Prussian Krieger-Verdienstmedaille

[RAO]

And a original case for the medal from last model.

[RAO]

and now open

[RAO]

The case is manufactured like the cases to the KRO and RAO medals.

Greeting Mike

[pinpon590]

Hello !

I have 2 questions :

1/ On the picture, "KVM" is for "Kriegsverdienst-Medaille" or Kriegerverdienst-Medaille" ?

2/ I don't unterstand : only austrian attributions or all foreign attributions ??

Thank oyu !

[saschaw]

Thanks for the addet pictures, all very nice stuff. @stogie: I posted them several times on German forums and here wasn't yet a issue it would have fittet. Though they're no generals with dozends of shiny awards they're two of my favourite photos in my tiny collection.

1/ On the picture, "KVM" is for "Kriegsverdienst-Medaille" or Kriegerverdienst-Medaille" ?

2/ I don't unterstand : only austrian attributions or all foreign attributions ??

It's always "Krieger-Verdienstmedaille". The table is only about awards to Austrians in WWI, so not a complete number.

It should be mentioned that this medal was awarded in both gold and silver grades.

NOOOO it shouldn't, please keep these out of here, as _now_ it might get confusing...

What you show are "Deutsche Krieger-Verdienstmedaillen", instituted as an award of the German Reich (not Prussia!) in 1892. Those were awarded only to black soldiers, later as well black police men in the German colonies. Those were awarded in four classes - 1st class in gold, 1st class in silver, 2nd class in gold, 2nd class in silver - and are exceptional rare. You show the two second classes, the first classes are larger and show Kaiser Wilhelm with Latin inscript on the averse. The funny thing is that the lowest class of those is exactly the same as the Prussian medal is, so if you have lose ones you can choose what they are, e.g. sellers decide for the medal of "Deutsches Reich".

Edited August 19, 2012 by Dave Danner

[paddywhack]

sorry for the reaaalllllly stupid question but what were these award for?was it state service for the old style ones(of which i have one!) and the new ones for combat in ww1? sorry for my lack of knowledge im only getting getting back into impy stuff now!!!!!

[pinpon590]

So, if I have understood :

There is two "Kriegerverdienstmedaille" :

1/ the latest : the "Preussische Kriegerverdienstmedaille" created in 1835 who exist in 2 models :

- 1835-1872 with "FW III R" monogram, medal in silver

- 1872-1918 with "WR" monogram, also in silver

- awarded to foreigners.

2/ the "Deutsche Kriegerverdienstmedaille", created in 1892, who exist with 2 classes and 2 ranks :

- 1st class, gold medal : "Guilelmus II Imperator" and "Kriegerverdienst" on the other side, golden silver

- 1st class, silver medal, same inscriptions, but in silver

- 2nd class, gold medal : monogram "WR" and "Kriegerverdienst" on the other side, gold or golden silver

- 2nd class, silver medal, same inscriptions, but only in silver...

- awarded to police's forces and german's forces on german colonies.

One question again : it's really impossible to differentiate a "Preussische KVM" and a "Deutsche KVM, 2nd class silver medal" ???

Mine seems to be in white-metal (end of war or copy ?), photo is a very very clear, sorry...

And, according to OEK, there is a variant of the KVM written "Kriegs Verdienst"... So like the 2nd class military honor insignia !

Second question : how differentiate a KVM "Kriegs-Verdienst" and a MEZ 2 ???? (size ? metal ?)

Best greetings !

Edited May 22, 2008 by pinpon590

[pinpon590]

And does anyone have any good pictures of the "Deutsche Kriegerverdienstmedaille" (the 4 classes) ?

I search illustrations on the web, but I don't found...

[Komtur]

One question again : it's really impossible to differentiate a "Preussische KVM" and a "Deutsche KVM, 2nd class silver medal" ???

Second question : how differentiate a KVM "Kriegs-Verdienst" and a MEZ 2 ???? (size ? metal ?)

First question: as I understand it - no.

Second question: they are different in size (25 mm vs. 40 mm)

Pictures of the German Kriegerverdientsmedaille 1st class gold (silver gild) and 1st class in silver (for the 2nd class in gold and silver see Wild Cards pic):

Edited August 19, 2012 by Dave Danner
fix quote tags

[Stogieman]

Great thread folks, I am learning a lot about these very rare pieces!! Thanks!

[Wild Card]

NOOOO it shouldn't, please keep these out of here, as _now_ it might get confusing...

