Ostvolk Medal

Ostvolk Medal Tapferkeits und Verdienst Auszeichnung für Ostvölker
Awarded by the Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories and Wehrmacht
Type	Military award
Eligibility	citizens of the Soviet Union under German command; Germans serving in units manned by Soviet personnel
Awarded for	bravery (with swords) or merit (without swords)
Status	Obsolete
Statistics
Established	14 July, 1942
Total awarded	Approx. 7,000
2nd Class in gold ribbon bar 2nd Class in silver ribbon bar 2nd Class in bronze ribbon bar

The Ostvolk Medal (German: Ostvolkmedaille) or Medal for Gallantry and Merit for Members of the Eastern Peoples - (German: Tapferkeits und Verdienst Auszeichnung für Ostvölker)) was a military award in Nazi Germany, bestowed to the personnel from the former Soviet Union (Ostvolk in German, literally 'the East people').^[1]

Design

The medal featured an octactinal (eight pointed) star with plant pattern in the centre. The 1st class was 48 mm in diameter, attachable to the cloth by pin and clasp. The 2nd class was 40 mm in diameter and was worn on a 32 mm wide ribbon.

Classes

The award was designed by Elmar Lang and existed in two classes:

• 1st Class - in gold or silver
• 2nd Class - in gold, silver or bronze).

There were two versions: with swords, for bravery, and without, for merit.

Ribbons and wearing

Bronislav Kaminski wearing the 1st class of the award on his tunic below and to the left of the Iron Cross

• Green with two red stripes (2nd class in gold)
• Green with two white stripes (2nd class in silver)
• Green (2nd class in bronze)

According to some sources, special ribbons were issued:

• Light yellow with dark red central stripe (2nd class in gold)
• Grass green with dark blue central stripe (2nd class in silver)
• Lime green with light blue central stripe (2nd class in bronze)

There was also a rare second variant class in gold.

The 1st class was worn on the lower left breast, like the Iron Cross, and the 2nd class was worn only as a ribbon.^[2] The Germans had to be wearing the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st class before obtaining the silver Ostvolk Medal.

Recipients

In December 1943 17 workers from Zhytomyr (including one woman) were awarded with bronze stars for "saving a valuable property from Bolsheviks".^[3]

Notes