China Boxer Rebellion Embossed Postcard

(Bronze China-Denkmünze For Troops)

Postcard with image of the German China Campaign Medal

Item number: C22

Year: AD 1902

Material: Paper

Size: 90 x 140 mm

Provenance: Private Collector, Singapore, 2022

This item is a German postcard commemorating the victory of the Siege of the International Legations of the German Empire. At the top of the obverse side, it showcases the coat of arms of the German Empire, with the China medal depicted on both sides. A vanquished dragon is displayed on the left, symbolizing China’s defeat, while on the right, a description “Zur Erinnerung an die glückliche Heimkehr unserer Chinakrieger (In memory of the joyful return of our China warriors)” can be found. The reverse side features two Germania stamps with a value of 5 Pfennig. Adjacent to the stamps are translations of the word “postcard” in German (Postkarte), French (Carte postale), Italian (Cartolina postale), and Hungarian (Levelezőlap).

The China Medal (China-Denkmünze) was established by Kaiser Wilhelm II on May 10, AD 1901, and was conferred in bronze to combatants and in steel to non-combatants. The bronze medal was awarded to all participants in the military events in East Asia (fighting the Boxer Rebellion from May 30, AD 1900, to June 29, AD 1901), as well as to individuals of both genders who provided care for the sick and wounded within the war zone. Additionally, the steel medal was awarded to all individuals involved in the preparations for the formation and deployment of the German armed forces, as well as to the crews of the German shipping companies’ transport ships for troop and war supplies to and from East Asia.

The design for the China medal came from Kaiser Wilhelm II himself, while the execution of the medal was carried out by Professor Walter Schott of Berlin. The embossing was provided by the company Mayer & Wilhelm in Stuttgart. The medal terminate in a tip that is perforated from top to bottom to accommodate a small elongated ring into which the round support ring is hung.

On the obverse side, a crowned eagle flying to the right, holding a large dragon under its fangs, is depicted. A narrow, dense laurel thread runs along the edge. On the reverse side, the letter “W” appears beneath the free-floating imperial crown with fluttering ribbons. The inscription on the bronze memorial medal for fighters reads “THE VICTORIOUS FIGHTERS,” with “1900 CHINA 1901” below it. On the copper commemorative medal , the inscription reads “MERIT TO THE EXPEDITION TO CHINA.” A narrow, dense laurel thread also runs along the edge, and a five-pointed star is featured on the copper medal.

The Germania stamp series consists of postage stamp issues from the German Empire featuring the image of Germania, which were used between AD 1900 and AD 1922. Germania symbolizes the personification of Germany. In the iconography of the German Empire, Germania acquired more nationalistic features and was reinterpreted for war propaganda purposes. The designs for the stamp series, which were approved by Kaiser Wilhelm II himself, were created by Paul Eduard Waldraff (AD 1870–1917). The model for the portrait of Germania was the actress Anna Führing, who frequently portrayed Germania in stage plays, including in 1891 on the occasion of a festival in Düsseldorf in the presence of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

German interests in China were significant, with the province of Shandong at the core of their focus. Since late AD 1897, the Germans occupied Jiaozhou Bay and established the new port of Qingdao as their naval base. They extended their sphere of influence over the province. Shandong was one of the most impoverished regions of China, and the increasing German activities there intensified unrest among its inhabitants and preoccupied provincial officials.

Amidst this milieu of unrest and despair, a dangerous secret society emerged, known in the West as the “Boxers”. Originally named Yihequan, or “Righteous and Harmonious Fists”, the movement adopted the nickname “Boxers” and later changed its name to Yihetuan, or “Righteous and Harmonious Militia”. The Boxers engaged in magical rituals, suppressed banditry, targeted local Christians, and chanted slogans like “Support the Qing, destroy the foreigner”. Although the sincerity of such statements is debatable, the movement itself was not openly anti-Manchu.

The unrest caused by the Boxers in Shandong directly impacted German activities and interests in the province, particularly those of the Shandong Railway Company (SEG; Shantung Eisenbahn Gesellschaft). By the turn of the years AD 1899–1900, the turmoil had escalated to such a degree that construction had to be halted until February AD 1900.

In the first months of AD 1900, the disturbances reached unprecedented levels, and by the end of May, most foreigners felt increasingly threatened. Despite some governmental efforts to combat the Boxers, foreigners doubted their commitment. The deteriorating situation prompted a series of conferences among foreign diplomats in Beijing.

Despite Chinese resistance, foreign diplomats in Beijing requested military detachments from their governments, including the German Minister to stationed in China. On May 31, the Zongli Yamen¹ reluctantly permitted the envoys to summon no more than 30 troops for each legation. However, most foreign troops exceeded this limitation. The German and Austro-Hungarian detachments were the last to arrive, entering the capital on June 3, AD 1900. The German detachment, led by Count Alfred von Soden, consisted of 50 sailors and 1 officer.

The death of Clemens August Freiherr von Ketteler was a turning point that led to the Siege of the International Legations. Upon receiving reliable news of Ketteler’s death on July 2, AD 1900, the Emperor ordered the organization of a 7,000-strong volunteer brigade. The German expeditionary corps, commanded by General von Lessel, comprised six infantry regiments, one cavalry regiment, and one artillery regiment, totaling about 520 officers and 11,000 soldiers. In retaliation for Ketteler’s death, the Germans proposed not only the conquest of forts at Qifu but also the seizure and sinking of Chinese vessels at Yangtze.

The Boxer Protocol, signed on September 7, AD 1901, after China’s defeat, favored the German Empire. Throughout the negotiations, the Germans claimed 91,287,043 taels, of which they were awarded 90,070,515 taels, or 20% of the total sum. China was required to repay this sum in installments until 1940. The area of the German legation expanded tenfold, from 2.5 to 25.5 acres. Germany was permitted to station 300 legation guards in Beijing, along with 5–6 cannons and 6 machine guns.

