Azad Hind Order
The Order Azad Hind (dt. Free India) was an award of the Free (provisional) Indian government in exile during World War II and was awarded exclusively to members of the Indian Legion with and without swords ( sabers ) from 1943 onwards. The award with swords took place exclusively for special merits under the influence of enemy weapons , without swords (sabers) on the other hand for special merits in troop leadership without enemy influence . The award conditions, although not publicly published, were based on the War Merit Cross (1939) .
Azad Hind Order
The Azad Hind order consisted of three classes. The medal itself is a silver eight-pointed star approx. 60 mm in diameter; the ribs of the rays are polished. The middle medallion has a diameter of 23 mm and was enamelled in the 1st class, but golden in the 2nd and 3rd class. The medal showed an Indian tiger in the middle of the inner medallion , which can be seen within the writing ring. AZAD is on the left and HIND on the right . Both words are separated by groups of leaves. In the case of the non-enamelled pieces (2nd and 3rd class) the ground is rough, whereas in the enamelled 1st class it is white, with the lettering ring raised, the leaves green, as well as the head of the tiger, the writing and the edges of course golden are held. When the order was awarded with swords (sabers), these were also held in gold and crossed in the middle of the order. The 1st class of the Azad Hind order was worn as a collar medal, the 2nd class as a cross on the left breast pocket and the 3rd class as a ribbon medal also over the left breast pocket. The ribbon itself was in the Indian national colors. For this purpose there was a 23 mm wide emerald green stripe in the middle, which was lined with two white 4 mm wide and finally two further orange stripes of 4 mm each.
Azad Hind Medal
The Azad Hind Medal was also awarded in three classes in parallel to the Azad Hind Order, with 1st class being gold, 2nd class being silver and 3rd class being bronze. All color alloys were kept matt, although the bronze tint was quite dark. The medal itself shows the Indian tiger on its obverse in the upper part, underneath the inscription: "AZAD HIND" . A lily-shaped emblem under the lettering. The base of the medal is kept oxidized both around the tiger's head and around the raised embossed lettering. The reverse of all three medals shows patterned rays emanating from the center, in which the German words: India's struggle for freedom can be read. The words themselves are surrounded by a dungeon grille open in the middle. The medal existed in all classes with and without swords, which were crossed above the edge of the medal and connected to the hanging ring by a leaf ornament. The ribbon of the medal was the same as that of the order. The medal was worn as a breast order above the left breast pocket, later only as a ribbon buckle.
See also
Web links
- Religious side to the star (with picture)
- Religious side of the medal (with illustration)
- Illustration of the neck cross without a saber
Individual evidence
- ↑ Uniform Markt magazine, year 1944, issue 7, page 7.