Item number: M190

Year: AD 1901

Material: Bronze, Nickel Silver

The results after XRF testing

Size: bronze 50.0 x 15.5 x 1.3 / nickel silver 46.0 x 17.1 x 1.1 mm

Weight: bronze 2.95 / nickel silver 2.45 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

The objects are two miniature German China Campaign Medal, one being a bronze medal (left) and the other made of nickel silver (right). These medals were instituted in AD 1901 by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany to honour the German troops who served in China during the Boxer Rebellion.

Nickel silver, also known as German silver or new silver, is an alloy composed of copper, zinc, and nickel. It exhibits a silver-white lustre and greater corrosion resistance compared to brass. Despite its name including “silver,” this alloy does not contain any silver. Typically, it consists of approximately 60% copper, at least 20% zinc, and at least 5% nickel. This metal is widely used in the manufacture of decorative silverware, jewelry, and electrical components.

Official versions of the German China Campaign Medal can be categorised into bronze and steel medals based on their merit. However, this particular item is a miniature version crafted privately by an individual according to personal preference, hence it is made of nickel silver.

The medals are circular in shape with a pointed top, and are perforated to accommodate a small, elongated ring through which a circular support ring is suspended. The obverse of the medals features a crowned eagle in flight, facing right, clutching a dragon in its talons, symbolising the German Empire’s part in the allied conquest of China, surrounded by a laurel wreath. The reverse bears the letter ‘W’ topped with a German crown, similarly encircled by a laurel wreath. The bronze medal bears the inscription in German, “DEN SIEGREICHEN STREITERN 1900 CHINA 1901”, honouring the victorious warriors in China, whereas the steel medal is inscribed with “VERDIENST UM DIE EXPEDITION NACH CHINA”, meaning “Merit for the Expedition to China”.

The ribbon of the medal features a central, thick yellow stripe, flanked on both sides by white, with black and red thin stripes from the outside inwards.

The German China Campaign Medal was established on May 10, AD 1901, by Emperor Wilhelm II, with the bronze medal awarded to combatants and the steel medal to non-combatants. The bronze medal was awarded to all participants in military events in East Asia from May 30, AD 1900, to June 29, AD 1901, against the Boxer movement, and to those who cared for the sick and injured in the war zone. The steel medal was awarded to individuals involved in the preparation and deployment of the German armed forces, and to crew members of German shipping companies transporting troops and war supplies from and to East Asia.

The number of Bronze medals issued is around 30,000.

The number of Steel medals issued is around 18,000.

The design of the German China Campaign Medal was conceived by Kaiser Wilhelm II himself, but the execution was carried out by Professor Walter Schott, a sculptor from Berlin. The embossing services were provided by the Mayer & Wilhelm company in Stuttgart.

The medal includes 14 clasp bars, each named for a different location of battle:

TAKU, SEYMOURE EXPEDITION, TIENTSIN, BEIJING, Liang-Hsiang-Hsien, NAN-HUNG-MEN, KAUMI, PEITANG-FOTS, TSEKINGKWAN, KALGAN, KITCHOU, FOUPHING, HOPHU, HUOLU

At the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, disturbances instigated by the Boxers in Shandong directly impacted German activities and interests there, particularly those of the Shandong Railway Company.

Between AD 1899 and AD 1900, the situation in Shandong was turbulent, construction had to be suspended, and foreigners felt extremely threatened. Despite government forces combating the Boxers, foreigners remained distrustful of local government assurances. This led to a series of meetings held by foreign diplomats in Beijing, requesting military support from their governments.

On May 31, AD 1900, Beijing grudgingly permitted each embassy to summon no more than 30 soldiers, although most foreign military contingents exceeded this number. The German and Austro-Hungarian forces entered Beijing on June 3, being among the last to arrive.

The death of Baron Clemens von Ketteler became the catalyst for worsening conditions. On July 2, AD 1900, news of Ketteler’s death reached the German Emperor, prompting him to order the assembly of a 7,000-man expeditionary force to undertake retaliatory action against China.

The Boxer Protocol was signed on September 7, AD 1901, marking China’s defeat. In the negotiations, Germany secured substantial benefits including a large indemnity in silver, an expansion of embassy grounds, and an increase in troop presence.

