GOETZ: Opus 269 Election of the German Reichstag

cacheman

K-269 ELECTION OF THE GERMAN REICHSTAG (Deutsche Reichstagswahl), 1920, Cast AE, 59mm. UNC, Gußfrisch. R

The result of these elections was a strong defeat for the Republican-Democratic forces in Germany, a very respectable success however for the parties on both wings. Obverse; Six party caricatures fight for position in the voting urn. Inscription reads, “Election to the Reichstag June 6, 1920.” Inscription at the top of the voting urn “Results” with the names of the different parties beginning from the top left as; “Center Party (Catholic) 67, German National Peoples Party 65, German Peoples Party 61, Christian Federalist Party 21 ( the “R” is a mistake in the German spelling of “FÖRD”), German Hannover Party 5, Bavarian Farmers Party 4, German Democratic Party 45, Majority Social Democratic Party 110, Independent Social Democratic Party 80, Communists 2.”

Inscription on the reverse, “Oh you my “united” German Reich.” Symbolic characters for the different parties stridently trample the German adler (eagle) with their contending ideologies while another party begins to saw one of the wings off indicating the obvious division of the country in this election.

One of the more difficult satiricals to acquire, especially in UNC.

oldshep

Boy, a lot going on there! Once again I'm struck by the "two Goetz's" One is a great artist with the ability to excute exacting portraits in metal relief, the other is the "political cartoonist" using cartoonish figures and scenes to express a point of view.
The "cartoonist" is not as easy as many think it would be - a good cartoonist can tell a complicated story with a single frame as the obverse and reverse of this medal shows.
Thanks Scott.
Shep

cosmicdebris

Another great story in Bronze.

Askari

Oldshep, you've pungently captured the reason why Goetz holds a special place among medal collectors. It's a rare talent to be especially good at either, but all the more scarce to find in one artist.