The South West Africa Campaign 1904-08 Medal
Photos © Doppler Collection		The South West African Campaign Medal ("Südwestafrika-Denkmünze") was instituted by Kaiser Wilhelm II in March 1907 and was awarded to all German combatants who had served in the Herero Rebellion between 1904 and 1908. The ribbon was white with a vertical black stripe on either side and thinner horizontal red stripes in the centre. The medal itself  was a brass disc with a profile view of a female warrior wearing a winged helmet with "SUEDWEST AFRIKA 1904-06" around the edges on the obverse.     The reverse of the medal (see right) was a crowned "W II" monogram above two crossed swords with the motto "DEN SIEGREICHEN STREITERN" (roughly translated as "To the victorious fighters") around the edges. Brass clasps were authorised for additional purchase with the medal for specific campaigns. For example "Gross-Namaland", "Hereroland" and "Waterberg" Recommended External Link - Traditionsverband DSWA Medal

The South West Africa Campaign 1904-08 Medal for Non-Combatants
Photos © Doppler Collection		The South West African Campaign Medal was awarded to non-combatants in the Herero Rebellion in an identical style to those of the combatants except that the medal itself was made of polished steel rather than brass. Non-combatants medals were not awarded with campaign bars.

The China Campaign 1900-01 Medal
Photos © Doppler Collection		The China Campaign Medal ("China-Denkmünze") was instituted by Kaiser Wilhelm II in May 1901 and was awarded to all German combatants who had served in the Boxer Rebellion between May 1900 and June 1901. The ribbon was white with vertical stripes of black, red, yellow, red and black.  The medal itself was a brass disc edged with laurel leaves depicting a German eagle victorious over a Chinese dragon on the obverse.  The reverse of the medal (see below) was again edged with laurel leaves and showed a crowned "W II" monogram and the motto "DEN SIEGREICHEN STREITERN- 1900 CHINA 1901".     Brass clasps were authorised for additional purchase with the medal for specific campaigns. For example "Taku", "Seymoure-Expedition" (sic) and "Peking". The Peking clasp was only authorised for the members of the III. Seebatallion who served under Lt Graf von Soden at the siege of the foreign legations in Peking. Period photographs do however show it occasionally worn by other soldiers. The non-combatants' version of the China Campaign Medal was identical except that it was made from polished steel and had the motto "VERDIENST UM DIE EXPEDITION NACH CHINA“ ("served in the expedition to China") on the reverse. Recommended External Link - Boxer Aufstand and Traditionsverband China Medal

The Colonial Service Medal
Photo by C Dale from the Imperial War Museum Collection		The Colonial Service Medal ("Kolonialdenkmünze") was instituted by Kaiser Wilhelm II in June 1912 and was awarded to all German combatants (from the army, navy, Schutztruppe and Polizeitruppe) who had served in colonial and overseas campaigns. The ribbon was white with a vertical black stripe on either side and four thinner vertical red stripes in the centre. This ribbon is shown folded out  double as was often worn on parade. The medal itself (not shown here) was a brass disc with a profile view of the Kaiser on the obverse and the motto "DEN TAPFEREN SIEGREICHEN FÜR DEUTSCHLANDS ERHE" (roughly translated as "The brave victors for Germany's honour") surrounded by laurel leaves and topped with the imperial crown. Brass clasps were authorised for additional purchase with the medal for specific campaigns. The example photographed on the left has clasps for the risings in Cameroon (or "Kamerun" in German as here) in 1884 and 1891, and the Sokehs Rebellion on Pohnpei (or "Ponape" in German) in New Guinea 1910-11. Recommended External Links - Traditionsverband Colonial Service Medal and its Campaign Bars