物件編號: M190

年代: 公元 1901 年

材質: 銅，鎳銀

尺寸: 銅 50.0 x 15.5 x 1.3 / 鎳銀 46.0 x 17.1 x 1.1 mm

XRF分析結果

重量: 銅 2.95 / 鎳銀 2.45 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

該物件為兩枚德國的迷你版中國紀念獎章，一枚為銅質獎章(左)，一枚則為鎳銀質(右)。這枚獎章於公元1901年由德國皇帝威廉二世所設立，是為了表揚在義和團起義期間在中國服役的德國軍隊而設計的。

鎳銀，又稱德國銀或新銀，是由銅、鋅、和鎳組成的一種合金，和黃銅相比更耐腐蝕，具銀白色光澤。
儘管名稱中有「銀」字，但這種合金並不包含銀的成分。一般而言，其金屬的組成為60%左右的銅，至少20%的鋅含量和至少5%的鎳含量。這種金屬被廣泛地運用於製造裝飾銀器、珠寶、和電器配件。

官方版的中國紀念獎章依據功勞性質可分為銅質獎章和鋼質獎章，由於此枚物件屬於民間私人的迷你版，依照個人喜好打造，因此以鎳銀製成。

獎章的外型為圓形 ，上方有一個尖端，並有穿孔，以容納一個小而細長的環，環中掛著圓形支撐環。獎章正面刻有周圍圍繞著月桂花環。該獎章的正面刻有一隻戴著皇冠的老鷹展翅飛翔，面朝右側，爪上抓著一條龍，象徵德意志帝國於八國聯軍征服中國，周圍環繞著桂冠。獎章背面刻有「W」字樣，上方有一頂德國王冠，周邊同樣以月桂花環裝飾，銅質獎章上以德文刻有「DEN SIEGREICHEN STREITERN 1900 CHINA 1901」的銘文，以表揚在中國的勝利之戰士，鋼質獎章則刻有「 VERDIENST UM  DIE EXPEDITION NACH CHINA」的銘文，意為「遠征中國之功績」。 

銅質紀念獎章的發行數量約為 30,000枚。

鋼質紀念獎章的發行數量約為 18,000枚。

此獎章的綬帶中央為一條較粗的黃色線條，左右兩側則以白色為底，由外至內分別有黑色和紅色細線。

中國紀念獎章於公元1901年5月10日由威廉二世皇帝設立，並授予參戰者銅質獎章，非參戰人員則為鋼質。銅質紀念獎章授予在東亞軍事事件中的所有參與者(從公元前1900年5月30日至公元前1901年6月29日參加對抗義和團運動)，以及在戰區照顧病患和受傷人員的男女。鋼質紀念獎章頒發給參與德國武裝部隊組建和部署準備的所有個人，以及德國航運公司運輸船隊的船員，用於運送從東亞到東亞的軍隊和戰爭物資。 

中國紀念獎章的設計來自威廉二世皇帝本人，但獎章的製作是由柏林的雕塑家Walter Schott教授完成的。司徒加特的Mayer & Wilhelm公司則提供了壓花服務。 

 此獎章附有14個銘牌，分別為戰鬥地點的名稱:

TAKU、SEYMOURE EXPEDITION、TIENTSIN、BEIJING、Liang-Hsiang-Hsien、NAN-HUNG-MEN、KAUMI、PEITANG-FOTS、TSEKINGKWAN、KALGAN、KITCHOU、FOUPHING、HOPHU、HUOLU

在公元19世紀末至公元20世紀初，義和團在山東引發的動亂直接影響了德國在該省的活動和利益，尤其是山東鐵路公司的利益。 

公元1899年至公元1900年期間，山東局勢動盪不安，建設不得不暫停，外國人感到極度受到威脅。即使政府部隊與義和團對抗，外國人仍不信任當地政府的承諾。這導致北京的外國外交官舉行一系列會議，要求本國政府提供軍隊支援。 

公元1900年5月31日，北京勉強允許各使館召集不超過30人的軍隊，但大多數外國軍隊的規模超出此限制。德國和奧匈帝國的軍隊於6月3日進入北京，成為最後抵達的部隊之一。 

克萊門斯·馮·克林德男爵的去世成為事態惡化的導火線。公元1900年7月2日，克林德的死訊傳到德國皇帝耳中，引發他下令組織一支由7,000人組成的遠征軍，對中國進行報復行動。 

《辛丑條約》於公元1901年9月7日簽署，標誌著中國的失敗。在談判中，德國成功獲得了大量利益，包括巨額白銀賠償、使館面積擴大和駐軍增加等。