The Kaiser's men’s medals

[TabsTabs1964]

The Kaiser's men’s medals (and Homelands)

Some time ago acquiring this postcard for my collection. It’s a small piece of art on paper that someone used on April 21, 1916



It’s an incredible postcard: the oak leaf border is in relief, also all the coats of arms of the German states of the Empire, and with even greater relief, the golden medallion with the bust of William II surrounded by the legend "WILHELM II DEUTSCHER KAISER KONIG VON PREUSSEN.

[TabsTabs1964]

The first thing I did was identify the coats of arms of all the members of the German Empire after the unification of Germany in 1871, under the first emperor of the Second German Reich, Kaiser Wilhelm I.



Turning clockwise, they are:

1 Königreich Sachsen
2 Königreich Württemberg
3 Herzogtum Anhalt
4 Herzogtum Braunschweig
5 Grossherzogtum Mecklenburg Schwerin
6 Herzogtum Sachsen Coburg-Gotha
7 Fürstentum Schaumburg Lippe
8 Fürstentum Schwarzburg Sonderhausen
9 Fürstentum Gera
10 Fürstentum Lippe
11 Herzogtum Sachsen Altenburg
12 Reichsland Lothringen
13 Freie und Hansestadt Bremen
14 Freie und Hansestadt Lübeck
15 Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg
16 Reichsland Elsass
17 Grossherzogtum Hessen
18 Fürstentum Gera
19 Fürstentum Waldeck Pyrmont
20 Fürstentum Schwarzburg Rudolstadt
21 Grossherzogtum Sachsen Weimar Eisenach
22 Grossherzogtum Oldenburg
23 Herzogtum Sachsen Meiningen
24 Grossherzogtum Mecklenburg Strelitz
25 Grossherzogtum Baden
26 Königreich Preussen
27 Königreich Bayern

[TabsTabs1964]

When I saw that figure of Kaiser Wilhelm II, surrounded by the coats of arms, I immediately thought that it might be interesting to put in one place a brief description of what those territories were like and where they were.

Also, who were its rulers during the First World War; how important these territories were in Imperial Germany and what military units they contributed to the Kaiser's Army.

Finally, what was the most significant decoration with which the different members of the Empire awarded their soldiers.


This other postcard from the time has a similar content, although artistically it is not up to par with mine.

Well, the story will have to be told from the beginning,....

[Chopperman]

That's a very cool postcard.
I''ve never seen one quite like it.

[TabsTabs1964]

The beginning of the story.

I suppose it all started after the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 when on January 18, 1871 in the hall of mirrors of the Palace of Versailles, the rest of the German kings, princes and rulers proclaimed the King of Prussia, William I, as German Emperor, that is, Kaiser.


Wilhelm I King of Prussia receiving Napoleon's III surrender in 1870 after the Battle of Sedan


Wilhelm I King of Prussia





A new stage of History begins. That of the Second German Reich

[TabsTabs1964]

The members of the German Empire:

Four Kingdoms: Prussia, Saxony, Wurttemberg and Bavaria.

Six Grand Duchies: Baden, Oldenburg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Hesse and Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach.

Five Duchies: Brunswick, Anhalt, Saxony-Coburg-Gotha, Saxony-Meiningen and Saxony-Altenburg.

Seven Principalities: Waldeck-Pyrmont, Lippe, Schaumburg-Lippe, Reuss-Gera, Reuss-Greiz, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen.

Three Free Cities: Hamburg, Bremen and Lubeck.

One Imperial Territory: Alsace-Lorraine (with self-government)

Some of the German states were large territories and their capitals were already large cities. However, others, especially the so-called Thuringian microstates, were very small places dominated by a castle on top of a mountain, with some small towns, hamlets and farms around them. But all of them had their king, prince or duke; a government and a constitution

German states and their capitals
Prussia, Berlin
Bavaria, Munich
Saxony, Dresden
Württemberg, Stuttgart
Baden, Karlsruhe
Hesse, Darmstadt
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Neustrelitz
Oldenburg, Oldenburg
Saxony Weimar Eisenach, Weimar
Anhalt, Dessau
Brunswick, Brunswick
Saxony-Altenburg, Altenburg
Saxony Coburg Gotha, Coburg
Saxony Meiningen, Meiningen
Lippe, Detmold
Reuss Gera, Gera
Reuss Greiz, Greiz
Schaumburg-Lippe, Bückeburg
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Rudolstadt
Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen, Sonderhausen
Waldeck-Pyrmont, Arolsen
Hamburg
Bremen
Lübeck
Alsace-Lorena, Strasbourg



The German imperial parliament.

The German imperial parliament was structured in the Constitution of 1871, in the form of a bicameral system, composed of the Reichstag of 397 deputies, distributed among the states of the Empire in proportion to their population; and the Bundesrat, with 61 territorial representatives.


Reichstag in session, 1889

[TabsTabs1964]

The German Imperial Army (Kaiser Wilhelm II era)



But let's see how the imperial army was formed 43 years after the Kaiser's proclamation. It was the year 1914, just before the cannons of August began to launch their storms of steel. The Kaiser was then William II, grandson of the one whom the German rulers proclaimed in the conquered palace of Versailles.


