Original German WWII Eastern Front Officer Memel Medal Bar – 5 Awards Original Items

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a very nice genuine medal bar removed from the uniform of a fallen or captured German officer who served on the Eastern Front during WWII

The set of 5 medals offered in very good condition is mounted on a backing board lined in uniform wool and consists of the following medals:

– German WWII Wehrmacht 2nd Class Iron Cross with ribbon.
– German WW2 Eastern Front Medal with ribbon.
– German WWII 18 Year Wehrmacht Heer (Army) Long Service Award with ribbon.
– German WWII 4th Class Wehrmacht Heer (Army) Long Service Award with ribbon.
– German WWII Memel Medal with ribbon.

The most notable of these medals is known as the “Memel Medal”. The Return of Memel Commemorative Medal (or Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes; 22. März 1939 in German) is a decoration of NSDAP Germany awarded during the interwar period, and the last of the series of German Occupation Medals.

Germany annexed the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory) from Lithuania on 22 March 1939 after an oral ultimatum. On 23 March an occupation of the city and district was carried out by German Army troops. To commemorate the occupation the “Memel Medal” was authorized on 1 May 1939.

It was awarded until 31 December 1940. The award was presented to all military, political and civil personnel who had distinguished themselves in actions related to the annexation of the district to Germany. In all 31,322 medals were awarded.
The Memel Medal Design

The medal was designed by Professor Richard Klein and die struck in bronze. It was worn on the left tunic pocket suspended from a white ribbon with a green strip in the middle and two red strips on each side, the historic colors of Lithuania Minor.

The obverse was the exactly the same as the previous two medals, but the reverse reads “Zur Erinnerung an die Heimkerhr des Memellandes 22. März 1939” (To commemorate the return of the Memel District. 22 March 1939), surrounded by an oak leave wreath.