The most sophisticated German notgeld coin

[Jochen]

The "Bielefelder Michel"

This is not an ancient coin but an old one. I think it is worth to be shared here. I think this is the most sophisticated German notgeld coin (emergency coin) at all. This coin was issued in 1923 by the city savings bank of the German city of Bielefeld. This outstanding coin exhibits some of the highest levels of craftsmanship and design to be found on notgeld. It is also a wonderful and poignant example of post war propaganda illustrating many of the underlying reasons for continued discontent in Germany after what was seen as a humiliating defeat in World War I. But look for yourself (translations below the description):

The coin:
AE - brass (gilded), 31.75mm, 13.79g, 0°
        struck by City Savings Bank of Bielefeld, AD 1923
obv. Circumscription "Michel unbesiegt aber betrogen", below "NOT / Goldmark
       Bust of Bismark as Gullible Fritz
       The letters of "Goldmark" are engraved by small letters which together with the  
       underlying letter read "Germanen liebet Deutschland mit Andacht Reinheit Kraft"
       Between "betrogen" and "Goldmark" a small crest inscribed with "WILSON / 14 PUNKTE
       / WAFFEN- / STILL- / STAND / 1918
rev. Circumscription "Einig und gleich ein Volk ein Reich", below "Stadt Bielefeld"
      Between "Einig" and "Stadt" "Ruhr-/ hilfe", and between "Bielefeld" and "Reich" "11.8. /
      1923"
      On the l. side the German politician Carl Severing as Blacksmith of Bielefeld in work clothing std. bent-forward r. on anvil
      and resting on big hammer, on the r.  side a bit lower the French Prime Minister Poincare
      as devil crouched l.
      On the anvil the legends "SCHMIED / von BIELEFELD" on top, "SIRACH / 30 VERS 12"
      in the middle and "MIN IST ER / SE VE / (small ring)" at the bottom.
      On the devil's tail "POINCARE" and on a kind of emanation emerging from his head the inscription
      "SIRACH" - "23" - "VERS 7"
ref. Funck 633.1; Menzel 2776.1
MS, in original envelope

Translations:
- NOT / Goldmark = Emergency Goldmark (or not a Goldmark!)
- Michel = Gullible Fritz, usually depicted with bedcap
- Michel unbesiegt aber betrogen = Michel undefeated but betrayed
  This inscription is repeating what is known as the 'stab-in-the-back' legend, in German it is
  called the Dolchstoß-Legende. This diabolic lie of German generals and the later President  
  of State von Hindenburg was one important reason for the doom of the Weimar Republic.
- NOT Goldmark = Emergency Goldmark
- Germanen liebet Deutschland mit Andacht Reinheit Kraft = Teutons love Germany with
  devotion chasteness strength
- Waffenstillstand = armistice
- Einig und gleich ein Volk ein Reich = United and equal, one people, one empire
- Stadt Bielefeld = City of Bielefeld (Westphalia)
- Ruhrhilfe = Help for the Ruhr
- 11.8.1923 = Germany ceased all reparation payments. Anniversary of the celebration of the Constitution of Weimar. At this
   reason Reichspräsident Friedrich Ebert called for unity. On the same day the British government in notes to France and
   Belgium called the occupation of the Ruhrgebiet illegal.
- Schmied von Bielefeld = Blacksmith of Bielefeld (local mythological figure)
- MIN IST ER / SE VE / (small ring) = minister (Carl) Severing (politician)

Envelope:
(1) "HILF RHEIN UND RUHR"
"1",
(2) in l. field "FRANKREICHS / WUNSCH / Sirach / Kap. 23 Vers 7"
(3) in r. field "DEUTSCHLANDS / WILLE / Sirach / Kap. 30 Vers 2"
(4) "G  O  L   D      M   A   R   K"
"     E       I    E       I   N   E   R"
"     R       E   U      T   D    I   A"
"    M       B   T            A   N   F"
"    A       E   SCH       C    H  T"
"    N       T   LAND     H    E
"    E                         T     I"
"    N                               T"
(5) "EINLÖSUNG NACH AUFRUF NUR"
(6) "MIT DIESER HÜLLE ZUM GOLDKURSE BIS"
(7) "HÖCHSTENS 000 MARK DURCH"
(8) "Stadt-Sparkasse. Bielefeld."
(9) "D.R.G.M. lt. Bekanntgabe"

