- Time Period: Pre World War I
- Institution: 20 September 1911
- Country: Belgium
The 1870–71 Commemorative Medal (Médaille Commémorative 1870–71 / Herinneringsmedaille 1870–71) is a Belgian campaign medal established on 20 September 1911 by royal decree and awarded to all members of the Belgian Army who were mobilized during the Franco-Prussian War (15 July 1870 to 5 March 1871).
The Franco-Prussian War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the German states of the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. The conflict lasted from 19 July 1870 to 28 January 1871, and was caused by Prussian ambitions to expand German unification and French fears of the shift in the European balance of power that would result if the Prussians succeeded.
The 1870-71 Commemorative Medal Design
The award is a 32mm in diameter circular bronze medal with raised edges on both sides.
The obverse bears the escutcheon of the Coat of arms of Belgium under a royal crown. To the left and right, along the circumference of the medal, the relief inscription “L’UNION FAIT LA FORCE” (“Strength through unity”). The reverse bears a stylized relief capital letter A, the monogram of King Albert I of Belgium and the years 1870–71 also in relief.
The medal is suspended by a ring through the suspension loop from a 35mm wide silk moiré ribbon divided into seven equal 5mm wide longitudinal stripes, black, light green, red, light green, red, light green and black.
