GOETZ: K-298 Last Battle of Birkenbaum

cacheman

K-298. Die Schlacht am Birkenbaum; (The Battle at Birkenbaum), 1923, Cast Bronze, 62.4mm, UNC/Gussfrisch.

Recalling an old German Westphalian legend where as the Byzantine Emperor would establish his kingdom in Jerusalem; then hang his shield on a birch tree (Meaning Birkenbaum in German); and surrender his kingdom to God. When the Antichrist arrived, the Emperor would pick up his shield and fight the holy war and establish a new kingdom of God.

Obverse: A birch tree stands in the foreground with a broken fetter at the base; a head with clenched fists rises from the ground in the distance. Inscription; "Es kommt der Tag" (The day will come).

Reverse: A shepherd and his flock stand by a gravestone dated 1923 and looks away into the distance. A naked Walküre, on horseback, rides towards the sun. In the sky appear the words, "Zwischen Lipp'u. Ruhr-Die letzte Schlacht am Birkenbaum" (Between the Lippe and the Ruhr-The Last Battle of Birkenbaum).

For some reason this was a tough one to locate…it certainly filled a big hole in my collection though.

3Mark

Scott:

Great pictures and medal as usual. They should have had you do the photography for the Goetz medals at the Möller sale3Mark

shirohniichan

Cool medal. What category does it fit into?

theboz11

Beautiful piece

cacheman

<< <i>They should have had you do the photography for the Goetz medals at the Möller sale >>



I tried to get permission from Möller to go over to Germany to photograph the collection before the auction but he wouldn't allow it. I know why now, he'd rather charge me $3000 for the copyrights to the crappy images he had done for the auction. This is a numismatic travesty in my minds-eye....why not allow someone with the interest, me, to spread the word about Goetz through decent images? It would only garner interest for dealers that provide the material wouldn't you think?



<< <i>What category does it fit into? >>



Shiroh, are you asking about which artistic period of Goetz' it fits into? If so, it has been placed within the "Weimer Republic" post war satirical medal period. I don't really consider this a satirical like the WWI pieces but that's where Kienast and others have placed it.

oldshep

Wonderful photo as usual, This is really an original and well thought out symbolic medal.
Shep

Garneteye

Great, another Goetz post. As your collection has grown, your # of new pieces has slowed as it must, but I miss them.

I was looking at your website just last week and while I enjoyed the images, I missed the verbal discriptions that accompany your post. I guess I will have to wait till you publish

Udo

Great medal and image!

DeutscherGeist

Images of collectibles should be widespread and shared and passed on. It makes it visible to potential collectors and possibly arousing more interest.

ibzman350

Yes...........what Udo said..



<<I guess I will have to wait till you publish>>


When , when, inquiring minds want to know.



Herb

Preussen

Another beauty - Preussen

Steve27

"I tried to get permission from Möller to go over to Germany to photograph the collection before the auction but he wouldn't allow it. I know why now, he'd rather charge me $3000 for the copyrights to the crappy images he had done for the auction."

That's just sad.

Madame

Wonderful medal and story!

Stork

""I tried to get permission from Möller to go over to Germany to photograph the collection before the auction but he wouldn't allow it. I know why now, he'd rather charge me $3000 for the copyrights to the crappy images he had done for the auction."

That's just sad."



Besides if they'd let you take the pictures then they could have charged $4000!!!

Out of curiosity, is there a link to the auction?



Cathy

cacheman

Yes Cathy, here is a link...

Moeller auction