Parade im Lustgarten 9.2.1894

The German Imperial Army, which was structured on a territorially based regimental unit, was formed at the beginning of the First World War by 218 infantry regiments, 110 cavalry regiments, 101 field artillery regiments, and 25 heavy artillery regiments.


There were 218 Infantry Regiments


There were 110 Cavalry Regiments


There were 101 field Artillery Regiments and 25 heavy Artillery Regiments.

Well, my intention over the next few weeks is to share state by state a little information about each of them, their political and military importance in the German Empire and their best-known military decoration from the time of the First World War.
In honor of the Prussian order and discipline, I will follow the alphabetical order.

I hope you like it friends.

[TabsTabs1964]

ANHALT.

Anhalt was a German Duchy (Herzogtum Anhalt) located in central Germany, between the Harz Mountains and the Elbe River.


Herzogtum Anhalt

Its population of 328,000 inhabitants extended over a discontinuous territory of 2,300 km2 (divided into two larger portions and five exclaves). Its capital was the city of Dessau, which currently has a population of 78,000.


Dessau

Its form of government was that of a constitutional monarchy. The executive power is held by the Duke. During the First World War there were three successive Dukes of Anhalt: Frederick II (1904 – 22 April 1918) married Marie of Baden; Edward (April 21 – September 13, 1918), younger brother of the above; and Joachin Ernst (13 September to 12 November 1918), son of the former and Duke during his minority. He abdicated with the German Revolution of 1919.


Friedrich II Herzog von Anhalt

After the defeat of 1918 and the Revolution of 1919, the Duchy was abolished, becoming the Free State of Anhalt during the period of the Weimar Republic. After the Second World War, the territory came under Soviet occupation and in 1947, when the GDR was formed, it became part of the Land of Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt) which was divided into two territories in 1952. After the reunification of 1990, the Land of Saxony-Anhalt was one of the sixteen German Länder, with Magdeburg as its capital.

To determine what this state contributed to the Empire, we must know

ITS POLITICAL WEIGHT.
The German imperial parliament was structured in the Constitution of 1871, in the form of a bicameral system, composed of the Reichstag of 397 deputies, divided among the states of the Empire in proportion to their population; and the Bundesrat, with 61 territorial representatives
Anhalt contributed 2 deputies to the Reichstag and 1 territorial representative to the Bundesrat.

ITS MILITARY CONTRIBUTION.
At the beginning of World War I, the Imperial German Army, which was structured on the basis of a regimental unit based on territory, consisted of 218 infantry, 110 cavalry, 101 field artillery and 25 heavy artillery regiments.
Anhalt contributed an infantry regiment to the Kaiserliches Heer.

[TabsTabs1964]

DECORATION.

The Friedrich-Kreuz 1914.



The Friedrich Cross was instituted on 12 December 1914 by Duke Frederick II of Anhalt. It was awarded for war merits, without distinction of rank, to the winners of the Prussian Iron Cross.

It’s a 36.4 mm. dark bronze cross with a crown of oak leaves between the arms that overlaps the horizontal ones; on its obverse with a small circular central medallion with the monogram of Duke Frederick II (an "F" in Gothic script), the crown of Anhalt on the upper arm, the date "1914" on the lower arm; on its reverse, on its large central medallion inscribed the legend "Für Verdienst im Kriege" (For War Merits). The combatant ribbon is green with red side stripes; For other merits (non-combatants) it is green with white side stripes.
About 18,000 were awarded.


EK2 1914 - FK1914


EK2 1914 - FK1914 - Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914-1918

[TabsTabs1964]

BADEN.

Baden was a German Grand Duchy (Grossherzogtum Baden) located in southwestern Germany, on the banks of the Elbe.


Gross Herzogtum Baden

Its population of just over 2,000,000 inhabitants extended over a discontinuous territory of 15,000 km2. Its capital was the city of Karlsruhe, which currently has a population of 300,000.


Karlsruhe

Its form of government was that of a constitutional monarchy. The Grand Duke holds executive power. During World War I, the Grand Duke of Baden was Frederick II (reigned from 28 September 1907 to 22 November 1918). He abdicated with the German Revolution of 1919.


Friedrich II Grossherzog von Baden

After the defeat of 1918 and the Revolution of 1919, the Duchy was abolished, becoming the Land of Baden during the period of the Weimar Republic. After World War II, the southern part of the territory came under French occupation forming the state of Baden and the northern part, under American occupation, was merged with the southern part of Württemberg-Baden. In 1952 the two territories merged to form the current Land of Baden-Württemberg, one of the sixteen German Länder, with Karlsruhe as its capital.

To determine what this state contributed to the Empire, we must know

ITS POLITICAL WEIGHT.
The German imperial parliament was structured in the Constitution of 1871, in the form of a bicameral system, composed of the Reichstag of 397 deputies, divided among the states of the Empire in proportion to their population; and the Bundesrat, with 61 territorial representatives
Baden contributed 14 deputies to the Reichstag and 3 territorial representatives to the Bundesrat.

ITS MILITARY CONTRIBUTION.
The Imperial German Army, which was structured on the basis of a territorially based regimental unit, was formed at the beginning of the First World War by: 218 infantry, 110 cavalry, 101 field artillery and 25 heavy artillery regiments.
Baden contributed 9, 3, 5 and 1 respectively to Kaiserliches Heer.