Crimea Shield
| Crimea Shield Krimschild | |
|---|---|
|
Krim shield with green backing for award to Heer soldiers | |
| Awarded by Nazi Germany | |
| Type | Badge |
| Eligibility | Military personnel |
| Awarded for | Active service during the Crimea campaign |
| Campaign | World War II |
| Status | Obsolete |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 25 July 1942 |
| Last awarded | October 1943 |
| Total awarded | approximately 250,000 |
 Correct wearing of the Crimea Shield on the tunic of Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein (right). | |
The Crimea Shield (German: Krimschild) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to military personnel under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein who fought against Soviet Russian forces and captured the Crimea region (Krim in German) between 21 September 1941 and 4 July 1942. It was instituted on 25 July 1942 and was the most widely distributed of the various German shields with approximately 250,000 being awarded.
Background to the award's creation
The Wehrmacht's Army Group South advanced through the Crimean peninsula between the Autumn of 1941 and Summer of 1942. To commemorate the hostilities that ended with the German capture of Sevastopol on 4 July, 1942 the Crimea Shield was created for all members of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein's 11th Army.
Design
The shield is headed by the German eagle clutching a laurel wreath surrounding a swastika. Flanking the eagle are the dates 1941 and 1942, the start and end dates of the campaign. This sits on the backdrop of the Crimean peninsula, where the fighting took place, which has the word KRIM stamped across it.
Criteria for award
The Crimea Shield could be awarded to all members of the Wehrmacht and to Luftwaffe and other units affiliated to the campaign between 21 September 1941 and 4 July 1942. The following conditions needed to have been met for the award:
- Participation in one or more of the following battles:
- Breakthrough Battle of Perekop (21 to 30 September 1941)
- Breakthrough Battle of Juschun (18 to 27 October 1941)
- Crimean follow-up battles, breakthrough at Kerch (28 October to 16 November 1941)
- First attack on Sevastopol (17 to 31 December 1941)
- Battle of Feodosiya (15 to 18 January 1942)
- Defensive battles at Parpach (19 January to 7 May 1942)
- Reconquest of the Kerch Peninsula (8 to 21 May 1942)
- Second attack on Sevastopol (7 June to 4 July 1942)
- Wounded in action
- Continuous three-month service south of the line Genischesk - Salkowo - Perekop
The Crimea Shield was also awarded to soldiers of the Romanian Armed Forces.
Wear
The shield was worn on the upper left arm of the recipients uniform. It was sewn on via the backing cloth but there are occasions where this was removed and the shield was pinned onto the uniform, no doubt for aesthetic reasons.
The colour of the backing cloth is indicative of the branch of the military that the recipient was in:
See also
References
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