Minden Franco Prussian Medal

Minden, Germany Franco Prussian War Medal

After the Franco Prussian War of 1870-71 the various German states issued war service medals to their troops. Each state at the time had their own ruler, coins and currency, postal system and military units. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the war many of the local communities and organizations decided to honor their veterans with their own medals. I published a trial list of these medals several years ago and the list continues to grow. Recently an unusual medal from Minden turned up. At first glance it looks like a monument dedication medal but the legend tells a different story. The medal is lead based pewter, 39.2 mm in diameter. The obverse depicts a monument that is also pictured on the Google site. The double legend ,"SEINEN I. D. KRIEGE 1870-71 GEBLIEBENEN SOHNE DER KREIS MINDEN" which translates Minden's fallen sons in the war of 1870-71. The reverse has a wreath around the inscription "ZUR ERINNERUNG AN DEN 24. AUG. 1870" which translates in commemoration on the 24th of August 1870. The date looks like 1870 but the engraving is poorly done or the die was rusty and the year could actually be 1879 which would make more sense. In any event this could have been intended as a next-of-kin medal.