Karl Goetz Medal - The Black Shame

Zohar

I know much has been written about this provocative design yet this medal seems to always resurface.

Perhaps the most famous Karl Goetz satirical/propoganda medals is The Watch on the Rhine also called Die schwarze Schande (The Black Shame) medal, issued in 1920 to protest the sending of black colonial French troops to occupy the Rhine territory. This satirical medal shows on the obverse a caricature of a black African soldier; on the reverse is depicted a nude woman tied to a large phallus. On this medal, Goetz protests against the use of black colonial French troops in order to occupy the Rhine territory, and their alleged sexual excesses. In actual historical fact there were never more than 5000 colonial soldiers in the French occupation force, and they were withdrawn as early as June 1920. In all this time there was only one accusation of rape, subsequently withdrawn. French propaganda countered the Schwarze Schande offensive with their own on 'White Shame', a comment on the seduction of their soldiers by the local women!

Here are 2 of the medal varieties which I own:

Kienast 262



Kienast 263

TwoKopeiki

I remember NGC refusing to holder the more provocative variety a while back. This is definitely of the most easily recognized Goetz pieces.

pruebas

These are great examples. No rub or discoloration.