WWII GERMAN MEDAL - WEST WALL MEDAL -
The West Wall Medal was a military decoration of Nazi Germany. It was instituted on 2 August 1939 and was given to those who designed and built the fortifications on Germany's western borders and the troops who served there prior to May 1940. In 1944 as Germany was expecting the arrival of the allied invasion, a second badge was given to those who took part in the fortification of the western borders. In all 622,064 medals were awarded until the end of the war. This medal is relatively easy to find.
The sample depicted here is comes with the original brown paper issue envelope.
The design of the medal consists of a
bronze/dark color oval with a wreath on its perimeter. An eagle is placed in the upper portion with its wings
fully extended. a crossed shovel and sword are placed just below. The image of the corner of a pillbox
is placed under the tools.
The back of the medal reads "Fur Arbeit Zum Schutze Deutsch Lands".
In 1944, a second production run was conducted to reward the workers and military personnel strengthening the notorious Siegfried line. This version of the medal was commonly known as the "German Defense Medal", to distinguish the decoration from its 1939 counterpart, and was constructed of a bronzed zinc. A bar with the date "1944" was authorized for those who already held the 1939 version, but this award was never mass produced
|
This page is a recognition and identification guide for WWII German badges and awards. Multiple
detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out clearly defined points
that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my WWII German badge worth?". A price
guide is included here to address this question. The value of the badges and awards is reviewed
over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth of the German
badges in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
MilitaryItems.com,
a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military
antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
|
|
This award is currently being reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality
of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style
and materials employed in the manufacturing of this badge. Attention to the details is critical in
order to be able to determine the authenticity of the badge.
If you have an interest is seeing other badges and awards of the Third Reich, you can do so by going
to our WWII German Badges and Awards
identification guide. Where we cover Heer (Army), Navy (Kriegsmarine) and
Air Force (Luftwaffe) items.
|
Swat the Shopping Bug to view related military items!
