Flowers war medals
Anyone have any ideas why the Meml medal is so much scarcer than the other ones ??
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Because fewer were awarded (31,322 vs. 318,689 for the Austrian Anschluss, 1,162,617 for the return of the Sudetenland, and 134,563 Prague Bars)? 31K plus is still a lot, but that could be the reason....
GeorgeGeorge -
Ok, thats for sure, I worded my question wrong...
Why were so few awarded ?Comment
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Maybe because the area was so much smaller that fewer people were involved?
GeorgeGeorgeComment
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Ok, thats point number one, there were fewer troops involved than in the other operations.
But the ratio of troops involved to medals awarded is also very different for the 3 medals, largely due to Hitlers intervention....
any ideas folks ???Comment
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Is it possible that the award of one type of medal prohibited the issue of another? In other words maybe certain soldiers weren't eligible for the award, because they were to receive the War Commemorative Medal that never came.
WarrenComment
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Good theory, but not the one I recently heard, which may also be wrong, as I have never researched it...
Any other ideas ?
P.S. I think Himmlers bar had all 3 didnt it ?Comment
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Chris,
What are the ratios of medals awarded to troops involved in the three actions? And what was "Hitler's intervention"?
All three on Himmler's bar? Yes!
GeorgeGeorgeComment
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Well, I understand it as follows.
Hitler believed the medals were awarded to cheapley, anyone who was remotely involved got it.
Pilots on alert in Germany, and who never set a foot in Austria got it. Truckdrivers in Hamburg got the oktober 38 medal, as long as they were in some way involved in the supplies.
If what I heard was correct, when it came to giving out the Memel medal, Hitler insisted that ony people who crossed the border could get it.
I dont know what evidance that is based on, and would be interested if anyone has any extra infoComment
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Chris, I have no evidence, but I have heard the same as you.
SebaComment
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Wasnt also the Close Combat Clasp designed in part because Hitler wanted something you had to earn by fighting, so the Generals at the rear wouldnt just get one for being there?
Accidentally offending people on the internet since 1997
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Chris,
Did Himmler follow regulations? If I remember he also had a West Wall medal on his bar and I read somewhere that the W.W. couldn't be displayed with the Flowers medals. Is that correct?
Warren
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Herr Himmler was a most generous and noble character, he personally awarded himself the gold partisan badge as well. He unlike most of the other cronies never served in WW1 and he felt embarrassed, or that his uniform was lacking shiny objects.Comment
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Here is an early war shot of Himmler in all his splendour. On the ribbon bar I can make out all three flower war medals plus the west wall medal. Wearing of all 4 ribbons was forbidden. On the left pocket we can see the Blood Order ribbon looped though the buttonhole on the pocket. Below the ribbon bar, SA sports badge and Golden Party badge of the NSDAP. This shot must have been taken before 1944 as it does not show the gold anti partisan badge Himmler so graciously awarded himself.
CheersComment
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Also, my understanding is that a plurality of the Memel medals were awarded to Naval personnel.
Also, I believe it was Rick Lundstrom who pointed out that the flowers wars medals and the west wall could be worn together, but no more than three all togethr. Perhaps this was a wehrmacht regulation and not an Ss one though? Let's ask Rick.
Cheers,
JeMcComment
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