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GOETZ: Opus 212 Austria's Decay

K-212 AUSTRIA’S DECAY (Österreichs Verfall), 1918, Cast AE, 58.1mm, Choice UNC.

On the occasion of Emperor Charles I of Austria trying to secure a separate peace with the Entente. President Wilson on October 19, 1918 rejected the Austrian peace plea. The obverse depicts the Austrian Emperor leaving the common ship of the Hohenzollerns (Germany) and rowing away to seek separate peace with the United States (flag at bow of dingy). The reverse depicts the Austro-Hungarian coat of Arms collapsing into pieces as “Hungary” flies off at left. The realm of Emperor Charles did not exist any longer.

This satirical is one of the important ones of the WW.I series as it denotes the first break in the Central Powers Alliance. Almost as soon as the old Emperor Franz Josef dies his son Karl or Charles bailed on Germany, trying to work a separate peace. Technically, as many medal researchers and cataloguers would have it, this piece has a place in the Goetz “US Series” - just as Christopher Eimer catalogues all of the WW.I & WW.II Goetz medals that satirize Great Britain. Kienast denotes a whole series of 'Treaty' medals by Goetz from 1917-1918 as things started falling apart. Germany made peace wherever she could in order to free up troops for the Western Front.

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Comments

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    bosoxbosox Posts: 1,510 ✭✭✭✭
    Beautiful medal! image
    Numismatic author & owner of the Uncommon Cents collections. 2011 Fred Bowman award winner, 2020 J. Douglas Ferguson award winner, & 2022 Paul Fiocca award winner.

    http://www.victoriancent.com
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    Awesome!
    Bill

    image

    09/07/2006
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    laurentyvanlaurentyvan Posts: 4,243 ✭✭✭
    You definitely had to be aware of the political climate of the time in order to make heads or tails of the meanings/symbolism in this medal. I really enjoy the chaotic elements on the reverse Austro-Hungarian coat of Arms collapsing into pieces as “Hungary” flies off at left.
    One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics
    is that you end up being governed by inferiors. – Plato
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    theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
    Very nice, looks a little softer than the othersimage
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    image neat design!
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    cachemancacheman Posts: 3,113 ✭✭✭
    "looks a little softer than the others"

    It just appears that way in an image. The obverse is designed on two planes, the forefront with boat and "Karl I" are more distinct than the softer rendering of the second plain which is modeled in such a way as to express atmospheric perspective. The patination isn't as dark as usual either.

    The reverse is modeled on three planes: one, the shield-orb-sword, two, the eagles, and three, "Hungary"...again, the image doesn't give it justice and the patination is softer. You'd know what I meant if you saw it in person image
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    AskariAskari Posts: 3,713
    Another beauty!!! image
    Askari



    Come on over ... to The Dark Side! image
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