The Turkish War Medal
Photo by C Dale from the window display of a shop in Istanbul		The Turkish War Medal ("Harp Madalyasi" in Turkish or "Türkische Kriegsmedaille" in German) was also known as the Iron Crescent ("Eiserne Halbmond") by the Germans or the Gallipoli Star by the British. It was instituted in March 1915 by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V. It was awarded for bravery to many German combatants stationed in the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. The medal consisted of a five pointed red star edged and decorated in white metal, usually worn on the right breast below the usual medal bar. Examples of the medal vary greatly in quality from simple iron stars issued by the Ottomans during the war, to expensive privately made German replacements.  German officers and soldiers fighting on Ottoman fronts also received other Turkish awards such as the Liakat, Medjidie and Imtiyaz medals. Recommended External Link - Turkish Medals

The Egyptian Khedive's Star
Photo by C Dale from the Royal Fusiliers Museum Collection		The Khedive's Star was awarded by Khedive Tewfik, the ruler of Egypt to those soldiers, sailors and civilians who fought in his service between 1882 and 1891. As such it was awarded to many Sudanese askaris who later served in the Wissmanntruppe and later the Schutztruppe of German East Africa. This Egyptian medal continued to be worn by many of them while in German service. It consisted of a brass five pointed star with "Egypt 1882" in English and Arabic around a sphinx and three pyramids in the centre. The star itself hung from a brass crescent and star motif on a dark blue ribbon. This particular Khedive's Star shown in the photograph was awarded to the British Officer, Major General Sir Geoffrey Barton KCVO CB CMG Recommended External Link - British Medals

The British Egypt Medal
Photo by C Dale from the Royal Fusiliers Museum Collection		The Egypt Medal was awarded by the British government to soldiers serving in Egypt in 1882 and in the Sudan, 1884-89. As such it was awarded to many Sudanese askaris who later served in the Wissmanntruppe and later the Schutztruppe of German East Africa. This English medal continued to be worn by many of them while in German service. It consisted of a white metal round medal with "Victoria Regina et Imperiatrix" ("Victoria Queen and Empress" in Latin) around Queen Victoria's profile and had a  dark blue ribbon with two vertical white stripes. It could be awarded with one or more white metal clasps for different battles or campaigns. This particular Egypt Medal shown in the photograph was awarded to the British Officer, Major General Sir Geoffrey Barton KCVO CB CMG and has clasps for "Suarin 1885" and (the 1882 Battle of) "Tel-El-Kebir". Recommend External Link - North East Medals

Other medals worthy of special mention in relation to their awarding to German colonial and overseas troops are described below.

The German Kriegerverdienstmedaille
The first award of a German medal to an African soldier was when Unteroffizier Chamba Wadi Hamit received the Prussian Military Decoration ("Militärehrenzeichen"), second class for bravery during the Abushiri Rebellion in German East Africa in 1889. Soon after, the commander of the German forces in East Africa, Hermann von Wissmann suggested the permanent establishment of a bravery award for African soldiers in German service. The result was that the Prussian Soldier's Merit Medal ("Preussische Kriegerverdienstmedaille") was instituted as an imperial (rather than only Prussian) award for the askaris of East Africa in 1892. The Prussian Kriegerverdienstmedaille had previously been intended as an award for soldiers of countries allied to Prussia, and was thus awarded to soldiers of other German states during the Wars of German Unification and to Austrians, Turks and Bulgarians in the First World War. On 25th March 1893 the German Kriegerverdienstmedaille was extended to non-European troops in the Schutztruppe and Polizeitruppe of all colonies.

The new German Kriegerverdienstmedaille was identical in appearance to the previous Prussian medal. The "silver" circular medal was of polished steel, with the motto "Krieger Verdienst" within a laurel wreath on the obverse. On the reverse side, the first class had a profile portrait of the Kaiser in Garde du Corps uniform, surrounded by the title "Guilelmus II Imperator", while the second class had a stylised "WR" monogram surmounted by a Prussian crown. It was hung from a white ribbon with two black stripes on either side and a thick black stripe down the centre, the same as worn with the Iron Cross. The first and second class awards also differed in the size of the medal, the first class being 4cm across while the the second class was noticeably smaller at 2.5cm.

