WW1 Commemorative Medals of the Central Powers

[Fritz]

Three still quite common commemorative medals of the Great War, issued by Germany's allies. These were all issued post war in the late 1920s and 1930s, Bulgaria even awarded these during the early 1940s.

 

The first medal is a commemorative medal for 1914-18 from the First Austrian Republic (Deutschösterreich) of semi-official status. After 1918 the Austrian Empire split up. This medal was also worn with crossed swords on the ribbon, and more rarely, crossed swords mounted on the ring.

 

Hungary became a titular monarchy in the absence of a monarch, and ruled by Reichsverweser Admiral Horthy, formerly of the Austrian k.u.k. Kriegsmarine. The second decoration is Hungarian, and has the motto on the reverse PRO DEO ET PATRIA; retaining the custom of the latin inscription from imperial days.

 

The third medal is the Bulgarian Kriegserinnerungsmedaille, 1915-18, as Bulgaria entered the war in the second year. This medal was produced under contract by a firm in Switzerland. Each medal was awarded with a decorative certificate in cyrillic lettering. German veterans, who were entitled to this, had to order this at their own cost. Bulgaria remained a monarchy until 1944. These examples are all on the Austrian trifold style of ribbon mounting, which did not apply to Germany.