Eastern Medal

{{short description|German campaign medal}} {{use British English|date=April 2020}} {{use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Use shortened footnotes|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox award | name = Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal<br />{{small|{{native name|de|Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42}}}} | image = Ostmedaille.jpg | image_upright = 1.3 | caption = Obverse and reverse of the medal | presenter = the ''Führer'' and Supreme Commander of the ''Wehrmacht'' | country = {{flagcountry|Germany|Nazi}} | type = Campaign medal | eligibility = ''Wehrmacht'' and ''Waffen-SS'' personnel | awarded_for = Service in the Soviet Union from {{nowrap|15 November 1941}} to {{nowrap|15 April 1942}} | campaign = World War II – Russian Winter | status =  | description =  | established = 26 May 1942 | lastawarded = 4 September 1944 | total_awarded = Over 3 million | higher = War Merit Cross | image2 = 100px | caption2 = Ribbon bar }} right|150px|thumb|Post war version without swastika The '''Eastern Medal''' ({{langx|de|Ostmedaille}}), officially the '''Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal''' ({{langx|de|Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42|links=no}}), was a military award of the ''Wehrmacht'' which was created by ordinance of Adolf Hitler on 26 May 1942.{{sfn|Littlejohn|Dodkins|1968|p=129}}

The Eastern Medal was awarded to any member of the ''Wehrmacht'' or ''Waffen-SS'' who served on the German Eastern Front during the winter campaign, within the period from {{nowrap|15 November 1941}} to {{nowrap|15 April 1942}}. It was also awarded posthumously to any service member who died in the line of duty within the Soviet Union.{{sfn|Angolia|1987|p=69}} It was called the ''Frozen Meat Medal'' or the "Order of the Frozen Flesh" ({{langx|de|Gefrierfleischorden}}).{{sfn|Beevor|2012|p=327}} Due to its appearance there was the rhyme "Black as the frozen fingers, white as the snow all around the red army" {{langx|de|Schwarz wie die Finger, weiß wie der Schnee und rundherum die Rote Armee.}})

== Criteria == ''Wehrmacht'' personnel qualified for the Eastern Medal after a minimum of 14 days in active combat; 30 air combat sorties; 60 days continuous of service in a combat zone; being wounded or suffering a "frozen limb", severe enough to warrant the issue of a Wound Badge, and it could be awarded posthumously.{{sfn|Angolia|1987|p=69}}

On 20 January 1943, official qualification for the Eastern Medal was extended to include both male and female combatant and non-combatant personnel in the ''Wehrmacht''. Also, foreign members of ''Wehrmacht units''; personnel killed or missing in action{{sfn|Angolia|1987|p=70}} and civilians working under ''Wehrmacht'' control, including those involved in construction and road building.{{sfn|Williamson|2002|p=33}} Geographic limits were placed on the award of east of Ukraine and ''Ostland'' or in the Finland area, east of the original 1940 Russo/Finnish border. The Eastern Medal was officially decommissioned by the ''Oberkommando der Wehrmacht'' ({{langx|de|High Command of the Armed Forces}}) (''OKW'') on 4 September 1944.{{sfn|Angolia|1987|p=69}}

== Appearance == thumb|left|Issue packet|120px The Eastern Medal was designed by SS-''Unterscharführer'' Ernst Krause.{{sfn|Angolia|1987|p=69}} Measuring {{convert|3.6|cm|inch|1|abbr=on}} in diameter, of (generally) zinc construction, the medal was given a gun-metal coloured coating. The concave obverse side features a national socialist eagle grasping a swastika with laurel behind. The reverse features the text in capital letters: "WINTERSCHLACHT IM OSTEN 1941/42" ("Winter Battle in the East 1941–42") featuring a crossed sword and branch below the text. A helmet and stick grenade below the medal loop as well as outer ring were finished in a polished silver effect.{{sfn|Angolia|1987|p=69}} The medal measures approximately 44mm by 36mm.

The Service ribbon featured a central white-black-white (white for snow, black for the fallen soldiers) stripe with red (for blood) either side. The medal and ribbon were presented in a paper packet with the name of the medal on the front and the maker name on the reverse.{{sfn|Angolia|1987|pp=70, 71}} Like the Iron Cross 2nd Class (EK II) 1939–45, the Eastern Medal's ribbon was worn either from the second buttonhole of the uniform tunic or on a ribbon bar. Where the two ribbons were worn together in the buttonhole, the EK II appeared in front of the Eastern Medal.{{sfn|Williamson|2002|p=34 and plate F2}} Over three million medals were issued and many more manufactured.

While wear of Nazi era awards was initially banned in 1945, the Eastern Medal was among those re-authorised for wear by the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957. With Nazi symbols now forbidden, the award was re-designed by removing the swastika, the eagle on the obverse now standing solely on a laurel branch.{{sfn|Littlejohn|Dodkins|1968|p=225}}

== Notes == {{reflist|30em}}

== References == *{{cite book |last= Angolia |first= John |title= For Führer and Fatherland: Military Awards of the Third Reich |publisher= R. James Bender Publishing |year= 1987 |isbn= 0912138149 }} *{{cite book |last= Beevor |first= Antony |title= The Second World War |year= 2012 |publisher= Little, Brown |location= New York |isbn= 978-0-316-02374-0 }} *{{cite book|last1= Littlejohn|first1= David|last2= Dodkins|first2 = Colonel C. M.|title = Orders, Decorations, Medals and Badges of the Third Reich |publisher= R. James Bender Publishing, California |year= 1968 |isbn = 978-0854200801 }} *{{cite book |last= Williamson |first= Gordon |title= World War II German Battle Insignia |publisher= Osprey Publishing |year= 2002 |isbn= 1841763527 }}

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{{List of military decorations of the Third Reich |state=collapsed}} {{Portal bar|Arts||Numismatics|Visual arts}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eastern Medal}} Category:1942 establishments in Germany Category:1944 disestablishments in Germany Category:Awards established in 1942 Category:Awards disestablished in 1944 Category:German campaign medals Category:Military awards and decorations of Nazi Germany