In 1895 a "Gold" class of the medal was instituted. Aside from being in bronze it was identical to the silver medal in both the a larger first class and the smaller second class awards.

Between 1888 and 1914, 1,491 Kriegerverdienstmedaille were awarded. A further 2,425 of various classes were sent aboard the "Marie" blockade running ship to German East Africa in 1916 for awards to askaris.

Recommend External Link -Gentlemen's Military Interest Club discussion on the Kriegerverdienstmedaille
Recommended Reading- "Askari und Fita-Fita" by Thomas Morlang

The Prussian Iron Cross
The Iron Cross ("Eiserne Kreuz") was only instituted during major wars: firstly in 1813-15, then in 1870-71, then in 1914-18 and later in 1939-45. It was not awarded on smaller campaigns such as the Schleswig Wars, the Austro-Prussian War or colonial campaigns. Therefore the only soldiers wearing one in the colonies prior to the First World War would have been veterans of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, few of whom were still in service except in the higher ranks (for example Lothar von Trotha wore his 1870-71 Iron Cross while in China, East Africa and South West Africa). In 1895 recipients of the 1870 Iron Cross were authorised to purchase and wear a white metal clasp of oak leaves with the number 25 on the medal ribbon (see The Medals of Artillery General August Koehne below). 

The Iron Cross came in three classes. The lowest and most common of which was the Second Class, which was worn on parade as a black metal cross edged in white metal, with the Prussian King's crown and monogram and the year of institution on it, hung from a white ribbon with two black stripes on either side and a thick black stripe down the centre. When not on parade the Iron Cross second class was usually abbreviated to simply the medal ribbon worn in the second button hole. The First Class award was usually worn as a similar black cross worn on the left breast. The higher Grand Cross ("Großkreuz") was awarded only to high ranking officers and consisted of a similar but larger cross worn at the throat. The Iron Cross for non combatants was worn with a ribbon in reversed black and white stripes.

Although the Iron Cross was a very common award during the First World War amongst German troops in Europe it was rarely seen in Africa or the Far East. When war broke out in 1914, there were no Iron Crosses available for immediate issue in the colonies or China. In German East Africa the first Iron Crosses were those brought by the blockade running ship "Marie" in 1916. The Marie carried three First Class awards (for Governor Schnee, Schutztruppe Commander von Lettow-Vorbeck and SMS Königsberg's Captain, Loof) as well as a quantity of Second Class awards for the Königsberg crew. Other awards were recommended, but were not received until back in Germany after the war.

In South West Africa a temporary Iron Cross was awarded during the 1914-15 Campaign, commonly known as the Hildegard Order (named after Frau Hildegard Seitz, the South West African Governor's wife). The medals were made from a cross of back cloth edged with white stitching worn on the left breast although variations in manufacture were also seen. One example in a private collection was knitted from black and white wool in the shape of the Iron Cross. In all, 45 Hildegard Orders were awarded. When the recipients finally returned to Germany they were awarded 2nd Class Iron Crosses in their place. Similar temporary awards were made in Cameroon 1914-16.

Other German overseas troops that departed Germany after the outbreak of the First World War, such as those serving in the Ottoman Empire often wore Iron Crosses earned for service on other fronts earlier in the war.

Recommended External Links - Digger History page on the Iron Cross and World War One page on the Iron Cross
Recommended Reading - "For Valour - The history of the Iron Cross and Wound Badge in German Southwest Africa 1914-1918" by Gordon McGregor

The Prussian Pour-le-Mérite
The Pour-le-Mérite, Germany's highest award for bravery was a rare award. It was a decorated blue cross usually worn at the throat. Notable recipients for colonial or overseas service were- Oberleutnant Graf Soden (for the defence of the Peking Legations in 1900), Hauptmann Victor Franke (for service in the Herero War in 1904. Franke later commanded the South West African Schutztruppe in the First World War), Oberst Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck (for his defence of German East Africa in 1916, awarded with Oak Leaves in 1917) and curiously the ship SMS Iltis (for her part in the storming of the Taku forts in 1900. This was the only time the medal was awarded to a ship rather than a person).
Recommended External Links - Pour-le-Mérite and the Axis History Forum Discussion on PLMs for Overseas Service

Other German Awards
Each different Kingdom and Duchy that made up the German Empire issued its own medals for bravery, exemplary conduct or special anniversaries which could be awarded to its soldiers or sailors for service at home and abroad. These medals included for example, the Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, the Bavarian Military Order of Max Joseph and the Saxon Military Order of St. Henry.

