Karl Goetz Medal – Kienast 270: “On the Agenda in Spa” (1920) Satirical Medal

Karl Goetz Medal - Kienast 270: "On the Agenda in Spa" (1920)

A sharply satirical response to the postwar burdens imposed on Germany, Karl Goetz's Kienast 270, titled "On the Agenda in Spa" (Tagesordnung in Spa), addresses the disarmament and reparations outlined in the Treaty of Versailles. Issued in the aftermath of World War I, this medal captures the frustration, strain, and sense of humiliation felt within Germany as the Allied powers met in Spa, Belgium, to enforce the treaty's conditions.

The obverse portrays a series of demands—not even displayed in full—that Germany was obligated to meet. These include:

• Reduction of the German army to 100,000 soldiers

• Surrender of all dirigibles

• Reduction of naval tonnage

• Ongoing reparations in coal, gold, and material supplies

• Prosecution of war criminals

Goetz arranges these conditions visually, emphasizing the relentless weight of Allied expectations. His style makes the viewer feel the administrative and economic crush confronting the defeated nation.

The reverse depicts German Michel, the traditional personification of the German people. Stooped and struggling under the massive book containing the Treaty's countless rules and restrictions, Michel appears barely able to carry the symbolic burden placed upon him. It is a powerful image of national fatigue and coerced compliance, characteristic of Goetz's postwar critique.

Cast in 58 mm, the medal demonstrates Goetz's exceptional ability to merge political commentary with compelling visual storytelling, making it a vital artifact from the early Weimar era.

Key Features:

• Artist: Karl Goetz

• Catalog reference: Kienast 270 / Opus 270

• Title: "On the Agenda in Spa"

• Year: circa 1920

• Diameter: 58 mm

• Theme: Treaty of Versailles, German disarmament, reparations satire

A significant and resonant piece, Kienast 270 is a must-have for collectors of Weimar-era medallic art, Versailles Treaty history, and the politically charged works of Karl Goetz.