Narvik Shield
The Ärmelschild Narvik was an award of the Armed Forces and was awarded to German soldiers who had participated in the Battle of Narvik ( Norway) 1940.
Background
On April 9 of 1940 during the Second World War, the operations to occupy the neutral countries of Denmark and Norway ( → Company Weserübung ). It landed on the first day a regiment of mountain troops under Lieutenant-General Eduard Dietl, occupied the town of Narvik. A few days later, the Monitoring Group was sunk by ten destroyers of the Royal Navy, so that the occupation of Narvik were still 2,100 Marines. Together, these troops were trying to hold the city against Allied counter-attacks, which, however, so far not succeeded, as was taken on April 28, Narvik by the British. Largely, however, cut off the battle group defended in the surrounding heights further against multiple superiority until the Allies, now threatened by a serious defeat in France, the place on June 8, 1940 granted again.
Foundation
On August 19, 1940 it was donated to the Narvik as an award for the soldiers involved in these struggles from the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Adolf Hitler:
The General Command of the Mountain Corps Norway restricted the Regulation on September 9, 1940 for a so far as they defined the concept of " Narvikkämpfers " more precisely:
Award ceremony and practice numbers
Applications for the award had to be submitted by 31 January 1942 the shield was also awarded posthumously. In this case, the sign with title deed has been sent to the bereaved. Already on 21 November called the Mountain Corps to 10,000 Narvikschilde in silver, however, were on a ship that was frozen in the port of Szczecin. So the ceremony was delayed until the following spring. On March 21, 1941 General of the mountain troops Dietl Hitler was personally awarded the label. After this began with the award to the other recipients. Until June 15, 1941 8,527 awards were counted, who broke down as follows:
Description
The design of the shield went back to Richard Klein from Munich. The Narvik contains edelweiss ( the symbol of mountain infantry ), anchor ( symbol of the Marines ), propeller (symbol of the Air Force ) and the inscription Narvik 1940. It is made of sheet iron, and later from zinc. The size of the shield was about 92 x 41 mm, the cloth pad 100 x 54 mm.
Carrying method
The Narvik was worn the uniform on the left arm and indeed for the army silvery on field-gray, for the navy gold on dark blue and silver for the Air Force colors on gray-blue cloth backing. The shield could also be worn on all uniforms of the party and the state. For civil clothes was allowed a reduced form (16 mm needle ) of Narvikschildes be worn on the left lapel. Soldiers with several sleeve shields ( Krimschild, Cholmschild ) and said here Narvikschildes carried the first sign about 7 cm away from the armhole seam of the left upper sleeve of the field blouse and jacket. The second sign was mounted 0.5 cm below the cloth backing of the first plate. Holders of three shields bearing the Chelm and Krimschild next to each other and, although 0.5 cm below the cloth backing of Narvikschildes namely the Chelm - before Krimschild.
Others
According to the law on titles, medals and decorations of 26 July 1957, the wearing of the award in the version of the Third Reich in the Federal Republic of Germany is only permitted without Nazi emblems.