Anschluss Medal
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| The Anschluss Commemorative Medal Die Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938 |
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|---|---|
  The medal's obverse (left) and reverse (right). |
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| Awarded by Nazi Germany | |
| Type | Chest order |
| Eligibility | Military personnel, members of the Austrian branch of the NSDAP, others |
| Awarded for | Awarded to all German military personnel who participated in the march to Austria, members of the Austrian branch of the NSDAP and other Austrians who contribute to the Anschluss. |
| Campaign | Interwar period |
| Statistics | |
| Established | May 1, 1938 |
| First awarded | May 1, 1938 |
| Last awarded | December 13, 1940 |
| Total awarded | 318,689 |
The The Anschluss Commemorative Medal (Die Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938) was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.
[edit] Description
Instituted on May 1, 1938, the medal commemorated the return of Austria to the German Reich. The move was the first in Hitler's quest for Lebensraum, and it strengthened German flanks while weakening those of Czechoslovakia. German troops crossed the border on March 12, 1938, without meeting any resistance. The stage had been set by a series of "incidents" provoked by members of the NSDAP in Austria, and diplomatic pressure and ultimatums set forth by the German government. This first action, while perhaps raising suspicions, did not cause general alarm in the world community, as it seemed to be done by choice of the Austrian people who spoke German.
The medal, known as the "Anschluss medal", was awarded to all those Austrians who contributed to or participated in the annexation as well as the members of the Austrian NSDAP. It was also awarded to German State officials and members of the German Wehrmacht and SS who marched into Austria.
It was awarded until December 13, 1940. In all 318,689 medals were awarded.
[edit] Design
The medal was based on the 1938 Party Day Badge and designed by Professor Richard Klein. It is 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 symbolize the joining to the Reich of Austria. On the reverse side is the inscription "13. März 1938" (March 13, 1938), the date of the Anschluss. The date is surrounded with the words "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer" (One People, One Empire, One Leader). The medal was dye struck, which gave it smooth edges and a high degree of detail. The medal was suspended from a red ribbon with a white-black-white strips on the edges of the ribbon. It was produced from brass or tombakbronze in with a mat silver finish. The medal is suspended from a red ribbon with a white-black-white strips on the edges of the ribbon.
