The Lowdown on the Low Country

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 8:25pm #1

Belgium, most recently in the news for breaking the world record in government formation...ironically the motto of the country is "strength through unity". These days - anything but.
But...the place does have a rich history. Colonialism, two worlds wars, Korea, Nato HQ means a wealth of military awards and medals and mostly quite affordable. Throw the monarchy into the mix and you have knighthoods and civilian merit awards.

So below in this thread, some of the items I have collected on that country.

Il y a en Belgique, des Wallons et des Flamands; Il n'y a pas de Belges.
- Jules Destree

In Belgium, there are Walloons and Flemish. There are no Belgians.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 8:26pm

The commemoration medal of WW2 - this version, judging buy the tags on the ribbon, was awarded to a resistance fighter.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 8:30pm

The award to the political prisoner of WW2, the stars on the ribbon bar signify the length of time detained, each star equivalent to 6 months.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 8:34pm

This cross was awarded to persons deported during WW1 for forced labour. The horizontal arms of the cross bear the years of conflict 1914-1918.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 8:45pm

Awarded to the defenders of the city of Liege. the front contains the text "la ville de liége a ses vaillants defenseurs" - Liege and its valiant defenders.
The rear depicts a rather apocalyptic scene from the front line.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 8:48pm

Awarded to persons that volunteered for military service during WW2. The front side bears a volunteer with a backdrop of a large "V" (Vrijwilliger = Volunteer)

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 8:54pm

The centenary medal from foundation of the state in 1830 to first century celebrations of 1930. It show three Kings in profile, Leopold I, Leopold II (he of Congo infamy) and Albert I. The ribbon displays the national colours.

Just love the patina on this one, it was worth buying for that alone.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 8:59pm

The Order of Leopold II, in this case the variant is for a Knight. Crossed swords mean it was awarded during wartime.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 9:03pm

Awarded for bravery in the face of the enemy. If the deed was mentioned in the military dispatches, then a bronze palm was appended to the ribbon.

Jagdtiger · 03-07-2011 9:39pm

Some very nice medals there with great designs!

I've always wanted to get some more Belgian medals, but ended up getting

swept up into German imperialism.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 9:43pm

There will be more in the days ahead

Just picked up a batch and photographed them all!

Polish stuff - that is another country I want to collect more of.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:09pm

The Yser campaign medal from 1914 whereby the "race to the sea" was brought to an abrupt end and four years of stalemate and slaughter set in.

One of my favorite items, it is both ugly and strangely beautiful at the same time;

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:12pm

Awarded for acts of resistance to the occupying forces in 1940-1945. The ribbon colour is symbolic - black for occupation, red for the blood shed, green for hope.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:17pm

Commemorates the conflict of 1914 -1918 and awarded under the same conditions as the victory medal. I have two of these with different patinas.

Shiny like new:

Like an old copper 2 pence coin:

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:19pm

Awarded to those that came under fire on the front line. There are three versions of this medal, but the differences are very slight. It is a good solid piece, quite heavy and chunky.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:22pm

Standard allied WW1 victory medal with image of Victory with wings outstretched. As usual of the propaganda of the time, it was not a conflict, but the "big war for civilisation". This text is standard on the allied vitory medals.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:25pm

Medal for the deportees of WW2. This medal is unique among Belgian awards in that it contains a swastika. The imagery is clear, a worker is forceably seized and ordered to leave.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:27pm

Medal for donating blood and with extra pin! I am not normally into this type of thing but I find it looks amazing! Better designed and made than some military awards!

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:29pm

Awarded to those that resisted working for the occupier during WW2. Different ribbons are possible, green with white striopes means the recipient refused to perform military duries.

HerrScheisse · 03-07-2011 10:36pm

Labor Valorem Medal of the National Association of Former Prisoners of War thus non-official - this is available in gold, silver and bronze. Awarded to those that gave support, financial or social, to the prisoners of WW1 and WW2.

Morlar · 04-07-2011 2:21am

Those are very interesting, particularly liked the WW1 Victory one.

HerrScheisse · 04-07-2011 5:48pm

Thanks Morlar!

MedalFuhrer was telling me of a plot to collect all the allied victory medals and I must admit, its a good idea. The one I posted contains the shields of 9 allied countries on the rear. I am not sure if all 9 issued victory medals? Anyone got any idea?

Jagdtiger · 04-07-2011 6:00pm

Here are is a list of the countries that issued a victory medal:

Great Britain, Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia (Serbia), France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Thailand (Siam), Union of South Africa and United States of America.

As far as I can remember the Cuban one is one of the hardest to get.

On a side note, Victory looks so much hotter on the Belgian victory medal

than on the British one...

arnhem44 · 04-07-2011 6:59pm

Brazil would be the hardest to come by and can set one back up to a thousand euros closely followed by Cuba often reaching prices in excess of six hundred from what I've seen.One word of warning though is that some of the medals in this series are copied quite often,Japan been one to be careful of.The South African version has the same front as the British medal but the revesre is different,the language is both in English and Dutch.

HerrScheisse · 04-07-2011 10:03pm

Jagdtiger wrote: »

On a side note, Victory looks so much hotter on the Belgian victory medal

than on the British one...

She looks like Scarlet Johannsen with wings! MM MMM MMMMM...

HerrScheisse · 04-07-2011 10:05pm

arnhem44 wrote: »

One word of warning though is that some of the medals in this series are copied quite often,

That is another benefit of Belgian medals - they are not much copied since the excessive demand does not exist.

Good to know though, I was not aware of this, I always thought victory medals were so plentiful they would not be worth copying.

But if the price is high, the shysters are nigh!

HerrScheisse · 04-07-2011 10:14pm

Awarded for 25 years civic service. Bears the monogram of King Albert. Comes in two classes, second class is silver, and first class is gold.

HerrScheisse · 04-07-2011 10:18pm

Awarded to military personnel for loyal service during the period 1909 and 1934.

HerrScheisse · 04-07-2011 10:24pm

This medal commemorates 50 year anniversary of the 1918 armistice. It also bears the name of the coastal town of Nieuwpoort, where forms the mouth of the Yser river.

Quite an ugly medal actually. Ugly coloured ribbon, ugly design, everything about it is ugly!

HerrScheisse · 04-07-2011 10:25pm

Cross awarded to the forces of occupation of the Rhineland.

HerrScheisse · 04-07-2011 10:27pm

Medal awarded to POWs during WW2. The bar on the ribbon denotes one year imprisonment.

The Lowdown on the Low Country

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