Anschluss Medal

The medal commemorating the March 13, 1938, colloquially called Ostmark Medal, was founded on May 1, 1938 by Adolf Hitler by regulation. The opening words of this Regulation were:

"On the visible expression of my appreciation and my gratitude for services to the reunification of Austria with the German Reich I am making the medal commemorating the 13th March 1938. The details are determined by the statute. "

Statute content

Ceremony purpose

The medal was awarded to individuals who have rendered special services to the "Anschluss" of Austria to the German Reich. This included Austrians, who have contributed either directly to the event or member of the Austrian NSDAP.

Vorschlageberechtigung and delivery method

The proposals, which should result in the awarding of the medal have been drawn up by the Reich Minister of the Interior and members of the armed forces from the Chief of the High Command of the Wehrmacht and Hitler presented by the Chief of the Presidential Chancellery of the Order. The Entrusted received a certificate of possession with the handover of the coin. The medal itself led through his property. A return obligation in the event of his death did not exist for the bereaved.

Appearance, texture and carrying method

Unusually in creating this " commemorative medal " was that you had originally created the medal in a different design and only later, by adapting a supplement statutes, the appearance of the well-known " standard form ". Background had been a public tender competition for the design of the coin. However, before their winner, it was the artist Richard Klein, could be determined, the first medal had been embossed with the original version. Therefore be discussed in the sequence on both forms.

First form

The medal of the first form was bronzed and shows on its face, the head relief of Hitler, which looked to the left from the viewer. The head was there surrounded by the inscription A PEOPLE ON REICH ° ° A LEADER. The reverse of the medal showed the centrally raised embossed emblem of the Empire with the date: . March 13, 1938 Born to be the original form of a dark red - black striped ribbon on the left chest. Whether the first form has come to the ceremony, is considered unlikely.

Second form

The medal of the second shape with a diameter of 33 mm was against matt silver toned. It shows on its front two male figures that symbolize the return of Austria to the German Reich. In this case, the rear person on the base, the Greater German Reich is that taken by the hand, the second person ( Austria ) pulls up on the podium. The reverse shows the center adorned with embossed three-line inscription: . 13th / March / 1938 Surrounded is this lettering of the inscription: A PEOPLE ON REICH ° ° A LEADER. Was driven medal on a 31 mm wide red, white-black- white ( 1 mm ) edged ribbon on the left chest. Whether the color it based on the analogy of the Austrian national colors or was influenced by the then- coloring of the German Empire Black -White-Red, remains unexplained.

Award numbers

Overall, the medal was awarded 318 689 times.

Others

The "Medal commemorating the March 13, 1938 " is one of the National Socialist Order, whose leadership under the Law on titles, medals and decorations from 1957 in any form is allowed in Germany.