Although most state medals were awarded to their own servicemen, they were also awarded to soldiers and sailors from other states. For example although Admiral Souchon was born in Saxony he was also awarded medals by Prussia, Schaumburg-Lippe, Saxe-Meinigen Hamburg and Bremen. It was not uncommon for sailors from any state to receive Hanseatic awards, as their bases were often in the Hanseatic Cities of Hamburg, Lübeck or Bremen. The Prussian Iron Cross and Pour-le-Mérite (both described above) were awarded equally to servicemen of all German states during the First World War.

German Long Service Awards
The different German states each issued their own long service awards to their own soldiers. Prussian long service awards were issued to Imperial troops (for example the Schutztruppe, Navy and Seebatallione). It should also be noted that each year of colonial or overseas service counted as two years towards such awards.

The Georgian Order of St Tamara Medal
This was a medal awarded to members of the German Georgian Legion by the fledgling Georgian Government on 4th November 1918. It was named after the 12th-13th Century Sainted Queen of Georgia. It consisted of an image of Queen Tamara within a circle containing Georgian lettering and the date 1915 on an eight pointed Brunswick star badge worn on the left breast. It could also be worn as a medal ribbon without the medal (such as on miniature bars). The medal ribbon was dark red with black horizontal bars in the centre. Less than 5,000 of these medals (some say as few as 1,400) were awarded in total, most of the existing medals were privately made in Germany after the First World War for veterans of the Georgian Campaign.
Recommended External Links- The Orders and Medals Society of America, The Gentlemen's Military Interest Club and Wehrmacht Awards 

Austro-Hungarian Medals
Austro-Hungarian medals were often awarded to German troops who served alongside them. A particular case with the overseas troops was the Seebatallion detachment based at Skutari ("Marine Detachment Skutari") in Albania who were awarded a total of sixteen Austro-Hungarian medals while serving under Austro-Hungarian command against the Serbian army at the outbreak of the First World War. Austro-Hungarian medals were traditionally worn with the ribbon folded into a point down triangle.
Recommended External Link - Austro-Hungarian Army 

Other Foreign Awards to German Overseas Forces
As well as receiving Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman medals while serving alongside such allies, German soldiers and sailors were also sometimes the recipients of foreign medals during inspections by visiting royalty and dignitaries or on visits to foreign ports and countries. This was particularly common with senior officers. During the First World War, medals that had previously been awarded by Entente countries were usually removed from uniforms. 

German Medals Awarded to Foreigners for Overseas Campaigns
German medals could also be awarded to foreign troops serving as allies in campaigns as was the purpose of the Prussian Kriegerverdienstmedaille and as commonly happened with the during the First World War with the Prussian Iron Cross. On at least two occasions German colonial campaign medals were awarded to foreign troops.

The South West African Campaign Medal with a bar for "Kalahari 1907" was awarded to members of the South African Cape Mounted Police and Cape Mounted Riflemen who had assisted the Schutztruppe by tracking down and killing Jacob Marenga, when he and his Nama warriors evaded German capture by entering Cape Colony. Their commanding officer, Major Elliot also received the Prussian Crown Order, Second Class.

