Franz Krischker, coin designer

[Wizard- Russia]

Hello!
This information is likely to be interesting.

[<k>]

Which other designs did they produce?

[Wizard- Russia]

Franz Paul Krischker: 1, 5 and 10 pfennig 1948-1953.

[<k>]

Thank you, Wizard.

[Wizard- Russia]

A few words about Franz Paul Krischker.

WEIMARER REPUBLIK:
- 3 Reichsmark 900 Jahre Naumburg an der Saale (J.333)
- 3 Reichsmark Vereinigung Waldecks mit Preußen (J.337)
- 3 Reichsmark Zum Weltflug des ,,Graf Zeppelin" 1929 (J.342)

DRITTES REICH:
- 2 Reichsmark Geburtstag von Friedrich von Schiller (J.358)
- 5 Reichsmark Paul von Hindenburg (J.360)
- 1 Reichspfennig (J.361)
- 2 Reichspfennig (J.362)
- 5 Reichspfennig (J.363)
- 10 Reichspfennig (J364)
- 50 Reichspfennig (J.365)
- 2 Reichsmark Paul von Hindenburg (J.366)
- 5 Reichsmark Paul von Hindenburg (J.367)
- 50 Reichspfennig (J.368)
- 50 Reichspfennig (J.372)

[chrisild]

Krischker actually designed both sides of a "workers and farmers" 50 Pfennig coin, but only his image side was picked for the final design. As for his designs, he worked at the Berlin mint as an employed "Medailleur", primarily an engraver. But he was obviously good at designing coins and medals as well, so some coins were indeed designed by him.

Here is another interesting Krischker design. This was made for a 1943 medal commemorating 100 years of the Berlin Numismatic Society. One text side, and two (alternative?) image sides. What do numismatists do? Sit at long tables and look at coins. The other image side shows the fingers of a hand holding a bracteate.

Christian

[chrisild]

We should also keep in mind that, with regard to coins, Franz Krischker designed "Deutsches Reich" pieces (Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany) as Wizard- Russia mentioned. He worked at the Berlin mint and was the last medalist of the "Prussian State Mint". After WW2 ... I don't even know whether that 50 Pf design was made at that time. We do know that the lower early GDR denominations were by Krischker but he had made them for German-occupied Ukraine (see here).

After 1945 the (then East) Berlin mint simply used the designs. Krischker also participated in design contests of the Federal Republic of Germany (I think he lived in West Berlin in his last years), but did not win any. Here is another piece designed by Krischker, a medal for Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday. Next to the swastika you see the CoA of Hitler's birthplace Braunau.

Christian

[Wizard- Russia]

Franz Paul Krischker and 50 pfennig 1949 A (J.1504):

Peter Leisering.  «Geldgeschichten aus der DDR»

Eklat um Krischker
Am 17. September, also an dem Tage, an dem man auch über den Bronzefund in der Münze Berlin befand, hatte Frau Borodulina zur Besprechung mit Dewey und Schröder eine Probeprägung des neuen 50-Pfennigstückes mitgebracht und bemängelte, daß im Ziffernbild die ,,0" gegenüber der ,,5" zu klein sei. Nach ihren Wünschen sollten beide Ziffern in gleicher Höhe gehalten werden und die beiden Männer konnten ihr diesen Wunsch offenbar nicht ausreden und nach ,,eingehender Besprechung" wurde vereinbart, daß Schröder sofort feststellen sollte, wie und wie schnell diese Änderung – vielleicht gar eine völlig neue Ziffernseite – zu bewerkstelligen war. Es bedurfte also erst einer Probeprägung und Frau Borodulina, um zu erkennen, daß die Ziffer 50 in der von Krischker zuerst modellierten Weise recht unglücklich aussah. Vermutlich erfuhr Borodulina auf diese Weise, daß die Modelle sich gerade im Westteil der Stadt befanden. Am 20. September mußte Schröder die Werkleitung der Münze auftragsgemäß davon in Kenntnis setzen, daß der Medailleur Krischker die vorgesehene Änderung im Ziffernbild des 50-
Pfennig-Stückes nicht mehr durchführen dürfe. Die neue Ziffer ,,50" sollte nun vom Medailleur der Münze, Willy Wenger, entworfen werden. Auf Verlangen von Frau Borodulina gab zugleich Münzleiter Gaile einen Bericht über den bisherigen Verlauf der Stempelanfertigung für das neue 50-Pf-Stück und einen Bericht über Krischker ab. Auch Schröder stellte Gaile und Reppenhagen nun plötzlich Fragen nach der Anzahl der hergestellten Urstempel und Prägestempel von den 1-, 5- und 10-Pfennig-Münzen, wo diese unter Verschluß waren, wann sie unter Verschluß genommen wurden usw. usw.? Als Schröder Borodulina am 22.9. den geänderten Entwurf für die neuen 50-Pfennig-Münzen übergab, wollte diese die Angelegenheit schnellstens klären, teilte aber am kommenden Tage Korbins Anordnung mit, daß hinsichtlich der 50-Pfennig-Münzen nichts mehr unternommen werden dürfe, bis eine schriftliche Anweisung von ihm vorliege. Man hielt sich zwar nicht ganz an den von Korbin ausgesprochenen Arbeitsstop, denn Münzleiter Gaile schickte am 29.9. zwei Proben der neuen 50-Pfennig-Münze mit der geänderten Zahl an Direktor Dewey, aber die weitere Emissionsvorbereitung blieb zunächst unterbrochen. Dieser Vorgang und die Verschärfung der Sicherheitsbestimmungen in der Münze am 20. September dürfte mit der politischen Situation zusammenhängen. An diesem Tage wurde in Westdeutschland das erste Kabinett Adenauer gebildet. Die Unsicherheit über die Reaktion der Sowjetischen Führung und die Zukunft der Sowjetischen Besatzungszone unterbrachen die Arbeit am neuen
Geld.



