Friedrich August Medal
The Friedrich August Medal (German: Friedrich-August-Medaille or Friedrich August-Medaille) was instituted on 23 April 1905 by the King of Saxony Friedrich August III. The Medal was to be awarded in recognition of meritorious service by servicemen and civil persons of similar rank in war and peace (... zur Anerkennung verdienstlicher Leistungen bei Mannschaften vom Feldwebel abwärts und diesen im Range gleichstehenden Zivilpersonen im Kriege und Frieden).
History
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The medal was awarded to NCOs (from sergeant downwards), enlisted ranks and civilians of that standing for meritorious military services for combatants as well as non-combatants. Until 1914 the ribbon had two black side stripes and a thin black middle stripe (Friedensband). For participants of WWI a clasp with "Weltkrieg 1914-16", later with "Weltkrieg 1914-18". The 37 mm yellow ribbon for combatants (Kriegsband) in WWI came with a 5 mm light blue stripe near each edge. For the Damenschleife (ladies ribbon, since 8 April 1910), worn on the left shoulder, the clasp formed an oak leaf. For those women in uniform (Red Cross nurses, for example), they received a normal ribbon as well as a Damenschleife.
- From 22 May 1916, it could be awarded with a ‘Weltkrieg 1914-1916’ bar and later, as in this example, with a ‘Weltkrieg 1914-1918’ bar, each of which were produced in different versions for awards to men and women and could be awarded on wartime or peacetime ribbons, depending upon the basis for award.
Beginning with 17 April 1915 the medal was awarded with a certificate (Verleihungsurkunde).
Description
- Obverse: The monogram of Friedrich August Rex "FAR" surmounted by a crown and surrounded by a laurel wreath.
- Reverse: The inscription "Friedrich August-Medaille" on two lines with a Saxon rue wreath (Rautenkranz) at the top and bottom.
Classes
- Bronze for enlisted men up to Gefreiter (senior to Private)
- 2,800 bronze medals with Friedensband were awarded in WWI, 1,200 of them with the clasp. Only 838 bronze Friedrich August Medals for combatants were awarded with the men's ribbon Spange or clasp.
- Silver for Unteroffizier (senior to Corporal and junior Sergeant) and Feldwebel (Sergeant)
- c. 6,900 silver medals with Friedensband were awarded in WWI, 3,100 of them with the clasp.
About 240,000 bronze medals and 100,000 silver medals were ordered between 1905 and 1918, how many, although, were exactly awarded, is not known. Higher ranks would receive the Military St. Henry Medal in Silve (Militär-St.-Heinrichs-Medaille) or even the Military Order of St. Henry (Militär-St.-Heinrichs-Orden).
Women
In WWI 449 women received the Friedrich August Medal in Silver with oak leaf clasp, 162 received the medal in Bronze with oak leaf clasp. When the gentlemen wore a dress suit with miniatures, the ladies had their bow pinned on the left shoulder.
See also
Further reading
- Jörg Nimmergut: Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, Band 3, Sachsen – Württemberg I. Zentralstelle für wissenschaftliche Ordenskunde, München 1999, ISBN 3-00-00-1396-2