Similarly the South West African Campaign Medal with a bar for "Kalahari 1908" was awarded to members of the British Bechuanaland Protectorate Police Force for their help in tracking down Simon Koper, when he and his Nama warriors evaded German capture by entering Bechuanaland.
Recommended Reading - "German Medals, British Soldiers and the Kalahari Desert" by Gordon McGregor
Recommended External Link - The South African Military History Society

Veterans Medals
When the veterans of the colonial campaigns returned home after the First World War they finally received the medals they had earned during the war. New semi-official awards were also created for veterans of colonial campaigns such as the Lion and Elephant Medals. These along with numerous other badges semi-official campaign awards were worn by veterans associations after the war.
Recommended External Links - Traditionsverband has features on the Lion Order , Elephant Order and Other Veterans Badges

Notes on the Wearing of Medals
Medals could be worn in several different ways depending on the order of dress and the type of medal.

Medal Bars
On parade and for formal occasions medals were worn on the upper left breast with the medal hanging from its ribbon, sometimes with the ribbon folded out to double its size. Other medals were then worn alongside, when several medals were worn together they were usually mounted on a fixed medal bar for convenience. Multiple medals were usually worn in order seniority from the highest on the wearer's right (next to the tunic buttons) to the lowest on the wearer's left. Medals from the wearer's home state ranked higher in seniority to those from other states (for example a Bavarian Officer would wear his Bavarian awards in front of any Prussian awards). From period photographs it seems that these rules of seniority were not always strictly applied.

Ribbon Bars
On less formal occasions and in action, medals were usually abbreviated to miniature ribbon bars again worn on the upper left breast. These were also worn as a fixed bar in cases of multiple awards. Often in action, medals were not worn at all.

Other Methods of Wearing Medals
Some, usually high ranking awards, were not designed to be worn as medals and ribbons on the upper left breast, in the usual way. Some (such as the Iron Cross First Class, St. Tamara Medal and the Turkish War Medal) were worn without ribbons as badges on the lower breast. Some high ranking awards (such as the Pour-le-Mérite and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross) were worn at the throat. Other medals (most notably the Iron Cross Second Class) could be worn as a ribbon in the second button hole.

Multiple Awards
When the same medal was issued more than once to the same soldier, this was displayed in different ways depending on the type of medal. With some medals (such as the Prussian Order of the Red Eagle) a newer award of a higher class replaced the pervious medal on the bar. With other awards (such as the Prussian Iron Cross or German Kriegerverdienstmedaille) both medals of different classes could be worn together.

Clasps
Campaign medals (such as the Colonial Service Medal, the China Campaign Medal and the South West Africa Campaign Medal) could be worn with clasps ("Spange") in the same metal as for the medal. These clasps were privately purchased and worn on the ribbon with the names of particular campaigns on them.

Non-Combatant Medals
Non-combatant campaign medals such awards of China, South West African medals did only apply to those who served overseas in those campaigns. Some staff officers based back in Germany but involved in the command, supply and organisation of troops in these conflicts were also eligible for awards.  The Ottoman War medal was also awarded to large numbers of German officers of high rank or those with tenuous connections to the conflict out in the Middle East.

Receipt of Medals
It should also be remembered that most medals were only actually received when they could be sent out by ship from Germany or when the recipient returned to Germany after the campaign. The colonies themselves did not usually have large supplies of medals for instant decorations.

Examples of Medal Collections and Bars worn by German Colonial and Overseas Troops

