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Wishing the “old good” Tore a great recovery, let me show you in the meantime another piece of my collection. It is nothing spectacular….The following medal was made in the 30’s. it was in a group of Medals and “Ordensspangen”, that I got. I have to admit, I didn’t pay much attention to it. When I started looking for some information about this medal, I could hardly find any other in the market, just one in a Leipziger Auktionhaus. This doesn’t mean, it is an expensive decoration, it is not.

This Medal would be the 1655 – 1930 Erinnerungsmedaille des Grenadier-Regiments Kronprinz (1.Ostpreußisches) Nr. 1. This is one of many medals made after the war to commemorate some Regiments. After the war, there were hundreds or even thousands veteran groups and associations all over Germany, which created their own commemorative medals. Maybe the defeat made some soldiers from the same regiment, to come together closer, just like family. There were almost as many commemorative medals as regiments. Some of those unofficial decorations were very similar, if not the same, what just changed was the name of the Regiment in a clasp in the band.

To be honest, I do not have any information more about this medal. The only one, that I found, was with a Band with the Empire Colours (black, white and red). So at this point, I am going to talk a bit about the Regiment.

It was founded already in 1655 by the Boguslav von Schwering. The Unit, with its different names during its History, saw action against half of Europe at some stage: against Sweden or against (and for) France, against Austria, etc. The list of Battles, where the Regiment participated between 1655 and 1914, is quite long. You find a nice summary of them in the book “Traditions of the Imperial German Infantry Regiments”, written by “our” Chris Dale.

The Grenadier-Regiments Kronprinz (1.Ostpreußisches) Nr. 1was stationed in Königsberg, Ostpreußen. It was part of the 1st Division, also placed in Königsberg.

This Division took part in the very famous battle of Tannenberg, contributing to the destruction of the 2nd Russian Army.

The Regiment was going to be in the East Front also during 1915, participating in the The Gorlice–Tarnów offensive, also in the Karpathen, Galizen, etc.

In 1916, the Division moved to France and from April until July, it would take part in the Hell of the Battle of Verdun (big June offensive against the Fort Vaux).

It wouldn’t take long to go back to the East Front, to fight against the Russian army, which made their last massive effort of the war: The Brussilow Offensive.

It remained in this Front and also in Romania until the end of 1917, the time it was transferred again to the Western Front.

During the Spring offensive, the division was in the Somme Area until July, to be sent to Rheims. Their final days of war, the Division was in the Rocroi Area.

As I said before, there were almost as many commemorative medals as regiments.

Source:

Leipziger Münzhandlung und Auktion Heidrun Höhn e.K

“Traditions of the Imperial German Infantry Regiments” (Chris Dale).

Map from http://www.tannenberg1914.de/

Foto from “The German Infantry from 1871 to 1914” (Ulrich Herr, Jens Nguyen)

Histories of the 251 Divisions of the German Army, which participated in the War 1914-1918