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World War I
Page 12
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 Watch on the Isonzo (River) |
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Austrian Bronze Statue of Saint Michael Guarding the Austrian Border (Item WWI 12-1 & KSTATUE 5-5) |
DESCRIPTION: This is a magnificent bronze statue of the Patron Saint of Imperial Austria armed with sword and shield. He stands defiant and steadfast as he guards the area known as the “Isonzo” named for the Isonzo River that runs from the Gulf of Trieste through Italy and Slovenia and joins with the Sola and Idrija Rivers as it ambles toward Austria. The battles of the Isonzo were a series of 12 battles between the Austro-Hungarian and Italian armies in World War One. They were fought along this river on the Eastern sector of the Italian front between June 1915 and November 1917. Most of the battles were fought on the territory of modern Slovenia and the remainder in Italy. During the war the Isonzo valley was part of the Alpine sector of the Italian Front, along which the armies of Italy and Austro-Hungary clashed. During World War One the sixty miles long river ran almost entirely inside Austro–Hungary in parallel to the border with Italy. There is a narrow corridor between northern Italy and central Europe. This corridor is also known as the “Ljubijana Gate.” The Italian army wanted to break through this passage in order to penetrate into central Carniloa and then on to Stynia to the heart of Austria. The area between the northernmost part of the Adriatic Sea and the sources of the river Soca thus became the scene of twelve successive battles with the rest of the mountainous 400 mile long front almost everywhere dominated by Austro-Hungarian troops. The Isonzo was the practical area for Italian military operations during the war. The Austrians had fortified the mountains ahead of the Italian long expected entry into the war on May 23rd, 1915. The details of the battles are available on the internet; we won’t go into further description here. Fratricidal War at its Most Heinous. Despite the huge effort and resources poured into the continuing Isonzo struggle the results were invariably disappointing and without real tactical merit, particularly given the geographical difficulties that were inherent in the campaign. Cumulative casualties of the numerous battles of the Isonzo were enormous. Half of the entire Italian War casualty total some 300,000 - 600,000 were suffered along the Isonzo. Austro-Hungarian losses while by no means as numerous were never the less high at around 200,000 of an overall total of around 1.2 million casualties. The statue stands today as a memorial to the brave Austrian soldiers who died in those twelve battles as defenders of their sacred fatherland the figure of Saint Michael depicted with the wings of an archangel. His sword is the wavy blade type and his shield has the double headed eagle of the Hapsburg Empire. The bronze figure stands at the peak of a simulated mountain. This model mountain is formed from actual Austrian granite from the area of Austria where such stone is quarried. The realistic tone is exemplified by this clever artistic touch. The whole of the sculpture in height including the granite base is 15 inches with the base being 6 inches high and Saint Michael being 12 inches. The sculpture and base are in A-1 perfect condition. Very dramatic looking and noble in its concept. This is one of the most meaningful art statues we have ever presented to serious Germanophiles worldwide. By the way, we might need a St. Michael or St. George at our border in the near future to guard against the Dragons and Devils from south of that besieged border. Let’s support Arizona! In Hoc Signo Vinces!!! PRICE: $2,950.00 |
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 The artist |
 The plaque |
 Ulanen on patrol |
 Ulan in early combat |
 Third Garde Ulanen Kaserne in Berlin |
Bronze Soldier of the Reich (Item WWI 12-2, ART 16-10, KSTATUE 5-6, WEHR 31-14) |
DESCRIPTION: This marvelous statue measuring 13 ½ inches high with a base 4 ½ inches square (length and depth) personifies the strength and determination of the “Deutscher Soldat” from the time of the battle of the Teutoberg Forest up through the pages of history and into the 2nd World War. The slogan that might go with this wonderful sculpture could be “Die Ganze Welt Gegen Uns”! The whole world against us! Yes, Germany in the embodiment of the Heilege Vaterland was always to protect Europe against the constant incursions from the east against the Magyars, Huns ,Goths, and Visagoths and even the moribund Roman Empire. The land of Germania and its Teutonic Volk took on all comers. It was no different in the 2nd World War when Germany with a few allies stood against the Maelstrom in what was a German led crusade to destroy the beast of Bolshevism before all of Europe was disseminated by what President Regan later called the Evil Empire. Tthis was truly “evil personified! “ And in this author's perception, all the nations who joined in the fight to preserve communism and crush Germany were the acolytes of Stalin and Tito and obviously Satan*. (*Authors historic opinion.) The statue you see here tells of a saga that we have briefly touched upon in the forgoing narrative. As this Warrior stands naked before the world, the artist who sculpted him conveys in statuary the defeated yet proud and militant German soldier who wears the Stalhelm (steel helmet) and makes ready the sword of Siegfried known as Nothung for the next time the call of the besieged Fatherland is heard. We readily admit that all of this will only be understood and honored by Germanophiles, but we can envision all the deep meaning that this artistic masterpiece conveys. Nothing else that we have ever offered or seen offered comes up to the artistic expression and important significance of this prodigiously important piece. Its historical importance is magnificently conveyed. This statue which may actually be unique; it is a presentation piece to an officer who was “Beirat” (military advisor) to the Third Ulan battalion in Berlin. This wonderful gift was from the Kameradschaft (comrades) and presented to him for his true service to the Batt. From 1920 to 1940 this illustrious unit was the Third Guard Uhlan regiment and in WW 2 the Uhlans became armored divisions and covered themselves with glory in the early campaigns in Poland and the military engagements against France and Russia. The sculpture weighs about 14 pounds with the marble plinth and is in perfect condition with a gorgeous patina throughout. Deutschland Uber Alles ! PRICE: $3,900.00 (Extremely reasonable!) |
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 With cymbal raised |
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 The ash receptacle |
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 Prussian bandsman (note swallows nest) |
 Prussian band |
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A Soldier Ashtray (Unique) (Item WWI 12-3 & KSTATUE 5-7) |
DESCRIPTION: This has to be one of the neatest WWI German novelties of the Imperial Era we have ever seen or heard of. This Pickelhaube wearing Prussian soldier is a ‘Bandsman’ and “what a bandsman.” He is playing the “Grosse Trommel” (Grand Drum) and the large cymbal at the same time. He is in full Prussian Landser uniform with the ‘Birds nest” or swallow tail epaulettes on his shoulders and the special three button style cuffs that are sported on the dress tunic. He wears the Mauser 98 bayonet with portepee. The absolute most unique thing about “Fritz’ is found in his moving parts -- when the arm holding the drum stick is depressed downward, he raises the cymbal and brings it clanging down when the drumstick is returned to its original position. Of course when the cymbal is raised the ashtray is exposed. Behind ‘Fritz’ is a small plinth where a pack of matches would be mounted. The figure is mounted on a base that is made to look like a brick street. Under the base are letters, D.R.G.M. (German registered patent) and another word is found by the base fixtures. It could be Mustersch.? The figure with base stands about 8 inches tall. The drum is about 2 ½ inches long. The cymbal is about 2 inches in diameter. We at Germania are particularly proud to offer this great figure to the collecting pubic and at the same time in hopes he doesn’t go out too soon, he looks great on our desk. In all probability ‘Fritz’ was a table piece in an officer’s Mess Hall. He is certainly not a toy. PRICE: $2,200.00 and worth every dime of this reasonable price. Sort of the ULTIMATE in a Germanic military statue |
Page Twelve |
Please refer to item designator in parentheses in all correspondence.
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