Translations:
(1) Help Rhine and Ruhr
(2) Wish of France
(3) Will of Germany
(4) The text of the columns from left to right and from top to bottom reads "GERMANEN LIEBET DEUTSCHLAND MIT ANDACHT REINHEIT KRAFT", for translation look above
(5) Redemption after call only
(6) with this envelope at the gold rate to
(7) maximal 000 Mark by
(8) City Savings Bank. Bielefeld.
(9) D.R.G.M. as per announcement

The Blacksmith of Bielefeld:
In Bielefeld there was once a blacksmith who was famous for his artwork. To do even more better and to get all secret arts he concludes a treaty with the devil. And thereby he became so famous that St.Peter when he once came down to earth and his horse had a loose horseshoe went to him. And he asked the blacksmith for wage. Money he didn't want, he said, but the apostle may bless a purse for him that the money never went off. And so he did.
Some time later the time of the treaty was expired and the devil came to take him. When the devil knocked at the door the blacksmith said that he may come in please through the keyhole. The devil did so but the blacksmith was holding his purse before the hole so that the devil was prisoned in his purse and couldn't come out. And then the blacksmith treated him with his hammer on the anvil until the devil was ready to abandon the blacksmith.
When the blacksmith felt his end was coming near he clothed himself with his old apron and after deceasing he went to heavens door. But St.Peter refused him because of the old treaty with the devil. The devil too refused him when he went to the hell for shelter because of the beating he got by the blacksmith. So the blacksmith returned to heavens door, waited until St.Peter opened the door for a pious virgin and quickly threw his apron through the door. St Peter got angry and commanded him to take it back. But when the blacksmith was in heaven he set down on his apron and refused to go. Remembering how often the blacksmith has given money to the poor people St.Peter finally allowed him to sit there where he sits still today.

Notes

(1) Otto von Bismark
1815-1898, Prussian politician, founder of the German Empire 1871, German Chancellor until 1890.

(2) Deutscher Michel:
Nickname of the Germans used by themselfs meaning a naive, indulgent, unpolitical figure. Origin was the time of restauration after the defeat of Napoleon, the so-called Biedermeier-Zeit.

(3) 14 points peace plan of Wilson:
To end WWI, the primal catastrophe of the 20th century, Wilson, president of the US, has published a plan with 14 articles for an understanding peace. This plan, which led to the German armistice, was disregarded and replaced by the Treaty of Versailles, a revenge treaty, which therefore was never signed by the USA.

(4) Sirach:
Sirach, by the Jewish scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem, also known as Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach, is a collection of ethical teachings. It closely resembles Proverbs, except that, unlike the latter, it is the work of a single author. It was written about 180 BC.
(1) Sirach 30, 12: "Break him in while he is young, beat him soundly while he is still a
      child, or he may grow stubborn and disobey you and cause you vexation."
(2) Sirach 23, 7: "Hear, my sons, how to discipline the mouth, take warning, and you
      will never be caught out."
 
(5) Raymond Poincare
1860-1934, French politician, representative of a nationalistic, anti-German policy. He forced the conclusion of the 'triple entente' between France, Great-Britain and Russia. In 1914 as President of the State he strengthened Russia by a visit in St. Petersburg in its support for Serbia against Austria-Hungary. One week later Russia declared general mobilization.
In 1920 he became Chairman of the comission of reparations in the French Senate and espoused a uncompromising fulfilment of the Treaty of Versailles.
In 1922 he provokes the demise of Aristide Briand because of his agreement policy towards Germany.
In 1923 he led occupying the Ruhrgebiet because of a delay of German reparations.

(6) Minister Carl Severing
German politician, social democrat of the right wing. Was 1914 proponent of the war but 1917 against the dictat peace of Brest-Litowsk which was a violation of the German claim for a peace of understanding.
In 1923, after the French occupation of the Ruhrgebiet he plays an important role. He was a proponent of the nonviolent resistance and an opponent of the violent fight against the French troups. Therefore as Interior Minister he prohibited the radical rightist DVFP. Because of that he was hated by the right side of the political spectrum. Against the right militias he forged an alliance with von Seeckt, chief of the Reichswehr, the German army. This alliance on the other side made easier the buildup of the Black Reichswehr, the attempt to underrun the Treaty of Versailles. Because of the exploding inflation the unviolent resistance had to be ceased.

