1863 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig.

[elverno]

1863 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig.

27mm - Details

 

A souvenir made from cannonballs picked up on the battlefield. It was cheap, I was the only bidder with the 99 cents opening so the shipping cost three and a half times as much as the medal!

 

The Battle of Leipzig was the true end of the Napoleonic Empire no matter what the history books might tell you about the disaster in Russia. The fact is that after returning from Russia Napoleon raised another army and fought the Allies to a standstill in Germany. But the numbers the Allies could bring to bear plus the wavering loyalties of Napoleon's German allies finally turned the tide. Even then, at the end of a hard fought three day battle Napoleon had the opportunity to slip out of the trap that Leipzig had become when a corporal, who had no idea of the timelines involved, blew up the critical escape bridge too early and trapped thousands who ended up casualties or prisoners. Many of his German allies had defected during the battle or soon afterward and he reluctantly could no longer trust the ones who remained loyal. It was truly the end though Napoleon and his dwindling army of boys and recalled veterans continued until betrayed by their own leadership outside of Paris. Wikipedia has a good article on the battle.

 

1913 3 Marks, Saxony.

100th Anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig

[Arminius]

A similar medal:

 

 

Medal of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig, by B.H. Meyer, Pforzheim, 1913 AD.,

Æ (33 mm / 16,02 g),

Obv.: DEUTSCHER PATRIOTENBUND / VÖLKERSCHLACHT- / DENKMAL BEI / LEIPZIG / 1913 , view of the monument.

Rev.: 16.-18. - OKTOBER - 1813 , three eagle fighting a fourth one (France) in the air.

Wurzb. 4946 .

 

On October 18th 1913, the Battle of Leipzig monument was inaugurated in the presence of the German Kaiser and Friedrich August III., King of Saxony. Present were also representatives of the Swedish, Russian and Austrian monarchy, however France was not invited. (no info about the British presence)

 

This might explain what happened in Europe a few years and some decades later.

[constanius]

I was the only bidder with the 99 cents opening so the shipping cost three and a half times as much as the medal!

Napoleon had the opportunity to slip out of the trap that Leipzig had become when a corporal, who had no idea of the timelines involved, blew up the critical escape bridge too early and trapped thousands who ended up casualties or prisoners.

 

Those shipping cost, three & half times the cost of the medal! Now you must wish you had paid at least 4 times as much for the darn thing and shipping would then be less than the cost of the medal

 

Bridges have played a prominent part in many battles, some because they were destroyed & some because they were not. Murat's bluff to stop the Austrians from destroying the bridge in Vienna by striding on to the bridge and claiming an armistice had been signed is an example of one that was saved from destruction.