NAZI GERMANY WEST WALL MEDAL

BACKGROUND: The West Wall Medal was instituted by Adolf Hitler on August 2^ND 1939 to recognize military personnel, including civilian employees, who assisted in the planning, construction or defence of German fortifications on the western border. Personnel who had been awarded the October 1^ST, and/or the Memel Commemorative Medals were ineligible for award of the West Wall Medal. The original bestowal of the West Wall Medals ceased as of January 1^ST 1941. On October 10^TH 1944, bestowal of the West Wall Medal was re-instituted as over 200,000 personnel were assigned to strengthen the German fortifications in anticipation of the western allies break-through into Germany. The West Wall Medal was only issued in one class and was to be worn on the left breast suspended from a ribbon. When awarded the West Wall medal was usually presented in an envelope.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Die struck, alloy construction medal with a bronze wash is in the form of a roughly, 4 cm tall, 3 cm wide, vertical oval with embossed, oak-leaf wreath edging encompassing a smooth field with an embossed national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in its talons, positioned above a crossed spade and sword which are in turn positioned above a pillbox to the obverse. The reverse also has the embossed, oak-leaf wreath edging which encompasses embossed, Latin script, "Für Arbeit zum Schutze Deutschlands", (For Work on the Defenses of Germany), on a smooth background field. The age dulled, bronze wash is retained about 95%. The medal loop and the ribbon suspension ring are both intact and come complete with a roughly, 3 cm wide, 15 cm long, piece of original ribbed rayon ribbon. The ribbon shows light age toning and light to moderate color fading. The medal has no visible manufacturer’s marks.