Axis Barbarossa medal - Sudetenland

[HVK]

This is a medal that, as far as I know is for the soldiers from the Sudetenland in the Czech region that joined the battle against Russia. The date for operation Barbarossa "22 VI 1941" is printed in the rim of the helmet. The medal shows a sword that crushes the russian red star.

The medal would come in two versions: a silver one for front line personel and a bronze one for second line personel. This is the silver one.

The information I have is from a long gone ressource on the internet, and I have not been able to find much about it - so any info would be appreciated.

This medal was found in the top soil in "the Kessel von Halbe" for little more than a year ago together with a crushed iron spoon. The medal is a little bent which is not easy due to the sturdy construction. The lock for the needle on the back is also pressed flat. So one can only think of the faith of the former owner.

[HVK]

No one never seen such a medal before...? Not to sound impatient - but you guys do know everything so I trust you know something about this medal also...

[Adrian Stevenson]

Sorry, I cannot recall seeing this one before, but I must say I do like the general look of it. A internet search of Slovak awards might bring up some info on it. The helmet insignia was worn by the Slovak Light Division.

Cheers, Ade.

[Auseklis]

Maybe someone can translate the name of the decoration from the document?

[HVK]

Thank you for your kind answers. This probably mean that the medal is not that common - or does not have interest among collectors... :-) I also like the apperance of it - and I think it is a nice looking medal.

And it is real - as I dug it up myself... :-)

[Bruno]

This is an axis-related Slovakian military award // memory badge of 1st class, most probably for frontline service within the Slovak mobile division in Southern Ukraine and Don river

And, off course, nothing to do with Sudetenland

Good founding anyway!

[HVK]

This is an axis-related Slovakian military award // memory badge of 1st class, most probably for frontline service within the Slovak mobile division in Southern Ukraine and Don river

And, off course, nothing to do with Sudetenland

Good founding anyway!

Thank you very much for your description. Well I did see it desribed as sudeter germans - and part of Slovaki was called Sudeter land as far as I know. But this could very well be for all Slovak country....

Do you know how many was made of this medal ? Because I have only seen one more for sale on an auktion on an American website.... ?

[Bruno]

Here you can find your badge

Axis History Factbook: Badge of Honor for service on the Eastern Front (Slovakia)

[Auseklis]

Here is an answere given to Ade 5 years ago elsewere...

Here is some more information from Littlejohn's and Dodkins' book, "Orders, Decorations, Medals and Badges of the Third Reich, Volume 2". I haven't seen anything on them elsewhere.

It was called the Badge of Honour for Service on the Eastern Front. Here is the text:

"Members of the Slovak armed forces who served on the Russian front were rewarded with a Badge of Honour instituted on April 22, 1942. This badge shows the Slovak steel helmet on which is the Slovakian cross and the date 22.VI.1941 (the date of Hitler's invasion of Russia). Behind the helmet is a sword which pierces and shatters the Russian emblem of star, hammer, and sickle. Behind the sword is a sunburst. The whole is enclosed in an oval wreath of laurel leaves which narrows toward the apex. It was awarded:

a. In silver for combatants,
b. In bronze and silver for support units, and
c. In bronze for rear echelon personnel

The badge in bronze and silver had a silver wreath and silver sword, the remainder being bronze. All grades of this badge are convex and fastened by a vertical pin on the reverse."

[Auseklis]

Do you know how many was made of this medal ?

Since any slovakian soldier on the eastern front were entitled to get one, at least 40.000 of all classes I would guess.