Every participant has already won, before they even take their first step
The best among the 513 starters will also take home a medal. And the Bundeswehr didn’t miss a beat for the INVICTUS GAMES DÜSSELDORF 2023 presented by Boeing. They commissioned the medals for the winners domestically. Real handcraft made in Germany.
In a famous fairytale from the Brothers Grimm, a little orphan girl gives everything for others, right down to the clothes off her back. As a reward for her selfless and noble behaviour, she is showered with stars. The parallels can be drawn with the participants of the Invictus Games, who are all living with long-term health consequences from their time in service. The Games are the chance to tell their stories and give recognition for their sacrifices.
“The winners will receive something of the highest quality in their hands,“ says Andreas Poth proudly. As the managing director of STUCO Metals GmbH, he brought all 45 of his employees together when the order came from the Bundeswehr at the beginning of the year. He wanted to ensure everyone understood what an honour it was for a medium-sized company from the small Eifel town of Speicher to receive such an order.
The Bundeswehr didn’t miss a beat, placing emphasis on both manufacturing in Germany and the quality of the materials. The idea and design were developed together in close co-ordination. Brass was used for the gold and silver medals, and copper for the bronze. Each one weighs around 125 grams and is three millimetres thick. Even the ribbons they hang from were sewn by hand. Particular attention was paid to the case, which features high-quality embossing and is designed to be part of the medal’s presentation, rather than just for storage.
There are 208 chances to win one of these 624 precious pieces of metal during the competition in Düsseldorf. For those who succeed, it will represent their own personal Rheinische star, just like those that rained down in the fairytale.
Author: Mark Mittasch
