The Macabre World War I “Totentanz” Medal Series of Walther Eberbach
As the first great conflict to serve as a focal point for much of the world, it is not surprising that
World War I is commemorated by means of medallic art. The countries on each side, whether the allies or the central powers, issued medals ranging from poignant to propagandistic. Solemn reflections upon lives lost and towns ravaged were commonplace, as were images of force and strength–even if not entirely accurate; the narrative, after all, was that which was most vital.
Medals of a satirical nature also found their way into this unfolding storyline of the Great War, with designs by the famed