The Order of Hildegard.

    One of the rarest of military awards for bravery is not made of metal at all.

    When the First World War broke out in August, 1914, the two main German colonies in Africa – German East Africa and German Southwest Africa – were almost immediately cut off from the home country. Both were on their own to face Allied attacks, the former succeeding in maintaining a running guerilla war until the Armistice but the southern colony forced to surrender by July 1, 1915.

    During the final days of German rule, the need arose to reward individual acts of bravery but of the approved award – the Iron Cross – there were no longer any on hand, any prospect of obtaining more from Germany or even the means of manufacturing them. Accordingly, Hildegard Seitz, wife of the governor, and the other women of the colony made some from heavy black cloth, embroidered around the edges.

    Of these “Order of Hildegard” Iron Crosses in black cloth, only 9 were awarded.

 

Wayne Jacobs is a numismatic expert. Currently secretary and editor of the "Mid-Island Coin Club Numismatic Journal"of Nanaimo, Vancouver Island , British Columbia, he is the award winning author of numerous articles. The MICC journal are hosted here: MICC webpages Copyright 2006 Wayne Jacobs. This article may be reprinted freely for non commercial purpose only if the resource box is left intact, linking back to us.