Eastern Front Medal

Eastern Front Medal
Eastern Front Medal
Die Medaille Winterschlacht Im Osten 1941/42 (Ostmedaille)
Ostmedaille.jpg
The medal's obverse (left) and reverse (right).
Awarded by Nazi Germany
Type Chest order
Eligibility Military personnel
Awarded for Awarded to all German military personnel who participated in the first winter of Operation Barbarossa (the invasion of the Soviet Union).
Campaign World War II
Statistics
Established May 26, 1942
Last awarded September 4, 1944
Total awarded over 3 000 000
Ostmedaille ribbon bar
Ostmedaille ribbon bar

The Eastern Front Medal, (Winterschlacht Im Osten), more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front (World War II) during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942. It was commissioned to recognise the hardship endured by German and Axis Powers personnel, combatant or non-combatant, during the especially bitter Russian winter of '41/'42. It was wryly called the "Gefrierfleischorden" (Frozen Meat Medal) by the Heer, Luftwaffe & Waffen-SS personnel to whom it was awarded. [1]


Qualification for the award

  • 14 days served in active combat within the specified area between November 15, 1941 – April 15, 1942
  • 60 days served in specified area between November 15, 1941 – April 15, 1942, non-combat
  • Wounded in action
  • Killed in action (posthumous award)
  • Injury caused by frostbite (or another injury related to the climate) severe enough to warrant the issue of a Wound Badge

Unique in that its designer was a contemporary serving soldier, SS-Unterscharführer Ernst Krause, the medal was held in high regard by all branches of the Wehrmacht. Measuring 36mm in diameter, of (generally) zinc construction, the medal was given a gun-metal coloured coating. On one side an eagle grasps a Swastika and the reverse features the text "Winterschlacht Im Osten 1941/42" featuring a crossed sword and branch below the text. The helmet and outer ring were finished in a polished silver effect. A ribbon that accompanied the medal was coloured red, white and black (symbolic of blood, snow and death). The medal and ribbon were usually presented in a paper packet, but these were invariably discarded. Over 3 million were made by more than 26 confirmed firms by the time the order was officially decommissioned by Oberkommando der Wehrmacht on September 4, 1944.

Winterschlacht Im Osten With Issue Packet & Ribbon Bar

The medal itself was not worn on the combat tunic as per the 1st class Iron Cross & War Merit Cross for example, but worn as a ribbon bar, or as the ribbon alone stitched through the second from top tunic buttonhole as per 2nd Class Iron Cross and War Merit Cross.[2]

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Eastern Front (World War II) — Great Patriotic War redirects here. For a discussion of the term itself, see Great Patriotic War (term). Not to be confused with Patriotic War of 1812. Eastern Front Part of World War II …   Wikipedia

  • World War II Victory Medal (United States) — Infobox Military Award name=World War II Victory Medal caption=World War II Victory Medal awarded by=Department of the Army Department of the Navy type=Medal eligibility=served in the armed forces between the following dates: *between December 7 …   Wikipedia

  • List of Medal of Honor recipients — v · …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Wittmann — Black Baron redirects here. For other uses, see Black Baron (disambiguation). Michael Wittmann Michael Wittmann …   Wikipedia

  • Alfons Rebane — Infobox Military Person name=Alfons Rebane lived=June 24, 1908 – March 8, 1976 placeofbirth=Valga, Estonia placeofdeath=Augsburg, Germany caption=Alfons Rebane in the Estonian Army nickname= allegiance=Estonia, Germany, UK serviceyears=1929–1950… …   Wikipedia

  • Lothar Rendulic — Infobox Military Person name=Dr. Lothar Rendulic lived=birth date|1887|11|23|df=y death date and age|1971|1|18|1887|11|23|df=y caption=Dr.Lothar Rendulic placeofbirth=Wiener Neustadt, Austria placeofdeath=Eferding, Austria nickname=… …   Wikipedia

  • List of World War II topics (E) — # E. Frederic Morrow # E. Howard Hunt # E. Ion Pool # E. Lloyd Du Brul # E. R. Stephenson # E. S. Gosney # E. V. Loustalot # E. William Exshaw # Earffel Tower (Paris) # Earl E. Anderson # Earl G. Harrison # Earl Johnson (athlete) # Earl Johnson… …   Wikipedia

  • Matthias Kleinheisterkamp — Born 22 June 1893 Elberfeld, Rhine Province, Germany …   Wikipedia

  • List of military decorations of the Third Reich — Bodewin Claus Eduard Keitel (brother of Wilhelm Keitel) displaying several military awards of the Wehrmacht Military decorations of the Third Reich were awards and medals bestowed by the Wehrmacht between 1935 and 1945 during the reign of Nazi… …   Wikipedia

  • Josef Mengele — Mengele redirects here. It is not to be confused with Mengler (disambiguation). Josef Mengele …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”