Inter-War (Nazi Germany) 1938 Philipp Holzmann Frieburg Medallion - Original Issue

This is an original 1938 Philipp Holzmann Medallion. Although not an "official" Nazi party award, it was presented to those whom performed work on the many projects constructed by the Philipp Holzmann Construction Company. A private firm, Philipp Holzmann of Freiburg-im-Breisgau created and distributed the award to those whom performed work on the many projects they built.

DESCRIPTION:
A dark grey metal medallion constructed of a bronzed zinc alloy.

Obverse: Displays a raised combat helmet overlaying a crossed pickaxe and spade. Circumscribed with, “Dem Arbeiter Zur Ehr (To defend the worker) and, "Der Heimat Zur Wehr” (in honor of his homeland).

Reverse: Bears a central inscription of “PHILIPP HOLZMANN” for the eponymous construction firm, topped by the date “1938” with the inscription “FREIBURG I/B” at the bottom.

MEASUREMENTS (Approximate):
1 9/16" Dia (or 36 mm)

HISTORY:
The Philipp Holzmann firm was founded in 1849 by Johann Philipp Holzmann in a town near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Concentrating primarily on railroad construction ties, they expanded to building construction and civil engineering. In 1856, the headquarters moved to Frankfurt after which it saw a rapid growth. Some of the early projects included Frankfurt's Opera House (1880) and Central Train Station (1888) while also constructing the Amsterdam Central Rail Station (1889). They also constructed the original Reichstag building (before the fire of 1933) in Berlin as well as the Hamburg City Hall (1897). Other projects included railway projects in East Africa, Asia, and Turkey.

In 1938, the company employed nearly 21,000 and contributed to some of the more infamous structures (before WWII) of the Nazi regime. Those include the Reich Chancellery (no longer standing) in Berlin, the Nazi Party Rally Grounds (still standing, in part) in Nuremburg, the Prora Complex (currently still in existence) in Binz Rügen, the West Wall, and sections of the Reichsautobahn. During WWII, they additional built parts of the Atlantic Wall by order of the Todt Organization.

During the post-war years, the firm was able to recover in that they rebuilt the city of Frankfurt, including the airport and other public infrastructure projects. They peaked in 1994 with a revenue of over 13 billion dollars and 43,000 employees. The company became insolvent in 1999 & was liquidated in 2002.

Note: Multiple in stock...Shipped item may not be exactly as appears in the photos - may contain slight variation in color/standard age wear.
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Inter-War (Germany) - Original Issue
1938 Philipp Holzmann Freiburg
Medallion.

$89.00 (Firm)

Presented to those whom performed
work on the many projects by the Philipp
Holzmann ConstructionCompany.
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