Deutsche Schutzenfest te Frankfurt am Main 1862

This commemorative medal was created by Gottfried Drentwett in 1862 to mark the German Marksmen’s Festival in Frankfurt am Main. On one side, a female figure – a common symbol of nations – stands guard with a sword, a rifle, and an eagle at her feet, embodying the values of protection and vigilance. In the circular inscription, the medal proclaims the marksmen's duty to "protect with heart and hand". The other side shows the festival hall. These festivals served as powerful demonstrations of national unity and civic engagement in a politically fragmented Germany. They fostered a sense of shared identity and celebrated traditional values through marksmanship competitions, parades, and social gatherings. They remind us to consider what values of nationhood were being put forward and what political and social purposes these festivals served. The medal connects to the emotional and personal experience of belonging to a larger community.