On January 11, 1923, France occupied the Ruhr area on the grounds that Germany had not fulfilled its extensive lumber obligations under the reparation agreement. The "passive resistance" declared by the German government soon led to heavy fighting, especially in the western parts of the country. In memory of fourteen men who lost their lives on March 31, 1923 in Essen, Goetz fashioned his medal K-297, the Rütlischwur. French soldiers on that day entered the Krupp Works in Essen to confiscate automobiles. The Krupp workers, by order of management, left their working places and gave no hand. The French platoon started to fire at the German workmen. Eleven dead Germans suddenly cover the factory yard, two more died in the hospital.1 The name of the medal furthered the symbolic meaning. (According to the legend of Wilhelm Tell, representatives of Uri, Schwyz, and Unter-walden had met in 1307 to swear the Rütli Oath, on which Swiss freedom was founded.) Thus Goetz linked the German longing for freedom with that of Switzerland.
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