GOETZ: Opus 291 "Pacifism"

cacheman

K-291 PACIFISM (Pazifismus), 1921, Cast AE, 60.3mm, UNC as cast R

Satirizing the situation that every member of the victorious Entente was able to play havoc with Germany and its territories. Under the label of “Pacifism” no defensive measures could be taken. On the obverse the German lamb assures the big aggressive wolf “Never again war.” The reverse shows the willful acts of the division of Upper Silesia and the vicious reaction of the Poles. The Frenchman standing on the Rhine’s shores does his part to hurt the German Michel with his rifle butt while the Pole on the left threatens him back within his boundaries. Inscription on the reverse “Peace at any price.” 1921

cosmicdebris

I thought you already had this one?

cacheman

Nope...came in yesterday. You're probably getting it mixed up with any number of other Goetz medals that have Michel as subject matter.

Askari

Neat! Most people don't know that after the end of the war, plebescites were generally used to camouflage "done deals" made during the Versailles Treaty negotiations to award portions of Germany and Austria to other nations (including non-participants). Even after the "Silesian Plebescite" awarded half of Silesia to the newly independent Russian province of Poland, the Poles actually began attacking remaining German territory to annex it. The private German militias were raised to defend against both the communists and the Poles. Meanwhile, the allies forced Germany to keep some of its now much reduced allowance of armed forces occupying the Ukraine to prevent it from being seized by the Reds. (The German troops eventually deserted home.)