Photo by C Dale from the Imperial War Museum Collection
This photograph shows a medal bar belonging to Vizeadmiral Wilhelm Souchon, who commanded the SMS Goeben and Breslau in Ottoman service during the First World War. The medals in order of seniority from left to right are:- Prussian 1914 Iron Cross, Second Class Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, Fourth Class with Crown Colonial Service Medal (awarded for taking part in the Venezuela Blockade 1902-03) Prussian 25 Year Service Cross Prussian Centenary Medal (awarded in 1897 to all active service personnel and war veterans to celebrate the 100th Birthday of Kaiser Wilhelm I) Bremen Hanseatic Cross Hamburg Hanseatic Cross Schaumburg-Lippe Cross for Loyal Service Saxe-Meinigen Honour Cross for Merit in War Ottoman Imtiyaz Medal in Gold with Swords Ottoman Imtiyaz Medal in Silver with Swords and battle clasp Ottoman 1915 War Medal Ottoman Imtiyaz Medal in silver without swords Admiral Souchon was also awarded many other medals which do not appear on his medal bar. These awards and the reason for their non-appearance on this medal bar are just as interesting as those that do appear. They include the Prussian Pour-Le Mérite (which was worn at the throat rather than on a bar), the Prussian Iron Cross First Class and Turkish War Medal (which were both worn on the chest); several pre-war awards from Entente countries- Russian Order of St Anne, third Class, two Italian Orders of the Crown and a Greek Grand Commander of the Order of the Redeemer (which would probably have been removed as each country sided against Germany and her allies in the war, although the Greek order would not have been on a bar as it was like the Iron Cross, worn on the breast and neck); several repeated awards of the Prussian Red Eagle in different classes (which were superseded on his bar by the one that appears there); and the Turkish Gold Liakat Medal, Turkish Medjidie Order first class, two Saxon Albrecht Orders (first and second class) and two Prussian Crown Order (both second class, one with star), which he is presumably not wearing for the simple reason of lack of space across his chest.

The Medals of Naval Senior Engineer Otto

Photo © Karsten Herzogenrath
This photograph shows a medal bar belonging to Marine-Oberingenieur der Seewehr II Otto. The medals in order of seniority from left to right are:-- Prussian 1914 Iron Cross, Second Class Prussian Crown Order, Fourth Class Hamburg Hanseatic Cross Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross, Second Class Long Service Award for the Landwehr (or Seewehr in this case), First Class South West Africa Campaign Medal for Non-Combatants China Campaign Medal for Non-Combatants Prussian Centenary Medal

The Medals of Artillery General August Koehne

Photo © Karsten Herzogenrath
This photograph shows a medal bar belonging to "General der Artillerie" and "Feldzeugmeister" August Wilhelm Robert Koehne. The medals in order of seniority from left to right are:- Prussian 1870 Iron Cross, Second Class with 25th Anniversary Clasp Prussian 25 Year Long Service Award 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War Medal with Clasps for the Battles of Beaumont, Sedan and Paris 1866 Battle of Königsgrätz Medal earned in the Austro-Prussian War South West Africa Campaign Medal for Non-Combatants Prussian Centenary Medal

The Medals of a Veteran of the Herero Rebellion in South West Africa

Photo © Doppler Collection
This photograph shows a miniature ribbon bar. Medals were commonly worn in such a style on less formal occasions and on active service. These medals belonged to a soldier from the 25th Württemberg Dragoons ("Dragoner-Regt. Königin Olga (1. Württembergisches) Nr.25") who also served in the Schutztruppe during the Herero Rebellion. The medals in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian 1914 Iron Cross, Second Class Württemberg Order of Military Merit South West Africa Campaign Medal Württemberg Long Service Medal (issued with a medal in in white metal for nine years service or gilt for twelve)

A South West African Campaign Medal and Ribbon with Multiple Campaign Clasps

Photos by C Dale from the Imperial War Museum Collection
On the left is a South West African Combatants Campaign Medal, and on the right is a long strip of the same medal ribbon with fourteen campaign clasps. This is in fact the entire collection of all the campaign clasps issued to the Schutztruppe with the South West African Medal. As such it is probably a collection of bars from different soldiers rather than the awards of a single soldier. The only other clasps issued with this medal were the "Kalahari 1907" and "Kalahari 1908" awarded to British and South African troops (as mentioned above in the section on German Medals Awarded to Foreigners). The clasps shown are- Oranje Omaruru Gross-Namaland Hereroland Nossob Allob Gross-Nabas Waterberg Ongajira Omaheke Toasis Káras-Berge Nurudas Fahlgras

Special Thanks to Karsten Hezogenrath for his help on this page.

Please contact me here if you have more information or photos on this topic. 

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