GOETZ: Opus 236 The Mourning

cacheman

K-236 THE MOURNING (Die trauernden Hinterbliebenen), 1919, Cast AE 58.6mm, 78.10g. UNC.

Satirizing the feelings of the ‘elite’ of the Kaiser devotees. Inscription on the obverse (as taken from a toast proposed by Kaiser Wilhelm on October 15, 1890) “You are most noble of the nations.” Inscription on the reverse, “The Mourning.” The ‘most noble’ are watching the exile of their leader to Amerongen in Holland and the closing of the exit by the Socialists with a stone marked “German Republic.”

DorkGirl

He has depicted the people in a cartoon-like fashion that I find very amusing. Thanks again for sharing, I love these!!!

oldshep

Once again - the political cartoonist in Goetz surfaces in metal.
Shep

elverno

Do the figures represent individuals or are they the different political groups? Another great piece BTW. I look at all of them and have so little time to write my questions... Why wasn't I born wealthy?

Aethelred

Outstanding design Scott!

a2labmom

Very interesting and neat looking design. I always love looking at and reading about these pieces. Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us here.

vrtech99sboss

Wow! That's cool!

Lame, I know, but that's the first thing that came to mind!

Askari

cosmicdebris

Yep another museum quality piece.

theboz11

Great piece of work


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cacheman

"Do the figures represent individuals or are they the different political groups?"

Goetz did indeed normally attribute each character according to nationality on many of his satirical pieces. That is not apparent here as the satire is against internal German politics. This piece only shows Wilhelm's cronies on the obverse and in the background holding the symbolic funeral wreath on the reverse. As I noted earlier, the two men capping the well, symbolic of the vessel Wilhelm will be forced to live in, are supposed to represent the Socialist faction.

Goetz had a buddy by the name of Julius E. Bennert of Cologne. Bennert was an industrialist, factory owner, numistmatist, and writer. Many of Bennert's writings (under the nom de plume Erasmus Schleicher) were critical of Wilhelm II and by Goetz's admission, "I created the compositions and we were always of the same view in our thinking." The flight of Kaiser Wilhelm II to Holland in 1918, represented by the medal above, put many Germans under pressure. Bennert's hate of the former leader of the state grew. "Without reservations," states Goetz in his notes, "did I transfer Bennert's points of view in my own way onto plastic. Thereby came into existence the series of sarcastic emperor medals which were approved by many, rejected by some." This sub-series of medals can be found from Opus 232-239, Opus 256-258, and Opus 277. I currently only have Opus 236 and Opus 277 (below) in my collection at this time.

wybrit

Cache, another great thread.

Thanks for continuing to post not only the pictures but also the commentaries. I have always seen and heard the English perspective of those times but never the German side of the story until now.