Unknown romanian medal of Gen. Mosoiu, any info is appreciated

Hi,

I would really appreciate if anybody could give me some info about this medal. It's 25mm diameter, i dont know the material, could be some light metal alloy, or ceramic.
On the obv. is written: GENERAL MOSOIU 1919 - KISUJSZALLAS KENDERES FEGYVERNEK SZOLNOK.
Below the engraver's name: M. KARA.




Regards,
Aldor

The medal is dedicated to Major general Traian Mosoiu, who led parts of the Rumanian forces in the anti-Hungarian campaign of 1918-1919.

Judged by the names of the localities in Hungary, the medal is related to the last battles, fought along the line of River Tisza in late July 1919.

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on April 20, 2006 04:54 pm

Thank you!

Anybody seen this medal before? The old colector from who i've got it said, that he never saw another one like this, in dozens of years of collecting.

I found some information in an article published in Buletinul Muzeului Militar National, 1/2003 ("Generalul Traian Mosoiu pe frontul de lupta si spiritual al Romaniei Mari", by T. Bihoreanu, C. Mosincat, I. Tulvan).

According to it, Gen. Mosoiu received 5 such medals (made from silver) from Hungarian authorities (probably local authorities, from the mentioned cities) for the humanitarian measures taken while he was the military governor of the part of Hungary occupied by the Romanian army in 1919.

So, either the authors are wrong and the medals weren't from silver, or there were more such medals, made from common metal.

In any case, this is a very rare medal, with an unique story. Maybe you should try to ask about it on a Hungarian forum for collectors, they might know something about the medal or its engraver.

Hallo Forum members,

just a quick word with reference this type of medal, if only one side is used (UNIFACE) with a depiction of a person and a few words, it normaly means this were mass produced, and made very cheaply.

Anything being presented for a good deeds, or appreciation other than heroic actions is normaly hand crafted and made with genuine interest in the object being pleasing to the eye of the reciepiant, in the case of it being for example, presented by grateful Hungarian authorities for the protection of the Hungarian populations in certain areas, the original one or five? presented may well have been in real Silver and with far more detail, than something that was made over the fire in the kitchen from lead or zinc.

The one sided version may be a poor copy, or a general common issue to more than one person, maybe just as a commemorative piece.

And unless some form of a documant "Brevet" is issued then such pieces or a photograph comes to light, then the medals must be regarded with caution as being the RARE, ORIGINAL ,ONE OF A KIND medal.

Kevin in Deva

Below is a picture of G-ral Mosoiu and AS Principele Carol.
Courtesy Razvan Bujor coll.

I found some more information. The engraver, Mihail Kara, was a Czech living in Oradea, working in cooperation with an Italian engraver, Vignalli Rafaello.

For engraving "his" medal, Gen. Mosoiu recommended them for the Medal of Bene Merenti, 2nd Class, which they received by ID 4780/1921.