Neufchàteler Erinnerungs-Medaille

[Tom Y]

After Waterloo Neuchâtel (Neufchàtel) became a part of the German Confederation.

In 1831 Republican sentiment ran high and a mob attacked the castle. Freidrich Wilhelm III sent in troops and restored order by December of that year.

A small (25mm) medal was designed by Professor François Henri Brandt, a native of the canton, and awarded to "those who participated in the military operations and took up arms against the rebels in the year 1831 and maintained order in their communities." Only 7,006 were struck.

The arms on the obverse are those of the canton and the reverse bears the motto "Fidelite au devoir et a la patrie" and "FGIII" for Frédéric Guillaume

III (Freidrich Wilhelm III).

[VtwinVince]

Very nice, and you don't see many of these, considering the number struck. I've never seen one on a bar.

[Wild Card]

Very nice, and you don't see many of these, considering the number struck. I've never seen one on a bar.

A good point, but then we don’t see many bars with 1830’s era decorations either.

As a sidelight. As you can see in post #1, this medal has quite a distinct ribbon. I believe that this ribbon was used again

during the Third Reich for a medal which was awarded exclusively to a unit known as “The Spanish Blue Division”, which

mainly fought in Russia. What the reason, or connection, was, I do not know. Other members?

A very nice medal, Tom Y. Thank you for showing it and thanks also for the historical information on it - well done!

:cheers:

[saschaw]

Nice one and it were great if someone can come up with one on a medal bar...

I believe that this ribbon was used again during the Third Reich for a medal which was awarded exclusively to a unit known as “The Spanish Blue Division”, which mainly fought in Russia. What the reason, or connection, was, I do not know. Other members?

My best guess is there is no real connection, but the ribbon was just "free to use" as none of the 1832 were still alive in let's say 1942...

PS: I just checked it: The later ribbon is similar but the red stripes are way wider. Tom's ribbon shown here does match the WW2 medal, not the Neufchàtel medal...

Edited May 31, 2010 by saschaw

[Valter]

Also, this ribbon was very appropriate for Spanish blue division: black for death, white for snow, red for blood; also, black/white/red were german colors, and red and yellow are spanish; so the ribbon depicts german-spanish cooperation in bloody fight in deadly, cold Russia.

And yes, Tom, this is a beautiful and rare medal! Thanks for showing us!

valter

Nice one and it were great if someone can come up with one on a medal bar...

My best guess is there is no real connection, but the ribbon was just "free to use" as none of the 1832 were still alive in let's say 1942...

PS: I just checked it: The later ribbon is similar but the red stripes are way wider. Tom's ribbon shown here does match the WW2 medal, not the Neufchàtel medal...

[Claudio]

Hi everybody,

The correct spelling is "Neuchâtel". I have already seen this medal several times for sale in Switzeland; they mostly come with repro new ribbons, due to the age of such medals and ribbons. My brother has an original medal with original ribbon. Don't have a picture of it right now to show.

Here I found a description, which also confirms what Tom already wrote:

Small circular silver medal with loop for ribbon suspension; the face with the crowned arms of Neufchatel within a wreath of oak and laurel; the reverse with the crowned cipher of King Friedrich Wilhem III, circumscribed ‘FIDELITÉ AU DEVOIR ET A LA PATRIE’ (Loyalty to Duty and the Country), dated ‘1831’ at the base; diameter 24.56mm (0.97 inch); on a shortened piece of rare original ribbon. The medal was instituted by King Friedrich Wilhelm III on 18 January 1832 and awarded ‘to those who participated in the military operations and took up arms against the rebels in the year 1831 and maintained order in their communities’ (‘die an den militärischen Operationen gegen die Rebellen im Jahre 1831 teilgenommen und zur Aufrechterhaltung der Ordnung in ihren Gemeinden die Waffen ergriffen hatten’). In 1831 some of the residents of the then Prussian controlled Principality of Neufchatel (now Neuchâtel in Switzerland) participated in an uprising against heavy-handed Prussian rule. Although the uprising was put down quite quickly, Neuchâtel maintained its desire to throw off Prussian rule and was successful in 1848. The medal was designed by the Neuchâtel-born Professor François Henri Brandt and 7,006 examples in all were struck. The medal is very rare.

As you can see the above-mentioned pictured shown in the beginning of this thread is not correct, "close but no cigar". ;-)

Ciao,

Claudio

Edited August 31, 2010 by Claudio

[KDVR]

What is your opinion about this one? Copy or original? The size and the wight is corresponding to what it should be due to the catalogue. May be a heavily used one?

[KDVR]

What is your opinion about this one? The wight and the size are corresponding to what they should be due to the cataloge. May be a heavily used medal?

[Claudio]

Hi,

It looks really a bit too much used... usually the quality of the strike of these medals were quite good. If I remember correctly, there was a quite detailled article about that on a BDOS magazine (German Association of medals and orders collectors http://www.deutsche-gesellschaft-fuer-ordenskunde.de/vereinsmagazin/magazinuebersicht/ ).

ciao,

Claudio

[saschaw]

Yes there was, in volume 75. It's unfortunatly not online available.

http://www.deutsche-...azinuebersicht/

Edited June 26, 2012 by saschaw

[jshorter]

Hello everyone!

I have always loved this medal!  I have been reading a lot about it, and I have found there appears to be 2 different strikings of the medal.  One states "FIDELITÉ" and is marked "Brandt"; the other states "FIDELITE" (no accent) and is not marked "Brandt".  I have only ever seen photos of the latter version (according to; "Reference Catalogue Orders, Medals and Decorations of the World – Part II, Bronze Book", by Borna Barac).  Anyway, here's mine: