Germany. The Danish attack on Eckernförde on 5 April 1849.

Medal commemorating the German victory against two Danish ships at Eckernförde bay 5 April 1849. The medal was Intended as a medal of reward for brave German warriors who defended the town of Eckenförde on 5 April 1849.

Obverse: At left the coast of the Bay of Eckernförde with cannon four batteries and at top left the Eckernförde city. On the bay two danish ships close to the coast, one is burning and sinking (the "Christian VIII"), and the other one conquered (the "Gefion"). In exergue, the engravers name "LÖWENSTEIN".

Reverse: 9-line inscription with legend surrounding. Lettering: "ZERSTÖRUNG", "D.DÄN.LINIENSCHIFFES", "CHRISTIAN VIII", "UND", "EROBERUNG", "DER FREGATTE", "GEFION", "ECKERNFÖRDE", "5. APRIL 1849". Legend: "DEN TAPFEREN DEUTSCHEN KRIEGERN GEWIDMET".

Engraved by german medallist Löwenstein (Wiesbaden) year 1849. Bronze 32 mm. Weight 15,3 gram.

THE BATTLE OF ECKENFÖRDE
The Battle of Eckernförde was a Danish naval assault on Schleswig. The Danes were defeated and two of their ships were lost with the surviving crew being detained.

The Danish force assigned to the attack consisted of:

Liner Christian VIII (84 guns) – Frederik Paludan
Frigate Gefion (48 guns) – J. A. Meyer
The steamships Hekla and Geiser – Christian Krieger

German fortress defense in Eckernförde was defended by two coastal batteries with the following equipment:

2x 84-pound bomb cannons
4x 18-pound cannons
The crew consisted of 91 artillerymen from the Schleswig-Holstein 5th Fortress Artillery Regiment.

The attack cost the Danes dearly. Two ships had been lost and over 1,100 sailors had either been killed, wounded or captured, including the Danish naval officer Christian Krieger, who commanded the steamship Geiser and died after the gunpowder exploded underneath the deck. The Schleswig-Holstein losses were lighter with only 4 dead and 14 wounded.