[Jef]

Dear Rittmeister,

Thank you for the scan of your medal. Beautiful piece, I must say. I agree these medals must have been sold as fund raisers and does not have any official character. But I must add French as well as British ( or made for UK residents) pieces exists. And you can find "war" as well as "post-war" items.

kind regards,

Jef

[Jef]

enclosed is the reverse of the Belgian war items

Jef