West Wall Medal

Infobox Military Award
name=West Wall Medal


caption=The West Wall Medal
awarded_by=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
type=Medal
eligibility=Military Personnel
for=
campaign=
status=Not Currently Awarded
description=
clasps=
established=August 2, 1939
first_award=
last_award=January 31, 1941]
total=622,064
posthumous=
recipients=
individual=
higher=
same=
lower=
related=


caption2=The West Wall Medal ( _de. Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen) was a military decoration of Nazi Germany. It was instituted on August 2nd 1939 and was given to those who designed and built the fortifications on Germany's western borders and the troops who served there prior to May 1940.cite web |url=http://www.angelfire.com/nj/ww2/westwallpics.html |title= Angel Fire - West Wall Medal |accessdaymonth= 3 January |accessyear= 2008 |language=English] cite web |url=http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/service_awards/west_wall_medal.htm |title= Wehrmacht Awards - West Wall Medal |accessdaymonth= 3 January |accessyear= 2008 |language=English] In 1944 as Germany was expecting the arrival of the allied invasion, a second badge was given to those who took part in the fortification of the western borders. In all 622,064 medals were awarded until the end of the war.

Design

Medal

The medal was struck in bronzed brass. Its oval shape featured on the obverse (from bottom to top) a bunker, a crossed sword and shovel, and the German Eagle. On the reverse it bore the inscription "Fur Arbeit zum Schutze Deutschlands" (For Work in the Protection/Defense of Germany).

Ribbon

The ribbon has a white stripe in the center with two golden brown stripes on the outer reaches of it. The design on the ribbon and on the medal are the same so that it can be identified as such.

Second Production Run

A second production run was conducted to reward the workers and military personnel strengthening the notorious Siegfried line. This time the Medal was constructed of a bronzed zinc. A bar with the date "1944" was authorized for those who already held the 1939 version, but this award was never mass produced.

References