Veldtocht van 1813 en 1814, draagteken vervaardigd uit metaal van veroverd geschut, uitgereikt aan de Pruissische soldaten 1813 - 1814

Editor: This medal, commemorating the campaigns of 1813 and 1814, awarded to Prussian soldiers, really grabs my attention. It's made of metal, seemingly from conquered weaponry, and feels heavy with history. What stands out to you? Curator: What interests me most is its very materiality. This medal, crafted from the captured guns of war, embodies a fascinating cycle of destruction and creation. The violence inflicted to obtain the metal, transformed through labor into an object meant to signify honor. What statement does the choice of recycled war materials make about Prussian militarism and its relationship to its soldiers? Editor: So, you are pointing out how war leads to the very materials that glorify it, almost as if violence becomes self-sustaining? Curator: Precisely. We have to consider who would have received this medal, the circumstances, how it would be worn, and the social meaning it conveys. Who benefitted most from this system? To me, this speaks volumes about power structures. The medal romanticizes the act of labor performed by soldiers, perhaps to blind them to the economic system that exploits their courage. Editor: That’s a compelling point. So the medal, meant to symbolize honor and victory, actually reveals a more complex relationship between the soldier, the state, and the spoils of war? The honor isn't freely given, it is, in some ways, already earned through sacrifice that's part of the medal itself. Curator: Yes, it raises crucial questions about valor, the economic drivers of conflict, and how material objects can perpetuate ideology. A medal created for propaganda and ideology. It also reveals the production that forges an individual soldier's identity. Editor: I hadn't considered how the raw material connects to a much broader and harsher social picture, using warfare. Now, looking at it, I see a powerful statement about the resources poured into conflict. Curator: Materiality often speaks louder than intended.