Medal in memory of October 1, 1938

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The medal in memory of October 1, 1938 , also known colloquially as the Sudetenland Medal , was donated by Adolf Hitler in 1938 according to the Munich Agreement .

In the Federal Republic of Germany , the badge is one of the anti-constitutional propaganda means , its production, public wearing or distribution is prohibited according to § 86a StGB .

In National Socialism

Medal in memory of October 1, 1938
"Prague Castle" clasp
Single ribbon clips for the medal with and without clip
The flag of the Sudetenland as a model for the ribbon

The opening words of the Foundation Ordinance were:

“As a visible expression of my appreciation and my thanks for services to the reunification of the Sudeten German territories with the German Reich, I am donating the medal in memory of October 1, 1938 . The statutes determine the details. "

- Berchtesgaden, October 18, 1938; The Führer and Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler; The Reich Minister of the Interior Frick; The Minister of State and Head of the Presidential Chancellery Dr. Meissner

Articles of Association

Award purpose

The expansionist success of the integration of the Sudeten area, which is largely inhabited by Germans, into the German Reich, which was solemnly designated as “reunification” in the sense of National Socialist politics, was to be commemorated with a medal, awarded to people who had made special contributions to this. On May 1, 1939, this point was expanded. From this point onwards, people could also be honored with the medal who had made merits on the occasion of the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia on March 15, 1939.

Eligibility to propose and handover procedure

The proposals, which should result in the awarding of the medal were the Minister of the Interior and for members of the armed forces established by the Chief of the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht and Hitler through the head of the Presidential Chancellery of the Order of firm submitted. The entrusted received a certificate of ownership with the handover of the medal. The medal itself became his property. In the event of his death, there was no obligation for the bereaved to return it.

Foundation of the clasp

On May 1, 1939, as an extension of the previous ordinance of October 18, 1938, the foundation of the "Clasp for the medal in memory of October 1, 1938", colloquially "Prague Castle Clasp". The prerequisite for awarding them was that those people who had already been awarded the medal for their services to the "reunification" of the Sudetenland with the German Reich could also receive the clasp if:

  • these persons also at the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (March 15, 1939) merits had acquired as part of this creation.

In plain language this meant:

  • Medal: for services to the "reunification" of the Sudetenland with the German Empire
  • Spange: Medal already awarded and services to the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

Appearance, texture and way of wearing

medal

The medal designed by the artist Richard Klein with a diameter of 32 mm is tinted in a dark bronze color and shows two male figures on its front, symbolizing the return of the Sudetenland. The rear person on the plinth represents the Greater German Reich, which the second person (the Sudetenland), with his arm around their shoulder, pulls them up onto the pedestal. The back shows the raised three-line lettering in the middle: 1. / OCTOBER / 1938 . This lettering is surrounded by the inscription: EIN VOLK ° EIN REICH ° EIN FÜHRER . The medal was worn on a black-red-black (the colors of the Sudetenland) 30 mm wide ribbon, which was lined with white on the left side of the chest.

Clasp

The design for the clasp is also by Richard Klein, it is bronzed and has the dimensions: 11 × 31 mm. However, there are also smaller variants, especially when the tape is placed on a triangular tape. The front of the clasp shows the relief of Prague Castle , the "seat of government" of the Protectorate. On the back there are two soldered-on split pins or bending tabs that were pierced through the ribbon and bent on the back. In contrast to the medal, the ribbon buckle only differed in a superimposed miniature of the clasp. In addition, when the clasp was awarded to the medal, the medal itself was not awarded again, only the edition piece. However, both pieces together at the first award.

Award numbers

  • Medal: 1,162,617
  • Clasp: 134,563

Today: Anti-Constitutional Badge

The medal commemorating October 1, 1938 belongs to the National Socialist medals whose use in Germany is not permitted in any form under the 1957 law on titles, medals and decorations .

See also

literature

  • Hans-Ulrich Krantz (greeting), Johannes Ottinger (editing): Orders and decorations in the Federal Republic of Germany , 2nd exp. u. revised Aufl., Mittler Verl., Herford 1977, ISBN 3-87547-172-5 .

Web links

Commons : Sudetenland Medal  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Reichsgesetzblatt No. 179 of November 1, 1938, p. 1527, wording of the ordinance
  2. ^ Sudetenland . In: mitteleuropa.de. Central Europe, March 7, 2000, accessed April 7, 2018 .
  3. ↑ Reichsgesetzblatt No. 179 of November 1, 1938, p. 1528, statutes of the medal in memory of October 1, 1938 of October 18, 1938, Art. 1
  4. ↑ Reichsgesetzblatt No. 84 of May 4, 1939, p. 219, Ordinance to supplement the Ordinance on the Foundation of the Medal in Memory of October 1, 1938 of May 1, 1939, Art. 1
  5. ↑ Reichsgesetzblatt No. 179 of November 1, 1938, p. 1528, statutes of the medal in memory of October 1, 1938 of October 18, 1938, Art. 3
  6. ↑ Reichsgesetzblatt No. 179 of November 1, 1938, p. 1528, statutes of the medal in memory of October 1, 1938 of October 18, 1938, Articles 3, 4 and 5
  7. ↑ Reichsgesetzblatt No. 84 of May 4, 1939, p. 219, Ordinance to supplement the Ordinance on the Foundation of the Medal in Memory of October 1, 1938 of May 1, 1939, Art. 1
  8. ↑ Reichsgesetzblatt No. 179 of November 1, 1938, p. 1528, statutes of the medal in memory of October 1, 1938 of October 18, 1938, Art. 2
  9. ↑ Reichsgesetzblatt No. 84 of May 4, 1939, p. 219, Ordinance to supplement the Ordinance on the Foundation of the Medal in Memory of October 1, 1938 of May 1, 1939, Art. 3
  10. ↑ Johannes Ottinger: Orders and Medals of Honor in the Federal Republic of Germany , Mittler Verl., 1977, p. 148.