K-306
FATHER STATE
(Vater Staat)
1924, Cast bronze, Satirical medal, 62.8mm, 69.30g., Rim-punch, "K•GoeTz".
Obverse: A poor beggar, with hat in hand and a crutch under his right arm, displays a copper penny while a one billion mark paper note is pinned to his coat. Inscription, "10 • Milliarden • Mark Papier-Das • ist • 1 • kupfer Pfennig. Das • erste • ist • sehr • viel, das • letztere • sehr • wenig" (One billion marks in paper equals one copper penny. The first is very much, the last is very little).
Reverse: A burly French colonial soldier stands guard while an old man digs and an old woman prays. Inscription around border repeated, "Und arbete, und arbete, und arbete,—" (And work, and work, and work— ). In exergue, "Das Volk" (The People). KG in right field and bisected bt a knotted rope hanging from a iron spike.
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A satire on the heights of inflation and the belief that only work and prayer can help the country on its way to recovery.
The reverse rim inscription, "Pray and work." was intentionally mispelled by leaving the letter "I" out of the word ARBEITE (work). By doing so, Goetz was able to create an endless circle of the words bete und arbeite, thus BETE-UND-AR-BETE-UND-AR-BETE-) pray and work - pray and work - pray and work...
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