The World on Pause - 停顿的世界

亚高

By Jeremy Bostwick, Stack’s Bowers, Senior Numismatist and Cataloger

​By now, the disruption and chaos created by COVID-19 is inescapable. While more and more states here in America continue to issue shelter at home orders in hope of stemming the tide, many people have seen their professions, livelihood, and overall daily habits placed on an indefinite pause. Amidst the uncertainty, it is important to remember that, as a planet, we are all in this together and that we have faced worldwide turmoil before. The global conflict that would come to be known as World War I was a defining moment in world history, marking a decided increase in the destruction and devastation that man could both wreak and endure. Not to be forgotten, the infamous 1918 influenza pandemic made its appearance during the final year of the war, and ravaged the globe for two additional years before finally subsiding at the end of 1920.

In numismatics, we have reminders not just of the events themselves, but also (and more importantly) of the times that would eventually follow: the war finally ended and the pandemic came to a close. Plaques, for example, were issued in France honoring those who were severely injured or even killed in action. Not to be forgotten were those fighting side-by-side on the front lines—the doctors and nurses who also played a vital role in the war effort, just as their brethren do today in our current health crisis. Why were these touchstones of history important? They reinforce where humanity has been at critical times in the past and that we collectively can recover and grow. And, given the current environment of social distancing, numismatics stands as a pastime that is perfect for quiet days spent indoors, when social activities are discouraged.

Stack’s Bowers upcoming Collectors Choice Online auction in April offers a special collection of medals focused upon Wiener architectural pieces, the vast work of famed medalist Karl Goetz, and a poignant array of plaques and medals on the topic of World War I. It presents an excellent diversion as well as food for thought during these unusual times. The World War I section, through plaques such as those mentioned previously, allows realization that, though seeming unprecedented, the current situation has historical parallels, and those events had conclusions.

In addition, some medals in the Goetz section touch upon aspects highly topical to today's news, such as the Olympics and the Oberammergau Passion Play. Goetz's 1936 work on the games of the XI Olympiad celebrated the host city, Berlin, with the games being noted for their politically charged nature. This was another time of great uncertainty in the world—the rise of Nazi Germany and the collision course toward the world's second global conflict. It has just been announced that the COVID 19 pandemic will delay this summer's 2020 Olympics in Japan, with officials stating that they will be held by the summer of 2021.

Similarly, another of Goetz's works, this time from 1930, celebrates the longstanding performance of the Passion of Jesus Christ by the townsfolk of the Bavarian village of Oberammergau. This tradition dates to the second quarter of the 17th century, with villagers vowing to perform this play every ten years in perpetuity if they were spared the ravages of the bubonic plague. As their death rate dropped dramatically, this vow was upheld, and the performances have been carried out during every year ending in '0.' Only a few times has this tradition been postponed—in 1920, following the extreme political and economic turmoil raging in post-WWI Germany and in 1940, due to WWII. It has been announced just recently that this year's Passion Play has been postponed until 2022, due to the obvious risk. These medallic works give us the opportunity to see events which have brought great uncertainty in the past and how society as a whole, bounced back. It may take time, anger, sadness and a great deal of patience, but we will get through this period, and numismatics may help provide much needed quiet reflection, as well as something to productively occupy our time.

亚高

By Google translantion：

到目前为止，COVID-19造成的破坏和混乱是不可避免的。尽管美国越来越多的州继续寄出居所的命令以期制止潮流，但许多人已经将自己的职业，生计和整体日常习惯无限期地停下来。在不确定的环境中，重要的是要记住，作为一个星球，我们都在一起，而且我们以前曾面临过世界动荡。后来被称为第一次世界大战的全球冲突是世界历史上的决定性时刻，标志着人类可能遭受破坏和破坏的破坏和破坏的确有增加。别忘了，臭名昭著的1918年流感大流行是在战争的最后一年出现的，并在全球范围内肆虐了两年，直到1920年底才平息。

在钱币学方面，我们不仅提醒事件本身，而且提醒人们（更重要的是）最终将要发生的时代：战争终于结束，大流行结束了。例如，在法国发行了纪念章，以纪念在行动中受重伤甚至被杀的人。那些在前线并肩作战的医生和护士在战争中发挥着至关重要的作用，就像他们的弟兄们今天在当前的健康危机中所做的那样，不容忽视。为什么这些历史试金石很重要？它们巩固了人类在过去关键时刻所处的位置，并使我们共同可以恢复和成长。并且，考虑到当前的社会疏远环境，钱币学是一种消遣，非常适合在不鼓励社交活动的情况下在室内度过的安静日子。

Stack's Bowers即将在4月举行的“收藏家之选”在线拍卖会上收集了一系列特殊的奖章，这些奖章集中于维也纳的建筑作品，著名的奖章获得者卡尔-哥茨的大量作品，以及一系列关于第一次世界大战的凄惨的纪念章和奖章。以及在这些不寻常的时刻值得深思的食物。第一次世界大战部分中，通过前面提到的那些牌匾，使人们认识到，尽管看似空前，但当前的情况具有历史上的相似之处，并且这些事件都有结论。

此外，Goetz部分的一些奖牌还涉及当今新闻中非常热门的方面，例如奥运会和Oberammergau Passion Play。格茨（Goetz）在1936年举办的第11届奥林匹克运动会上的作品庆祝了主办城市柏林，这些运动因其具有政治性而闻名。这是世界上另一个充满不确定性的时代，即纳粹德国的崛起以及通往世界第二次全球冲突的碰撞过程。刚刚宣布，COVID 19大流行将推迟今年夏天的2020年日本奥运会，官员表示将在2021年夏天举行。

同样地，从1930年起，Goetz的另一部作品则庆祝了巴伐利亚州Oberammergau村民对耶稣基督受难记的长期表现。这个传统可以追溯到17 日的第二季度一个世纪以来，如果村民们免于遭受鼠疫的肆虐，他们发誓要每十年永久演出这部戏。随着他们的死亡率急剧下降，这一誓言得以维持，每年的演出都以“ 0”结尾。这一传统只被推迟了几次，即在1920年，第一次世界大战后德国和1940年由于第二次世界大战而爆发的极端政治和经济动荡之后。最近已经宣布，由于明显的风险，今年的Passion Play已推迟到2022年。这些具有纪念意义的作品使我们有机会看到在过去带来极大不确定性的事件以及整个社会如何反弹。这可能需要时间，愤怒，悲伤和极大的耐心，但我们会度过这段时期，