Milwaukee Friedensfeier 1871

As a nation of immigrants there cannot be a war anywhere in the world that doesn’t give some of our citizens cause for concern about their friends and relatives in the old country. When the Franco-Prussian War ended early in 1871 German immigrants in Milwaukee issued a medal celebrating the restoration of peace. Similar medals were issued all over the U.S. from New York to San Francisco. Many of the medals carry inscriptions celebrating the restoration of peace rather than a military victory. The reason for this is that the Germans came to America seeking the political freedom and economic opportunity denied to them in Germany. While they retained their German pride and connections with family and friends their political loyalty was to their new homeland. The Milwaukee medal illustrated here was issued holed. It is struck in white metal and signed by Karl Marr. The medal is scarce in used condition and rare in high grade due to the soft nature of white metal.