(7) The Ruhrkampf:
The Ruhrkampf (struggle for the Ruhr) was a political-military concflict in the Ruhrgebiet in 1923. To ensure the German reparations according to the Treaty of Versailles and to affirm the French hegemony over the German Reich Belgian and French troups occupied, beginning on 11. January 1923, the entire Ruhrgebiet and took over the control of industrial plants and public authorities (Poincare: "Policy of productive distrainors"). The German Government in agreement with the Reichstag (German parliament) and the Gewerkschaften (unions) proclaimed unviolent resistance. This proclamation was answered by France with the expulsion of German railway and postal officials (c. 140000 persons) and with an economic boycott. By terror and sabotage action of gangs of former members of German Freicorps, nationalistic agitation of the KPD and by death sentences and acts of revenge of the French side the conflict escalated. Altogether 140 persons were killed, between them Leo Schlageter, then a martyr of the Nazis. But the passive resistance against the rigid occupation force couldn't not be kept up in the length of time. The economical crisis intensified dramatically and the financial payments for the 2 Millions unemployed persons which was the consequence of the passive resistance led to the ruin of the national finances and a hyperinflation. In August 1923 a great coalition was built under Gustav Stresemann as Reichskanzler. The passive resistance was ceased on 26. September. Under pressure of the USA and Great-Britain the French-Belgian occupation was ended in 1925 after a reorganization of the German reparations by the Dawes Plan.

Besides the 'stab-in-the back' lie the uncompromizing policy of France against Germany with its hyperinflation (at the peak in November 1923 1$ = 4.2 Trillions Reichsmark), which led to the expropriation and pauperization of the German middle class, was one of the most important reasons for the advancement of the Nacism.

The quotation of Sirach we would call today overblown and a bit beside the point. But this pseudo-religious talking was usual in some parts of the German people after the defeat of WWI.

BTW The last payment for the Treaty of Versailles was done this year on on 1. Oktober 2010!!!!

Sources:
http://www.cachecoins.org/bielefeld02.htm (in English)
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruhrbesetzung
http://www.nrw2000.de/weimar/passiver_widerstand.htm
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Severing

Best regards

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't you mean that WW1 was the primal catastrophe of the 20th Century, not the 19th? In which case, I wholeheartedly agree! Sirach was written about 180BC, not AD. Was Beilefeld predominantly Catholic? Sirach would be an odd choice for Protestants, as it's not in their Bible.

[Jochen]

Thanks for your post. Bielefeld belongs to the episcopate of Paderborn and was a catholic city. After WWII the old classification in Catholic and Protestant has been planished by the refugees from Germany's eastern provinces. Bielefeld was the headquarter of the British Rhine Army.

In Germany the 19th century begins in 1801 and ends in 1900, the 20th century begins in 1901 and ends in 2000. Now we live in the 21th century, or not?

Best regards

[Robert_Brenchley]

There was no year 0. The 1st Century began with Year 1, at least in theory; it wasn't called that till several centuries later. So the 2nd Century has to have begun with Year 101, and so on, whatever anyone tells us! We're still in the 20th Century for the next couple of weeks.

[curtislclay]

Don't you mean, "in the FIRST DECADE OF the 21ST Century"?

[Jochen]

This is a very old thread, indeed. But nevertheless I have new additional information to the coin I have posted that belongs to this thread.

On the devil's tail "POINCARE" and on a kind of emanation emerging from his head the inscription "SIRACH" - "23" - "VERS 7"

In the meantime I have seen that the so-called "emanation" actually are leaves of turnips and the head of the devil is also a turnip, which often occurs on the emergency money of Bielefeld. But this not only is an allusion to the "turnip winter" 1916/17 and the starvation, but especially to Poincare himself. Take a look at the attached pic. (Thanks to Szarkowski-Tegtmeier!)

Szarkowski-Tegtmeier has an interesting note too to the propaganda slogan in the upper part: "Einig und gleich ein Volk ein Reich". He writes that this is a mix of two different slogans which he has seen never before. The first one is from the Imperial Era: "Das Wort sei frei, das Herze treu - einig und gleich, treu Kaiser und Reich (The word be free, the heart true - united and equal, true to Emperor and Reich). The 2nd slogan is "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" and is an infamous slogan of the Nazi era (One people, one Reich, one leader). It was first published 1938 during the annexation of Austria. So the slogan on the coin mixes past and future and points already to the Nazi era.

Best regards