Article about: Gents I know not strictly 57er awards, but I think we can allow them here as they are veterans replacement medals...Spanish made, between the mid 1940's to the 1980's, for members of the Spa
Gents I know not strictly 57er awards, but I think we can allow them here as they are veterans replacement medals...Spanish made, between the mid 1940's to the 1980's, for members of the Spanish "Blue Division" and other Spanish volunteers fighting for Hitler's Germany.
The swastika not being a banned symbol in Spain, so it was used in the design of these replacement awards, nothing like their TR and 1957 German counterparts in both quality or finish, in fact some would say down right ugly ! despite there poor appearance they are held in high esteem in Spain !
The Spanish "Division Azul" (Blue Division) was made up of up to 45,000 volunteers, through rotation at one time.....even after it was withdrawn from Russia in October 1943 by order of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, many, up to 3000 men stayed on, serving in the German Army, Waffen SS and Luftwaffe.....Then to be known collectively as the "Legion Azul", over 300 of these men were captured at wars end and spent years in Russian POW camps, eventually returning to Spain in 1954.......There are throughout Spain, Veterans societies for the men of the Blue Division, one of the largest being in Barcelona. The swastika unlike in Germany is not a banned symbol in Spain, and therefore the Franco Government sanctioned the production of replacement awards, this production started almost immediately the Division was withdrawn in the 1940's continuing on until around the 1980's....Iron Cross both EKI and II, War Merits Cross, Ost Medal, Blue Division medal and Infanterie Sturmabzeichen being most commonly produced alongside the Spanish medals for the Russian campaign.........during WW2 Spanish volunteers were awarded the following awards.....
3 Knight Crosses (Oak Leaves).
3 German Crosses in Gold.
138 Iron Crosses First Class.
2,359 Iron Crosses Second Class.
2,216 War Merit Crosses with Swords.
I have been unable to find the figures for the Ost medal and German Blue division medals but they must run in the tens of thousands !
The Spanish produced awards/medals are not copies, they are replacements like the 1957 range of German awards ......Sanctioned by the Spanish (Franco's) Government.
Here I show an EK II (made in the 1970's-80's) which I already obtained, and these two which I have just bought a KvK with swords and Ost medal (both made in the 1960's).
I believe an Infanterie Sturmabzeichen, Spanish Cross, close combat clasp's and of course an EK I were also made by the Spanish.
Prost ! Steve.
I bet many have been dismissed as "fakes" before now..
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Never seen this type before.I would have thought they were inexpensive copies of Nazi awards.
What a mistaka to maka ! as Capt Bertorelli would say, if you did ! these Spanish awards are rare, and command prices well in excess of there TR buddies ! ............here is the Infanterie Sturmabzeichen, more like a bad copy as you say.....but extremely rare, up to 250 Euro for this badge crazy as it may seem...............
Prost ! Steve.
Shown here is a collection of Spanish made awards, relating to the Blue Division........collection & photo credits to member "Carlos Quintana" over on WAF. It is a good illustration of what can be collected on the subject.............and some veterans showing some of these awards being worn.
Prost ! Steve.
Blue Division Vets awards....................
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by SteveR
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