- Time Period: The Great War
- Institution: 26 December 1930
- Country: Belgium
The Political Prisoner’s Medal 1914–1918 (Médaille du Prisonnier Politique 1914–1918 / Medaille van de Politieke Gevangene 1914–1918) is a Belgian medal established on 26 December 1930 by royal decree and awarded to Belgian civilians who were detained for a minimum of one month by the Germans during the First World War following an act of courage or devotion towards the Allies’ cause.
Recipients of this medal also automatically received the 1914–1918 Commemorative War Medal and the Inter-Allied Victory Medal 1914–1918.
The Political Prisoner’s Medal 1914-1918 Design
The medal measures 35 mm (1.4 in) in diameter and is circular and struck in bronze. Its obverse bears a 25 mm in diameter central medallion with the left profile of King Albert I and the inscription in French or in Dutch “ALBERT KING OF THE BELGIANS” (“ALBERT ROI DES BELGES” / “ALBERT KONING DER BELGEN”) surrounded by a 5mm wide laurel wreath along the entire medal circumference.
On the reverse of the central medallion, the relief inscription on four lines in French or in Dutch “IN TESTIMONY OF NATIONAL RECOGNITION” (“EN TEMOIGNAGE DE RECONNAISSANCE NATIONALE” / “ALS BLIJK VAN’S LANDS ERKENTELIJKHEID”) and the years “1914–1918” below.
The ribbon is 38mm wide light blue silk moiré and bears a single 4.5 mm (0.18 in) high horizontal central stripe in the national colors of Belgium (1.5 mm red, 1.5 mm yellow and 1.5 mm black). The medal is suspended by a ring through a suspension loop.