What you show are "Deutsche Krieger-Verdienstmedaillen", instituted as an award of the German Reich (not Prussia!) in 1892. Those were awarded only to black soldiers, later as well black police men in the German colonies. Those were awarded in four classes - 1st class in gold, 1st class in silver, 2nd class in gold, 2nd class in silver - and are exceptional rare. You show the two second classes, the first classes are larger and show Kaiser Wilhelm with Latin inscript on the averse. The funny thing is that the lowest class of those is exactly the same as the Prussian medal is, so if you have lose ones you can choose what they are, e.g. sellers decide for the medal of "Deutsches Reich".

I apologize for possibly throwing us off track with my post. My point was to bring attention to the fact that there are legitimate gold versions of this medal - albeit issued for a different reason, which you have very accurately explained. Occasionally, we encounter unofficially gilded medals such as the W?rttemberg Carl-Olga which was recently posted (http://gmic.co.uk/in...c=27742&hl=Olga). Aside from that one, I have an unofficially gilded Hannoverian 1841-66 General decoration for Civil Service medal. I just wanted to alert our fellow members to the possibility that if they encounter a ?Kriegerverdienstmedaille? in gold, not to discount it as a privately/unofficially gilded, ?never existed?, award.

Actually, I think that your explanation was very timely and necessary to fully explain this strange situation; I do not think that I could have done it myself, thank you.

Best wishes,

Wild Card

P.S. pinpon590 - Post #32, I think you?ve got it, great job. Thanks.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Dave Danner
fix quote tags and missing icons

[pinpon590]

Thank you Will !

So I possess this one and I always thought it was a variant of MEZ2, with a small diameter (diam = 25mm)...

Now, I realize that it's the variant "Kriegs-Verdienst" of the (Deutsche) KVM... OEK 3277

Very interresting thread !

Edited May 22, 2008 by pinpon590

[Wild Card]

RAO!

I meant to mention it before - that Russian coinage medal is fantastic.

Do you know if these medals were actually minted in Russia or did they get this name because they were minted in Prussia and the majority of them were issued to Russians?

Switching gears. ?All together now?.

[christerd]

Just bought one !

While looking for Bulgarian Medals I found this little group with the Krieger Verdienst Med

Since there where about 7000 issued to Austrians I wonder how many could have been awarded to the quite small Bulgarian Army in WW1 ?

I love it already..... my preciousssssssssssssssssss

Christer

Edited May 25, 2008 by christerd

[christerd]

And the backside of the group (seller pics)

Christer

[caleb]

Hi, do anybody know, how many "Krieger verdienst" medals were awarded overall (to all german allies)?

Edited May 28, 2008 by caleb

[christerd]

Now my medal has arrived and it so

It is an Bulgarian Group to an NCO, and the funny thing is that I was looking for Bulgarian medals and found the two other Bulgarian ones and

got this one as a odd geman one. I dindn?t even know what it was....

And now I fall in love This small group has a lot of character and I wonder if there is any chance to find out how many was awarded to the quite small Bulgarian Army in First World War?

Christer

[christerd]

Now my medal has arrived and it so

It is an Bulgarian Group to an NCO, and the funny thing is that I was looking for Bulgarian medals and found the two other Bulgarian ones and

got this one as a odd geman one. I dindn?t even know what it was....

And now I fall in love This small group has a lot of character and I wonder if there is any chance to find out how many was awarded to the quite small Bulgarian Army in First World War?

Christer

[christerd]

And here is the two Bulgarian medals to make this small group complete

It did cost me ? of a USSR Red Banner , but it was worth it I think

Christer

[christerd]

And here is the two Bulgarian medals to make this small group complete

It did cost me ? of a USSR Red Banner , but it was worth it I think

Christer

The First one is ten years of service for an NCO and this one is Military Merit VI class for NCO

[Stogieman]

outstanding.... exactly what it should be and oh so nice with the other 2 pieces.... outstanding!

[ccj]

First question: as I understand it - no.

Second question: they are different in size (25 mm vs. 40 mm)

Pictures of the German Kriegerverdientsmedaille 1st class gold (silver gild) and 1st class in silver (for the 2nd class in gold and silver see Wild Cards pic):

I've never seen nor heard of these medals. Terrific subject and very educational.

[scottplen]

here one i found online thought about picking it up! what do you guys think!

so it should not be paired with ek2? these medals always confused me!!!

[scottplen]

heres back

[Guest Rick Research]

That had a WW1 Gold Military Merit Cross-- the "Pour le Merite for enlisted men" unclipped, removed, and switched for this. I can't tell from the blotted out seller name cover, but it looks as if some moron BROKE the clip to bend it down to "fit" this incorrect medal, thus wrecking the medal bar, too. :banger: