A nice medal I just picked up. A little faded but otherwise in good condition.
A nice medal I just picked up. A little faded but otherwise in good condition.
Last edited by rbminis; 03-11-2020 at 12:47 PM. Reason: Edited title.
Hi Aldo, this is on the wrong ribbon and should not have a swords device on it.
Cheers, Ade.
Hello Ade, thanks for the input. I considered this fact also when I bought it. I know the ribbon should be a wide band of red with white stripes on the sides as shown in the pic below. Upon examination you can see that the colors have faded from exposure to light, the white has become tan and the red not as bright. Also the ribbon has been wrapped around the mount twice giving the appearance of a third white stripe down the middle. I will concede though that the swords were probably added on later for effect. Unless someone else on the forum has seen this before on this medal. Would the swords indicate a higher level of a particular medal ? Cheers, Al.
Aldo, I have quite a few medal bars done in this style, most Imperial, one post war 1957 bar, employing the wrapping of the medals ribbon twice round the spange device (causing them to look odd!).....the crossed swords are the type used when parade mounting the 'Hindenburg cross' or 'Kyfferhauserbund medal' and possibly added on a whim by the recepient upon ordering his mount from his supplier, its use is unofficial as Ade has stated.
Actually, a swords device was authorized for the Volkspflege decoration and -medal per decree of 30 January 1942.
The version "with swords" could be awarded for merits achieved by personal action under the special dangers of the war.
Later supplementary regulations specifically restricted the swords device to the Volkspflege medal and the 3rd Grade of the Volkspflege decoration, where they were affixed to the ribbon. They were not used with the 2nd Class (i.e. the pin-on cross) or the 1st Class (i.e. the neck decoration).
The possible circle of recipients was also limited: The Volkspflege medal and -decoration "with swords" was only awarded to male and female non-military medical personnel employed in combat areas on the Eastern Front. (That would be Red Cross personnel)
Here is the decree introducing the swords:
HPL2008, well done that man !....we have all learnt something today !...that will teach me to dip my toes into the TR part of the forum !
Thank you for that wealth of information and the document image. Precisely why this is a first class forum !
Thanks for the info!
Cheers, Ade.
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