Last Week I showed you an 1870/1871 Bavarian Veteran Medal Bar and I mentioned a couple of times, it was a big mistake to let it go. This was the main reason to get another Bavarian “Ordensspange” from that war into the collection. So here we go.
It contains the following decorations:
– Jubiläumsmedaille für die Armee 1905.
– Kriegsdenkmünze für Kämpfer 1870/1871, with the following „Spange“.
o Paris
– Dienstauszeichnungskreuz 2. Klasse für 24 Jahre.
– Kaiser Wilhelm I. Erinnerungsmedaille 1897.
Having a look at his “Paris” Spange, we could say, that he arrived in France in the last few moments of the War, when the French armies were almost defeated and Paris was surrounded by the Prussian (and other States) Troops.
As explained previously, in December 1870, the Bavarian I Army Corps was south of Paris, fighting the enemy nearby Orleans. Their Equipment was already much damaged, in fact, many troops did not even have boots. They returned to Paris on the 24th of December 1870. The much-needed rest, that they needed and requested at the beginning of that month. Even with those difficulties, they (along other troops from other States) fought hard and kept away the French to reach Paris.
I guess, “our” man here would arrive as reserve in December 1870 or January 1871 and would be posted in Paris. We have to remember, that by then Paris was totally encircled with constant shots between the 2 enemies.
On the 18th of January, the German Empire was proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles and a few days later, the peace negotiations started between France and Prussia.
We can say, having a look at the rest of the medals, that this person stayed in the Army or involved in the army, at least until 1905, when he received the Jubiläumsmedaille, and by then, he would have been no less than 24 years as officer. I supposed, this person was 20 years old, when he joined the Army and marched to Paris, this means, that it is quit probable, he may be still in the Army at the age of 55, when he received the first Medal.
To finalize about this Medal Bar, coincidence or not, I got it in Ebay France. From France back to Bavaria, like the soldiers in May 1871.
Sources:
Foto from Wikipedia.
Foto from „Der Leiber“.
Geschichte des königlich bayerischen Infanterie-Leib-Regiments von seiner Errichtung bis zur Rückkehr aus dem Feldzüge 1870/1871 (Pages 115 and 119)