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    Artist

  • Hosaeus, Hermann Kurt, 1875-1958

    • Title

  • Commemorative War Medal of the Kyffhäuser Union

    • Other Title(s)

  • Kriegsgedenkmünze des Kyffhäuserbundes

  • Physical Description

    1 medal : bronze and silk ; 5.5 x 3 cm. (2.2 x 1.2 in.), + box (13 x 7 cm.)

  • Date

    cir1921?

  • Notes

    Stored with World War I medal ribbon studs, 2012.035b, in a red leather box, which features a crown above the letter O and a perimeter of laurels in gilt.

  • Summary

    A gilt bronze oval medal. Recto: At the center of a laurel wreath border is a torn flag under the Gothic script, "Blank die Wehr rein die Ehr". To the left of the flag are the dates "1914-1918" and below are four arrows that zig-zag to represent lightning. At the bottom is the designer's name. Verso: Text inscribed in the round inside a laurel wreath perimeter reads "Für Treue im Weltkriege/Der Kyffhäuserbund". In the center between two five-point stars is the text "Aufrecht u. stolz gehen wir aus dem Kampfe den wir über vier Jahre gegen eine Welt von Feinden bestanden. Hindenburg" [Standing proudly we leave the battle which we fought, more than four years long and against the world. Hindenburg]. Attached is a black ribbon with red and white stripes.

  • Subject

    World War, 1914-1918, Medals, Germany

  • Genre

    Military decorations

  • Medium

    Medals; Objects

  • Accession Number

  • URL

Biographical/Historical Information

The War Commemorative Medal of the Kyffhäuser Union was instituted in 1921 by the Kyffhäuserbund in conjunction with the 25th jubilee of the Kyffhäuser monument in Thuringia, since the German government refused to create such an award. It was awarded to individuals for service on the frontlines and on the home front, as well as for loyal service of reservists. This post-World War I medal had to be purchased by veterans following presentation of an award document.

German sculptor Hermann Kurt Hosaeus was born in Eisenach in 1875. He was best known for his monuments, though he also designed a number of medals. He studied small-scale sculpture at the School of Applied Arts in Nuremberg for two years beginning in 1892, and spent another two years at the Munich Art Academy under Wilhelm von Rümann. In 1896, he moved to Berlin to attend the Academy of Art and he was the master student of Reinhold Begas between 1898 and 1900. His works were exhibited at the Great Berlin Art Exhibition in both 1899 and 1908. In 1918, he began lecturing at the Technical University of Berlin, later teaching as a full-time professor bettwen 1933 and 1945. Hoseaeus died in 1958.

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Citation

Hosaeus, Hermann Kurt: Commemorative War Medal of the Kyffhäuser Union, Leo Baeck Institute, 2012.035a.