Krischker scandal
On September 17th, the day on which the bronze find was discovered at the Berlin Mint, Mrs. Borodulina had brought a test minting of the new 50-pfennig coin to the meeting with Dewey and Schröder and complained that the number "0" was too small compared to the "5". According to her wishes, both digits should be kept at the same height and the two men could not seem to talk her out of this and after a "detailed discussion" it was agreed that Schröder should determine immediately how and how quickly this change - perhaps even a completely new page of digits - was to be accomplished. It took a trial mint and Mrs. Borodulina to realize that the number 50 looked rather unfortunate in the way Krischker first modeled. This is probably how Borodulina learned that the models were in the western part of the city. On September 20, Schröder had to inform the mint's works management, as instructed, that the medalist Krischker had not been able to make the planned change to the number "50".

The new number "50" should now be designed by the mint's medalist, Willy Wenger. At the request of Ms. Borodulina, Mint Manager Gaile also submitted a report on the previous course of the die preparation for the new 50 pfennig coin and a report on Krischker. Schröder, too, suddenly asked Gaile and Reppenhagen questions about the number of original dies and dies of the 1-, 5- and 10-pfennig coins, where they were locked up, when they were locked up, etc., etc.? When on September 22nd Schröder handed over to Borodulina the amended draft for the new 50-pfennig coins, they wanted to clarify the matter as quickly as possible, but on the following day she informed Korbin's group that nothing more could be done with regard to the 50-pfennig coins until they received a written instruction from him. It is true that they did not fully adhere to the work stoppage announced by Korbin, because on September 29 Gaile, the head of the mint, sent two samples of the new 50-pfennig coin with the changed number to Director Dewey, but the further preparation of the issue was initially interrupted. This process and the tightening of the security regulations in the mint on September 20 was probably related to the political situation. On that day the first Adenauer cabinet was formed in West Germany. Uncertainty about the reaction of the Soviet leadership and the future of the Soviet occupation zone interrupted work on the new money.

[chrisild]

Ah yes, so Krischker, living in West Berlin then, was actually approached by the (East Berlin) mint and asked whether he could come up with a 50 pfennig design ... Judging from the design images in Leisering's book (from the KfW Group archives, see attachment), he was quite creative with regard to the digits. Too playful for Ms Borodulina, it seems.

The theme for the other side (factory and plough, representing industry and agriculture) had been requested by the mint. Due to the many debates and modifications, that coin was not issued until September 1950, and pieces with the year "1949" are quite rare ...

Christian

[<k>]

Let's show the issued coin again, so we can compare the issued and unadopted designs.

It is unusual though not rare for a pictorial design to be text-free.

See: Circulation coins where one side has neither text nor numerals.

[Wizard- Russia]

3 Reichsmark 1928 A (Jaeger 333)
900 Jahre Naumburg an der Saale

[Wizard- Russia]

3 Reichsmark 1929 A (Jaeger 337)
Zur Vereinigung Waldecks mit Preußen

[Wizard- Russia]

3 Reichsmark 1930 (Jaeger 342)
Zum Weltflug des ,,Graf Zeppelin" 1929

[Wizard- Russia]

2 Reichsmark 1934 F (Jaeger 358)
Zum 175. Geburtstag von Friedrich von Schiller

[Wizard- Russia]

5 Reichsmark 1935 (Jaeger 360)
Paul von Hindenburg