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GOETZ: K-293 The Enemy is on the Right!

K-293 THE ENEMY IS ON THE RIGHT (Dr. Wirth --, der Feind steht rechts, 1922, Cast AE, 61.2mm. Choice UNC

Based on the statement made in speech by Chancellor Dr. Wirth that the enemies of the republic are the extremist parties of the right. Goetz counters this statement with his own on this medal as shown on the reverse “Not right, not left, Mr. Chancellor, (the enemy is) on the Rhine.” Goetz depicts the French Premier Poincaré as a thorny armadillo-like creature.

Obverse depicts the Socialist Wirth cradling the Democratic Socialist balloon-hat while denouncing the Right Wing with the inscription “Thus spoke Bismarck’s successor (*)” June 25, 1922 “The enemy is on the right.”

(*)The reference made here is not to the actual succession – Bismarck died in 1889 – but to the office Dr. Wirth held, that of Chancellor of the Reich as Bismarck had held during the Imperial Reich.

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    You're getting me hooked on this Goetz stuff! What a master of symbolism.
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    theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
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    laurentyvanlaurentyvan Posts: 4,243 ✭✭✭
    Poincare as an armadillo...image OK, I guess I can see the symbolism, not?

    Beautiful piece though.

    I read recently that virtually every country that started a war, lost it. Germany started a few-did Goetz ever reconcile his attitudes with his rather agressive country of birth?

    By the way Scott, how did you get the accent above the e of poincare?
    One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics
    is that you end up being governed by inferiors. – Plato
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    oldshepoldshep Posts: 3,240
    Very interesting and unusual.....as usual!!!!!
    Shep
    image
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    cachemancacheman Posts: 3,113 ✭✭✭
    " Poincare as an armadillo... OK, I guess I can see the symbolism, not?" Armadillo-like...I don't know what else to call him and assume that Goetz wanted to just make him as unsavory as he could.

    "did Goetz ever reconcile his attitudes with his rather agressive country of birth?" He was a patriot and, with the exception of the Nazi's, probably felt Germany was doing what was necessary.

    "By the way Scott, how did you get the accent above the e of poincare?" I can't remember all of the numpad shortcuts so I just go to Start>Run> type in "charmap" select the letter needed, then copy it into my text. Voilá!
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    1jester1jester Posts: 8,638 ✭✭✭
    Great medal! I believe what Wirth is holding could be construed as something other than a balloon.

    imageimageimage

    edit: and what's that coming out of his mouth?? image
    .....GOD
    image

    "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9

    "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5

    "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
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    Another awesome work of art.image
    Bill

    image

    09/07/2006
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