✚11347✚ German Prussian pre WW1 Warrior Merit Medal KRIEGERVERDIENST 1873 vers.

Original German / Prussian Warrior Merit Medal ("Preussische Kriegerverdienstmedaille"), 1873 pattern, "KRIEGER VERDIENST, IN GOOD WORN CONDITION, ON NEW RIBBON, DIAMATER: cca 25 mm

HISTORY OF THE AWARD:

Prussian Warrior Merit Medal ("Preussische Kriegerverdienstmedaille") had previously been awarded to soldiers of countries allied to Prussia, and was thus often awarded to soldiers of other German states during the Wars of Unification, Colonial Campaigns and First World War and to servicemen of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Bulgarian armies during the First World War. In 1889, Unteroffizier Chamba Wadi Hamit became the first African soldier to be decorated in German service when he was awarded the Prussian Military Honour Decoration ("Militärehrenzeichen"), second class for bravery during the Abushiri Rebellion in German East Africa. Soon after, the commander of the German forces in East Africa, Hermann von Wissmann suggested the permanent establishment of a bravery award for African soldiers in German service. In 1892 a new Imperial German (rather than only Prussian) Warriors Merit Medal was instituted as an award for bravery for the askaris of East Africa. On 25th March 1893 the award was extended to non-European troops in the Schutztruppe and Polizeitruppe of all colonies. The new German War Merit Medal was identical in appearance to the previous Prussian award. It consisted of  a circular polished steel medal with a stylised "WR" monogram surmounted by a Prussian crown on the obverse and the motto "Krieger Verdienst" within a laurel wreath on the reverse. Some surviving medal bars show the Warriors Merit Medal worn reversed with the "Krieger Verdienst" showing rather than the monogram. Some Prussian Warriors Merit Medals have been seen with the slightly different motto "Kriegs Verdienst". The ribbon was vertically striped black/white/black/white/black, similar to that worn with the Iron Cross. The first class award differed in that the obverse bore a profile portrait of Kaiser Wilhelm II in Garde du Corps uniform, surrounded by the title "Guilelmus II Imperator". It was also noticeably larger with a diameter of 4cm rather than 2.5cm for the second class. In 1895 a "Gold" class of the medal was instituted. Aside from being in bronze it was identical to the silver medal in both the a larger first class and the smaller second class awards. Between 1892 and 1914, 1,491 Warriors Merit Medals were awarded to non-European troops in the Schutztruppe and Polizeitruppe. A further 2,425 of various classes were sent aboard the "Marie" blockade running ship to German East Africa in 1916 for awards to askaris during the First World War.