Sudetenland Medal

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The Sudetenland Medal has a history dating back to just before World War II. On 1 October 1938, German forces entered the Sudetenland and annexed the area to the Third Reich. To commemorate this event, on 18 October 1938 the Nazis issued a special medal to be given to the German military forces who took part in the occupation. The medal was also given to the soldiers who took part in the occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939. The soldiers who took part in both occupations received the Prague Castle bar, which was worn on the ribbon of the medal.

In all 1,162,617 medals were awarded with the addition of 134,563 Prague Castle bar.

[edit] Design

The medal was designed by Professor Richard Klein, it's round and of the obverse there is a man standing of a podium with the Third Reich coat of arms and holding the Nazi flag, he holding the hand and helping him get on the podium of another man who had a broken shackle on his right hand, this symbolise the liberation of the Sudetenland and its joining to the Reich.

On the reverse side is the date of the annexation, 1 October 1938, surrounded with the words "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer" (One People, One Empire, One Leader).

The medal is suspended from a black ribbon with a red stripe in the middle, these being the colours of the Sudetenland.