Description
Vivat ribbons were very popular German patriotic items, primarily during the early and mid-war periods. They were made of silk. Most measure approximately 2 ½” x 16.” In addition to being patriotic, they also often benefitted the German Red Cross. This example salutes the efforts of Red Cross medics (Sanitäters). These brave men were volunteers. They went on the battlefield to bring back the wounded for medical attention. It involved them entering “No Man’s Land,” which was extremely hazardous. Three vignettes on the Vivat celebrate their efforts. The top features a dog and man working together to retrieve the battlefield’s wounded. The dogs were specially trained to help find the wounded, who were not always clearly visible. The middle scene depicts a battlefield, complete with a trench. A pair of volunteers carries a stretcher, while the wounded call to them from the trench. The bottom displays a horse drawn ambulance caravan. Beneath the top scene the words “Zum Besten des” (the best of the) appear above the Red Cross emblem. Between the second and third scenes is the phrase “Edel Sei der Mensch Hilfreich und gut” (Precious is the good and helpful man). The Vivat’s color is light-red. The Berlin manufacturer’s name appears at the bottom.
