Belgium A new Belgian medal is born ...

[Hendrik]

Hello All,

Today the creation of a new Belgian medal was published in the Belgian governmental "Moniteur Belge" (Staatsblad) :

MINISTERE DE LA DEFENSE

10 FEVRIER 2008

Arr?t? royal portant ?tablissement d'une carte relative ? l'attribution du statut de reconnaissance nationale d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945 et portant cr?ation d'une m?dailleALBERT II, Roi des Belges,

A tous, pr?sents et ? venir, Salut.

Vu l'arr?t? royal du 11 octobre 2006 portant cr?ation du statut de reconnaissance nationale d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945 et plus particuli?rement son article 9 qui dispose que toute d?cision d'attribution du statut d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945 donne lieu ? l'?tablissement d'une carte de reconnaissance nationale dont le Roi d?termine le mod?le et son article 10 pr?voyant qu'il est cr?? une m?daille d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945 dont le Roi d?termine le mod?le;

Vu l'urgence motiv?e par le fait que l'arr?t? royal du 11 octobre 2006 est entr? en vigueur le 1erd?cembre 2006 et que la d?tention de la carte et le droit au port de la m?daille r?sultent de la d?cision d'attribution du statut de reconnaissance nationale prise en vertu dudit arr?t?;

Consid?rant que tout d?lai suppl?mentaire dans l'ex?cution de la mesure propos?e priverait un nombre consid?rable de titulaires du statut d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945 du droit de porter la pr?sente distinction, en raison du taux de mortalit? consid?rable qui affecte leur tranche d'?ge;

Sur la proposition de Notre Ministre de la D?fense,

Nous avons arr?t? et arr?tons :

Article 1er. Les mod?les de la carte d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945, de couleur bleue, sont annex?s au pr?sent arr?t?.

Art. 2. La carte est d?livr?e par le Ministre qui a les Victimes de la Guerre dans ses attributions.

Art. 3. Toute modification, rature, surcharge ou autre alt?ration de la carte est interdite. Elle enl?ve toute force probante ? la carte qui est r?put?e annul?e.

Art. 4. II est cr?? une m?daille d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945 que peuvent seuls porter les invalides qui font l'objet d'une reconnaissance officielle du statut d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945.

Art. 5. La m?daille est en m?tal argent? patin? mat; elle est circulaire et a 37 millim?tres de diam?tre. A l'avers, figurent, en relief, les ?l?ments suivants : au centre, de gauche ? droite, trois ba?onnettes dirig?es vers le haut et un personnage civil se dirigeant vers le c?t? droit. Ce personnage porte un chapeau et un manteau, dont le dos, constitu? de briques, se d?sagr?ge et tombe en morceaux vers le bas. Dans le premier cercle de la m?daille figurent en relief les ?l?ments suivants : en haut, au centre du cercle, qui s'entrouvre ? cet endroit, le petit sceau de l'Etat, r?duit ? l'?cu avec lion, la couronne royale et les deux sceptres, en bas, au centre, la mention 1940-1945; ? droite et ? gauche, des rameaux d'olivier, symboles de la persistance.

Au revers, elle porte les mentions suivantes : "BURGERLIJK INVALIDE VAN DE OORLOG 1940-1945", "INVALIDE CIVIL DE LA GUERRE 1940-1945", "ZIVILINVALIDE DES KRIEGES 1940-1945".

Art. 6. Le bijou est suspendu par une b?li?re ? un ruban de 37 millim?tres de large. Le ruban de moire blanche, est travers?, dans sa hauteur, au centre, par trois rayures de 3 millim?tres de largeur chacune, repr?sentant le drapeau national et en ses bords ext?rieurs par deux rayures de couleur violette, de 7 millim?tres de largeur chacune.

Le ruban peut ?tre port? sans la m?daille.

Art. 7. Ni le bijou avec la b?li?re, ni le ruban ne sont d?livr?s par le Gouvernement.

Art. 8. Notre Ministre de la D?fense est charg? de l'ex?cution du pr?sent arr?t?.

Donn? ? Bruxelles, le 10 f?vrier 2008.

ALBERT

Par le Roi :

Le Ministre de la D?fense,

P. DE CREM

Annexe ? l'arr?t? royal du 10 f?vrier 2008 portant ?tablissement d'une carte relative ? l'attribution du statut de reconnaissance nationale d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945 et portant cr?ation d'une m?daille

Pour la consultation du tableau, voir image

Vu pour ?tre annex? ? Notre arr?t? du 10 f?vrier 2008 portant ?tablissement d'une carte relative ? l'attribution du statut de reconnaissance nationale d'invalide civil de la guerre 1940-1945 et portant cr?ation d'une m?daille.

ALBERT

Par le Roi :

Le Ministre de la D?fense,

P. DE CREM

Publi? le : 2008-03-03

Short description as per the above :

- round medal in silvered metal, patinated, matt, 37mm

- obverse : from left to right, 3 bajonets pointing upwards and a civilian walking to the right; this civilian wears a hat and a coat, the latter's back being formed of bricks that are breaking up and falling downwards; around the rim is a circle which opens up for the following : at the top the seal of the nation (lion on a shield with the royal crown above and with crossed sceptres lying undereneath); along the bottom rim : 1940-1945, left and right along the rim a laurel branch symbolising persistance.

