LE REICH, SES DECORATIONS ET SES INSIGNES 1914-1918

The American diplomat and historian George Frost Kennan described the First World War as the "seminal catastrophe of the 20th century," thereby vindicating Lyautey, who, upon hearing of the declaration of war while in Morocco in August 1914, exclaimed: "It is the most monumental piece of stupidity the world has ever committed." While the war was physically and morally unbearable for the French and their allies, one must not lose sight of the fact that it was equally so for the Germans—compounded by the burden of enduring the frustration and shame of defeat. Germanic culture is renowned for its brilliance across literature, music, the visual arts, architecture, painting, furniture, and porcelain. This excellence extended to the design of orders and medals from the 18th century right through to 1918. The meticulous attention paid to enameling, metal chasing, and assembly—rivaling the precision of Swiss watchmakers—was unsurpassed, with goldsmiths from Dresden (Saxony) and Berlin (Prussia) particularly distinguishing themselves.
After outlining the complexities of the administrative and political systems of the Second Reich, this book aims to explain the variety of specific orders and the full range of First World War medals—which differed from state to state, even though all were part of the Empire ruled by Wilhelm II, who was both Emperor and King of Prussia.