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Description: | GUSS AKT GES GLADENBECK DS 63 39
obverse design : woman, naked, crouching on right knee, head turned away from the observer to reveal a face-mask worn on
the back of her head, symbolising a two-faced, treacherous Britain. The figure holds a flag in her left hand which bears the following
names and abbreviations, from left to right, "EN", "SCHWED", "NORWEGEN", "HOLLAND" and "USA", all in small embossed characters. In her
right hand she holds a shroud, bearing the letters "USA", which is partially draped over a group of ships, represented in miniature, at
base of design. Four ships remain undraped beneath her right knee, two of which are named respectively, "K.STEFFEN" and
"BARALONG"
obverse text : "ENGLISCHE FLAGGENEHRE!"
reverse design : submarine, profile of, bows to right. Above the submarine four lines of indented text. The design is surrounded by a
beaded and wave decorated edge
exergue : "1914 - ?"
reverse text : "ARTHUR. BALFOUR DEM. ERSTEN. LORD. DER GROSSBRITANNISCHEN ADMIRALITAET"
In this bitter 1916 piece Eberbach condemns Great Britain for the illegal and inhuman manner in which she operated her
naval blockade of Germany. He specifically cites British abuse and violation of the rights of neutral shipping. The two named ships,
'K.STEFFEN' and 'BARALONG' respectively, are direct references to two acts of perceived British 'treachery'. Eberbach imputes an act of
British 'piracy' in connection with Q-ship 'Baralong' (responsible for the destruction of the U27 and its crew on 19 August 1915) and
'murder' in connection with the skipper of the British trawler King Stephen for failing to rescue the crew of the Zeppelin L19 on the night
of 31 January/1 February 1916. See also the satirical medals MED 296 and MED 331. The obverse text is translated as 'English respect for
flags'. The threat implicit in the reverse design, of the U-boat challenge to British naval supremacy, is given emphasis by the simple text
message translated as 'Arthur Balfour the First Lord of the Admiralty of Great Britain'. Balfour, formerly Prime Minister from 1902-1905,
was First Lord of the Admiralty from 1915-1916 in Asquith's coalition government, before becoming Foreign Secretary from 1916-
1919. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Subjects: | Arthur James satirical Royal Navy First World War & Naval Blockade of Germany & 1914 = 1916 commemorative Balfour | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Eberbach, Walther | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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