Antonín Odehnal

Czechoslovakian sculptor Antonín Odehnal began his studies in 1892 at the Bechyně professional ceramic school, graduating in 1895. Because of his impoverished condition, and because of his considerable talent, he was supported by his hometown Svratka on nutrition studies. From 1902-09 Odehnal studied at the School of Applied Arts in Praha. There, he later taught at a vocational school.

After World War I Odehnal designed and created several memorials to the Fallen, such as the one in Trebic (destroyed in World War II), reliefs in Praha XIX, and also a memorial in Svratka, which the author donated to his hometown. Beginning in the 1920s, Odehnal did designs for coins and medals, and was an occasional painter. The medals submitted were created for the Ministry of Health and Sport. The Medal of Merit and the Medal of Victory are both made of bronze in diameters of 45, 70 and 100 mm. The reverse is identical for both.