Unknown German Naval Medal

[aggyaggy]

Can anyone identify the medal shown in the photo.

I am certain the ribbon is a replacement one that someone has put on- so dont go off that.

I think it is German.

It is the size of a normal medal, ie WW1 victory medal.

It says:

FAHNLI-
SCHUTZENBUND
AARE

There is a tiny makers mark on the obverse that looks like:

Huguenin

A makers mark on the reverse say:

HUGUENIN
LOCLE


Any thoughts anybody?

This is just out of curiosity rather than neccessity

[alanbenn]

AGGY, my neice informs me that Fanli is the german name for a 'scout' and that Schutzenburg is the name for a 'gunner' or 'archer'.

AARE is a region of the Rhine.

So my assumption is it is a scouts medal for a shooting competition.

unless someone knows more.....;)

Regards
Alan

[steve roberts]

Soundsa good to me Alan.My german is limited but thats a rough estimation of what I was about to post.Cheers Steve.:):):)

[INVINCIBLE]

I am not sure whether the survivors of the German WW I cruiser SMS EMDEN were awarded a medal (she was the most successful of the German raiders), but I have discovered they were awarded an interesting decoration. They were officially given the right to add "-Emden" to their name and some 100 of them apparently did change their name to the prestigious double barrelled version, including Prince Franz Joseph von Hohenzollern-Emden!! The EMDEN was engaged by HMAS SYDNEY and driven ashore as a wreck on the Cocos islands in the Indian Ocean - there is a well known photo of the wreck in many books on the naval side of WW I.

[Odin]

From the design / appearance I would suggest the medal is fairly modern and personally I would doubt there is any connection to SS Emden. I see this item is currently on sale on a well know auction site.

[INVINCIBLE]

From the design / appearance I would suggest the medal is fairly modern and personally I would doubt there is any connection to SS Emden. I see this item is currently on sale on a well know auction site.

Thanks Odin but were the men of SMS EMDEN awarded any medal for being the most successful of all the German raiders of WW I?

[Odin]

I have gone through my various medal books and am unable to find any specific medal issued by Germany for the SS Emden.

I find WWI German awards quite complicated because not only are there German awards but also German State awards (eg Hanseatic Crosses for Bremen, Hamburg, and Lubeck, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Service Cross, Braunschweig War Service Cross, Oldenburg War Cross, Hessen Medal for Bravery, +++ the list goes on).

[INVINCIBLE]

I have gone through my various medal books and am unable to find any specific medal issued by Germany for the SS Emden.

I find WWI German awards quite complicated because not only are there German awards but also German State awards (eg Hanseatic Crosses for Bremen, Hamburg, and Lubeck, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Service Cross, Braunschweig War Service Cross, Oldenburg War Cross, Hessen Medal for Bravery, +++ the list goes on).

Odin,

Many thanks - I had not realised it was so complicated. It would seem that the Germans issued far more medals to their Naval Servicemen than were awarded to those who served in the Royal Navy in WW I.
The issue of medals can be a very sensitive subject and during the 60s & 70s very few were awarded leading to Chiefs and Admirals with no ribbons on their uniform at all.

[Odin]

To illustrate my point here are three very similar groups each with an Iron Cross and an Honour Cross for Combatants. Each contains a different Hanseatic Cross - that of Hamburg, Lubeck and Bremen. These were awarded by those German States.

[Chris D]

Aggy,
Just a late addition to what has already been said: Aare here is a river/district in Switzerland and "faehnli" is a typical Swiss diminutive and means literally "little flag". Another use of the word is for the patrols (or their symbols) within a scout troop. The name Huguenin is very common in Le Locle, a watch-making centre in the upper part of the canton of Neuchâtel near the French border. Faude & Huguenin is the name of a medal firm today and it is quite likely that they or their predecessors made this medal for what was presumably a rifle shooting competition between patrols from different troops.
"Schuetzenbund" is something like a rifle asssociation. Hope this is still of interest. Regards, Chris