- reverse : the inscriptions "BURGERLIJK INVALIDE VAN DE OORLOG 1940-1945", "INVALIDE CIVIL DE LA GUERRE 1940-1945", "ZIVILINVALIDE DES KRIEGES 1940-1945" (Civil Invalid of the 1940-1945 War)

- ribbon : 37mm wide, white moir?, with, in the middle, horizontal tricolour stripes in the national colours (black, yellow, red) and 7 mm violet vertical side stripes.

... better late than never !

Cheers,

Hendrik

Edited March 3, 2008 by Hendrik

[Megan]

Thanks for that... will add it to the website when I get home.

[Hendrik]

... and it's supposed to look something like this :

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Kev in Deva]

For Belgian Civilian War Wounded ??

Will it be given by the Government or do the recipients

have to buy it themselves at their own expence ??

Kevin in Deva.

[Hendrik]

Hello Kevin,

The few surviving invalids concerned will only receive an "Invalid's Card" attesting to their statute of WW2 Civilian Invalid ... the medal, when it eventually becomes available, will have to be purchased by them as per usual.

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Ed_Haynes]

A well-earned medal with a silly design. Can't be many remaining to get it though?

[Hendrik]

Hello Ed,

Indeed, there can only be the proverbial handful left for this medal to be awarded to. The design seems to want to show off Belgium as the land of comic strips and cartoonists ! It's all in the eye of the beholder I guess

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Paul R]

It is a rather comical looking man. It reminds me of "Spy v/s Spy" comics.

I am disappointed that the Belgian government is requiring these people to pay out of pocket for these. Surely they are taxed well enough.

[Laurence Strong]

It is a rather comical looking man. It reminds me of "Spy v/s Spy" comics.

I am disappointed that the Belgian government is requiring these people to pay out of pocket for these. Surely they are taxed well enough.

That's the Belgian way....

Edited March 3, 2008 by Laurence Strong

[Ulsterman]

yee Gods- 45 years too late and the worst design I have ever seen. Why not just have a wounded smurf instead?

[Kev in Deva]

yee Gods- 45 years too late and the worst design I have ever seen. Why not just have a wounded smurf instead?

or a Rin Tin Tin medal in bitter dark chocolate,

honestly its easy to see the person who designed this

and the people who approved it's design

have no idea what the victims went through back in WW2!!!

Bad enough then they survivors are expected to pay for the medal

Kevin in Deva.

[Ed_Haynes]

Again, we confront the standard Western European approach -- we awarded you a nice piece of paper, now run along and buy your medal if you want one. (Good news for the jewelers and their design inventiveness.)

Not everyone awards nicely named or numbered awards.

[Ulsterman]

Again, we confront the standard Western European approach -- we awarded you a nice piece of paper, now run along and buy your medal if you want one. (Good news for the jewelers and their design inventiveness.)

Not everyone awards nicely named or numbered awards.

...true, true ... but they are fools.

Anyone who spent 10 minutes on-line would realize that there is a thriving and indeed, rich antiques and higher art community craving these historical tidbits.... and willing to pay top dollar to obtain them.

as an aside, art imitate life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MAYrF1PDks

Edited March 3, 2008 by Ulsterman

[love4history]

Kuddoos on the (albeit) late recognition and the addition of a new medal for us to collect... as for the design... can't really imagine this becoming one of my favourites though... Thanks for the information Hendrik!

[Guest Rick Research]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii !!!!!

There goes Belgium's Best Designs In The World title.

Is the BACK any better?

Godawful.

[Hendrik]

Is the BACK any better?

Hello Rick,

I guess the answer must be yes : plain with only the inscriptions ...

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Hendrik]

Hello All,

... and here it is, in full colour

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Megan]

Hmmm. Not sure about the cartoon-y little man... but may I have your permission to use the picture, please, Hendrik?

[Guest Rick Research]

:speechless:

That has GOT to be in the running for the WORST Design Ever, globally.

It's beyond embarassing, shameful, and disgraceful. It's actually insulting

Assuming there is some 90 year old person blinded in an air raid or a then-small child run over by a Panzer and left double amputee for going on 70 years... what a horrible horrible THING to "recognize" their ruined lives.

The designer and everyone who approved this need to be :violent:

[Hendrik]

Dear Megan,

PM sent ...

-------------------

Hello Rick,

I understand what you're saying but have to disagree somewhat (not entirely !) : designwise a better choice could certainly be made but what I've seen of modern manufactured medals from other countries isn't all that great either at times.

Tastes differ from person to person ... personally (and chosen randomly, no hard feelings on the French at all !) I dislike this one designwise, others will no doubt have a different view :

As to this Belgian cartoon-like medal, I don't like it much either but I do appreciate the symbolism of the figure's coat falling apart ... So, I'd say don't shoot the artist but aim for the politician and civil servant(s) that approved the design !

One thing I'm sure about : the award is made available far too late and is supposed to be bought by the recipient him/herself. Thank you grateful fatherland : that truly is disgusting !

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Christophe]

Hi Hendrik,

You position and feeling is quite close to the one I expressed in the French Forum

Cheers.

Ch.

[Megan]

May I ask a silly question?

What is the third language used in the inscription on the reverse? French and Flemish and ???

[Christophe]

Hi Megan,

Looks liKe German, but maybe a local version of flemish...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Hendrik]

Hello Megan & Christophe,

It is German, the 3rd official language of this tiny country next to Flemish (Dutch) and French.

Cheers,

Hendrik