1. Zongli Yamen(總理衙門) refers to the Office for the General Management of Affairs Concerning the Various Countries, which functioned as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the Qing Dynasty.

義和團運動浮雕明信片

(八國聯軍德軍銅質勳章)

物件編號: C22

年代: 公元 1902 年

材質: 紙

尺寸: 90 x 140 mm

來源: 新加坡私人收藏 2022

這件物品是一張德國明信片，紀念德意志帝國於八團聯軍之役的勝利。在正面頂部，展示了德意志帝國的國徽，兩側分別裝飾著中國獎章。左側展示了一隻被打敗的龍，象徵著中國的失敗。右側則可以找到一段描述：“為了紀念我們中國戰士的歡樂歸來”。背面展示了兩個價值為5個芬尼的德國郵票。在郵票旁邊是「明信片」一詞的不同翻譯：德語（Postkarte），法語（Carte postale），意大利語（Cartolina postale）和匈牙利語（Levelezőlap）。

中國紀念獎章（China-Denkmünze）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Walter Schott教授完成的。斯圖加特的Mayer & Wilhelm公司提供了壓花服務。紀念章上方有一個尖端，從頂部到底部穿孔，以容納一個小而細長的環，環中掛著圓形支撐環。在正面，一隻戴著皇冠的老鷹向右飛翔，嘴裡叼著一條大龍。邊緣上有一條狹窄而密集的月桂線。在背面，字母“W”出現在自由飄動的帝國皇冠下方。銅質紀念章上的銘文為“THE VICTORIOUS FIGHTERS”，下方是“1900 CHINA 1901”。鋼質紀念章上的銘文為“MERIT TO THE EXPEDITION TO CHINA”。邊緣上還有一條狹窄而密集的月桂線，鋼質紀念章上有一個五角星。

德國郵票系列是德意志帝國的郵票發行，上面印有德國之像，流行於公元1900年至公元1922年間。在德意志帝國的象徵中，德國之像代表了民族主義，多用於戰爭宣傳。郵票系列的設計獲得了威廉二世皇帝的批准，由Paul Eduard Waldraff（AD 1870–1917）創作。德國之像的肖像模特是Anna Führing，一位德國女演員，她在舞台劇中經常扮演德國之像的角色，包括公元1891年在杜塞爾多夫的一次節日上，在威廉二世皇帝的面前。

德國對在中國的利益非常重視，其中山東省是他們關注的核心。自從公元1897年末，德國人佔領了膠州灣並建立了青島新港，成為他們的海軍基地。他們將影響範圍擴展到該省。山東是中國最貧困的地區之一，而德國在該地區的活動越來越多，加劇了居民的不安定和省級官員的分心。

在這種動盪和絕望的氛圍中，出現了一個危險的秘密社會，西方稱之為「拳民（Boxers）」。最初被稱為「義和拳（Yihequan ）」，後來更名為「義和團（Yihetuan）」。團員們進行儀式，壓制盜匪，襲擊當地的基督徒，高呼口號「扶清滅洋」。這些聲明的真誠性很難確定，但該運動本身並不公開反對滿清。

義和團在山東引起的動亂直接影響了德國在該省的活動和利益，特別是山東鐵路公司（SEG; Shantung Eisenbahn Gesellschaft）的利益。到了公元1899年至公元1900年之際，該省的動盪升級到了如此程度，以至於建設不得不暫停，直到公元1900年2月。

在公元1900年的前幾個月，動亂達到了前所未有的規模，到了5月底，大多數外國人開始感到極度受到威脅。盡管一些政府部隊正在與義和團作戰，但外國人對他們的承諾不信任。局勢惡化促使北京的外國外交官舉行了一系列會議。儘管中國拒絕，北京的外國外交官要求他們的政府提供軍隊，德國駐華公使也不例外。 5月31日，總理衙門勉強允許使節召集每個公使館不超過30人的軍隊。然而，大多數外國軍隊的規範超出此規定。德國和奧匈帝國的軍隊是最後到達的，於公元1900年6月3日進入中國首都。德國的分遣隊由阿爾弗雷德·馮·索登伯爵領導，由1名官員和50名水手組成。

克萊門斯·馮·克林德男爵的去世是八國聯軍之役的導火線。公元 1900年7月2日，有關克林德的死訊終於傳到皇帝耳中，他下令組織一支由7,000人組成的遠征軍。德國遠征軍由六個步兵團、一個騎兵團和一個炮兵團組成，共約520名軍官和11,000名士兵。作為對克林德之死的報復，德國人建議不僅攻佔棲伏的要塞，還應該在長江上捕捉並沉沒中國船隻。

《辛丑條約》於公元1901年9月7日簽署，標誌著中國的失敗。德意志帝國從這份不平等條約中受益，談判過程中，德國人聲稱應得91,287,043兩白銀，他們被認為應得90,070,515兩白銀，佔總額的20%。中國必須在1940年之前分期偿還此款項。德國公使館的面積擴大了十倍，從2.5英畝增加到25.5英畝。德國被允許在北京駐紮300名使館警衛，以及5到6門大砲和6挺機槍。

更多相關訊息請參考:

China-Denkmünze

www.traditionsverband.de/schutztruppe/china.html

Jan Kocvar, “Germany and the Boxer Uprising in China”, West Bohemian Historical Review, 2015:2

dspace5.zcu.cz/bitstream/11025/17656/1/Kocvar.pdf

Gerald Schwarz, “Germania-Markenheftchen des Deutschen Reiches”, in: Handbuch Germania-Marken, Register 19(Seiten, 1997)