dc:identifier=httphdllocgovlocpnpggbain17596

Henrietta Mielke giving iron ring to contributor (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• TVL1970 said:

  See also: See: query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40B12F7385916738... THE IRON RING IS WORN BY 10,000 NEW YORKERS OF GERMAN BLOOD For the Sake of the Fatherland These People Are Giving Their Gold and Other Valuables in Exchange for the Historic Ring of Loyalty. October 14, 1914 New York Times "LOYALTY to the Fatherland to evidence, gave I, in troublous time, gold for this iron." One hundred years ago many German women were wearing rings of iron engraved with this inscription. These were the rings issued during the Napoleonic wars, a "troublous time," indeed, and they signified that the wearer had pledged her gold or her jewels in the cause of Germany. Today over ten thousand in New York City are wearing iron rings engraved with this same inscription. It has been done so quietly that the public has not realized it. Yet since the first of September there has been a steady stream of the Germans of this city to a little kodak and phonograph shop far up on Second Avenue. Here the women have been bringing their jewels, their heirlooms, the men their watches, their musical instruments and money, to receive in return their iron ring.

• Arden said:

  TVL 1970: Thank you for providing the interesting context for these two images relating to the Mielkes and their campaign for the "Gold for Iron' organization. We will add some of the details to the image description when we update.

• Art Siegel said:

  This is very likely the ring that Fraulein Mielke was giving out in 1914: www.warrelics.eu/forum/imperial-germany-austro-hungary/ir...

• peter buotte said:

  Hello from Maine. My famiy arrived here from Bavaria Germany due to WWI. We have a family heirloom phonograph delivered from Mielke, the business address on the delivery card is East 86th st, ( not 87th)