1957er shields

[HPL2008]

Today, I'd like to present my 1957er sleeve shields. I'll do so in chronological order of their institution.

The Narvikschild [Narvik Shield] was instituted by a Hitler decree of 19 August 1940 "to commemorate the heroic fight that the units of the Army, Navy and Air Force who had battled at Narvik as true brothers in arms had victoriously passed" (the three services being symbolized on the shield by an anchor, propellor and the mountain tropps' Edelweiß).

The Narvikschild was awarded to servicemen who had honorably participated in the Narvik landings or the fighting of the Narvik group between 9 April 1940 and 9 June 1940 and within the designated area. The shield was silver for Army- and Air Force personnel and gold for Navy personnel. By 15 June 1941, a total of 8,577 shields had been awarded (including posthumous awards).

The 1957 version eliminated the eagle-and-swastika perched atop the original design.

One Navy- and two Army-/Air Force shields. The right one is of very late production:

[HPL2008]

The Cholmschild [Cholm Shield] was instituted on 1 July 1942. It was awarded "to commemorate the heroic defense of Cholm against a numerically superior enemy over the course of several months".

The shield was awarded to personnel who had honorably participated in the defensive fighting within the encircled area around Cholm during the time from 21 January to 5 May 1942. For aviators, this included landings within that area, but not mere fly-overs or supply drops. Those KIA in the fighting were awarded the shield posthumously. Ca. 5,500 awards were made, making this the rarest of the wartime shields.

The 1957 re-design eliminated the Swastika from the center of the Iron Cross. Like the wartime version, it was officially supposed to be silver-colored, but for some reason Steinhauer & Lück also made bronze-colored versions in different shades. My shield is such a specimen. So far, I haven't found an old one that I liked, so last year I decided to purchase one directly from S & L to fill that gap; interestingly, it was marked on the invoice as "no longer available in the future". Guess I own the very last Cholmschild...

[HPL2008]

Next came the Krimschild [Crimea Shield] instituted on 25 July 1942 "to commemorate the heroic fighting for the Crimea". It was awarded to personnel who had honorably participated in the fighting for the Crimean Peninsula, i.e. south fo the Perekop Isthmus, on land, in the air or on the sea and who met one of these additional criteria:

a) Participation in one of seven designated major battles,
b) having incurred wounds,
c) three consecutive months of service in the Crimea.

It was also awarded to Romanian troops. Generalfeldmarschall von Manstein and the Romanian Marshal Antonescu were presented with special shields made of solid gold. A total of some 200,000 to 300,000 awards were made (to include Romanian recipients and posthumous awards).

The 1957 version eliminated the Eagle-and-Swastika found on the top part of the original badge, making the top part of the shield oddly empty-looking:

[HPL2008]

Instituted on 25 April 1943, the Demjanskschild [Demjansk Shield] was "to commemorate the heroic defense of the Demjansk combat zone against a numerically vastly superior opponent over the course of several months".

It was awarded to personnel who had honorably participated in the defensive fighting within the encircled Demjansk area and who met one of these additional criteria:

a) 60 consecutive days of action within the encircled area,
b) for aviators, at least 50 combat- or re-supply missions, entry of the encircled area's air space counting as a mission,
c) having suffered wounds or frostbite for which a Wound Badge had been awarded.

Ca. 100,000 shields were awarded.

The 1957 version eliminated the Eagle-and-Swastika from the top part of the original badge's design.

Four different specimens. The very dark-looking shield on the top left is the only magnetic one. The shield on bottom left is one of the rarer four-prong types:

[HPL2008]

The Kubanschild [Kuban Shield] was instituted on 20 September 1943 "to commemorate the heroic fighting at the Kuban Bridgehead". It was awarded to personnel who had honorably participated in the fighting at the Kuban Bridgehead, on land, in the air or on the sea and who met one of these additional criteria:

a) Participation in one of a number of designated battles,
b) having incurred wounds,
c) 60 consecutive days of action.

Ca. 50,000 awards were made, which, again, included posthumous ones.

As usual, the 1957 version eliminated the Eagle-and-Swastika found on the top part of the original badge. The wreathed Swastika was originally between the "19" and the "43", which makes for an even odder effect than on the Crimea Shield. (I really feel they should have moved the "1943" to the center and omitted that gap.) Two specimens:

[HPL2008]

The last combat shield of the war was the Lapplandschild [Lapland Shield], awarded to personnel of the 20th Mountain Army for the two-front campaign against the advancing Finnish and Soviet Red Army forces in Lapland between November 1944 and the end of the war in May 1945.

It was awarded for six months of honorable service in the respective area.

This one is actually not a 1957er. The award was instituted on the initiative of the local commander of the Lapland Front, General Franz Böhme, in March 1945 and, as far as can be ascertained, not officially authorized by the Army Supreme Command and thus not an official award. It was therefore not re-authorized under the 1957 law and never permitted to be worn on military uniform. This did not stop the makers of the 1957 awards to include this shield in their product lines.

The left shield was made by Rudolf Souval, the right one by Steinhauer & Lück:









And finally, a little group picture with one example for each shield:

[MAP]

Superb Andreas. With great additional information to boot!

Thanks for sharing!

[HPL2008]

Here's a related piece - A rather attractive day badge for a reunion of 132nd Infantry Division vets with a design that combines the Krimschild with the Kurland sleeveband: