Silver Medal History of Warcraft - Battle of Königgrätz - proof

When the academic painter Karel Zeman creates a commemorative medals, he likes to travel to the places, that appear on them, to absorb the atmosphere. In the case of the fifth issue of his author's series The History of Warcraft, it was not far - the silver medal is dedicated to the Battle of Königgrätz, which flared up exactly 150 years ago.

The showdown of the Austro-Prussian War in 1866 is indelibly linked with the Austrian party leader Ludwig von Benedek. Although he was a brave and capable commander, who learned his craft from Marshal Radetzky, in his last battle he took a huge blow to the head. From then on, only the heroism of his men saved him - the gunners, artillerymen and cuirassiers, who fought like lions. In an attempt to divert attention from the real causes of failure, which laid in an inadequate organization of the imperial army, the Austrian command Benedek was used as a scapegoat. This embarrassment sadly eclipsed all of his past accomplishments. This personal tragedy has Karel Zeman used as the main motif for the obverse side of the medal: "On the obverse side of the medal, I sculpted the portrait of the field swordmaster Ludwig von Benedek, set in a frame in the form of a laurel wreath, symbolizing his previous wartime successes, broken to pieces after the disastrous defeat of Königgrätz."

The reverse of the medal bears the riders of the opposing armies in a heat of the battle, whose result is symbolized by two helmets - the Prussian one standing on the fallen Austrian one.