Medal thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Medal

1916 (made)
Artist/Maker
Vierthaler, Ludwig (medallists)
Place of origin
Germany (made)

This iron medal was made by Ludwig Vierthaler in Germany, in about 1916. The inscription, similar measurements, and the beaded surround suggest that this medal and another medal by Vierthaler (A.134-1920) were pendants and may have formed part of a largest series, although no others are known. These medals demonstrate that war has taken grip of daily life in Germany. The young peasant boy represents the children who helped with the harvest to relieve the famine caused by the Allies' blockade while their fathers served at the front.


Object details

Category
Medallions
Object type
Medal
Materials and techniques
Iron
Brief description
Medal, child with rake & scythe/inscrp; Bronze German 1916. Ludwig Vierthaler.
Physical description
Obv., a peasant boy carrying a rake and a scythe. Rev., an inscription.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 48.5mm
Marks and inscriptions
  • "KIEGS/ERNTE 19/16" (obv.)
    Translation
    "War harvest 1916"
  • "EIN JEDER/SCHAFFT NACH/SEINER KRAFT u./VERSTAND/FÜRS/VATERLAND" (rev.)
    Translation
    "The skills and spirit of everyone are being emplyed for the fatherland."
Subject depicted
Peasant
Summary
This iron medal was made by Ludwig Vierthaler in Germany, in about 1916. The inscription, similar measurements, and the beaded surround suggest that this medal and another medal by Vierthaler (A.134-1920) were pendants and may have formed part of a largest series, although no others are known. These medals demonstrate that war has taken grip of daily life in Germany. The young peasant boy represents the children who helped with the harvest to relieve the famine caused by the Allies' blockade while their fathers served at the front.
Bibliographic reference
Gullen, Lucy, Fisher, Wendy and Nobert Jopek. [Exhibition handlist] 'One by One': European Commemorative Medals of the Great War 1914-1918. Victoria and London: Albert Museum, 1998. p. 30. Handlist of exhibition held Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1998-1999. no. 29.
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.134-1920

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O349365/medal-vierthaler-ludwig/
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