57er Rettungsmedaille für Rettung aus Gefahr medal

[oradour]

Gentlemen, a recent acquisition a 1957 "Rettungsmedaille für Rettung aus Gefahr" or Lifesaving medal....originally a Prussian award, that continued through Imperial, Weimar, Third Reich and on into the present day. Most of the German states issued their own medals. First awarded 1833-1918 in Imperial form then 1926-37 with eagle/no swastika then 1937-1945 with swastika, becoming a Reich issue award replacing all States versions, in the TR period the eagle would of had a swastika on its chest, in order to to comply with 1957 regulations the swastika was removed and the medal became as I show here.........
There were two types of this award, non portable table medal and a medal/ribbon for wearing, the non portable was for "trying to save a life" and the ribboned medal for "actually saving a life"....
The ribboned award I show is quite puny ! weighing in at 8 grams and just under an inch across ! (25mm) when I opened the packet I thought I had been diddled and that the seller had sold me a miniature, until I did my research !
I show the medal with a 57er EK I for size comparison......
Prost ! Steve.

[HPL2008]

There were two types of this award, non portable table medal and a medal/ribbon for wearing, the non portable was for "trying to save a life" and the ribboned medal for "actually saving a life"....

Sorry, Steve, but that is not correct.

Both were awarded for saving a life at the risk of one's own life. The difference was that the wearable medal required a most particularly severe risk to the rescuer's life, (ganz besonders erhebliche eigene Lebensgefahr) whereas the non-wearable commemorative medal required a "simply" severe risk (erhebliche Lebensgefahr).

[oradour]

Thanks for correcting me Andreas, I had difficulty in deciphering the text on the criteria of this medal ! Always keen to learn..............
Prost ! Steve.

[Gunny Hartmann]

I've never seen one before, nice looking award and thanks for sharing!...

[oradour]

Here you are Gunny the Third Reich version.............they are, apparently, equivalent to the EK II !
Mine is an early non silver tombak based St u L made award.
Prost ! Steve.

[Nick Hessens]

A nice award Steve.

Regards