Westwall Medal Surprise!

[Rommel1933]

Hi Tom,

Really interesting thread to read through. Nice find of course and its a nice variation for the collection. The westwall really is a good looking medal. It's good to see some discussion about the makers.

Thank you
Scott

[BassD]

interesting is that S&L never was found on a list of producer for the Westwall medal. But S&L bought some pices (for the private market) from the Präsidialkanzlei which are produced from Lauer.

So maybe these pieces are markermarked with "4" but produced by Lauer.

Wrote something more about that in the SDA Forum in german. If somebody will translate it, i could copy what i wrote there.

Gruß

Basti

[Tom Yanacek]

interesting is that S&L never was found on a list of producer for the Westwall medal. But S&L bought some pices (for the private market) from the Präsidialkanzlei which are produced from Lauer.

So maybe these pieces are markermarked with "4" but produced by Lauer.

Wrote something more about that in the SDA Forum in german. If somebody will translate it, i could copy what i wrote there.

Gruß

Basti

Hi Basti,

If S&L purchased these from Lauer for sale on the commercial market, why would S&L stamp them with their Lieferant number instead of their LdO number?

Thank you & best regards,
Tom

[Totenhead]

Interesting thread Tom, just came across it now and noticed my name mentioned !

Will keep hold of it now me thinks

I also have the packet for mine but that's another frustrating story !

[BassD]

Hi Tom,

very interesting question that i can not answer you. I can only say that they never get an offical order in 1939 for the Westwall medal , but that they produce them in 1940 for the private market (like they wrote to the Präsidialkanzlei) In 1942 they asked again if they can buy some medal for the private sale from the Präsidialkanzlei. They bought 400 pieces which ware made from Lauer.

Gruß

Basti

[Tom Yanacek]

I also have the packet for mine but that's another frustrating story !

Hi Totenhead,

I remember your S&L packet well: It was originally an S&L packet for the East Medal that was wartime-converted to use for the Westwall Medal. But, unfortunately, it is once again an East Medal packet with the Westwall label lost to history.

My sympathies,
Tom

[Totenhead]

Hi Tom

Thanks for reminding me !!

[Graeme]

Hi Tom

Interesting find, and thanks for putting the comparison pics together.

Amazing how a thread like this can get you thinking, I have just been comparing my westwall medals that came in Lauer marked packets to yours..

They do not appear to be a match, but as with most awards in packets, you can never be sure when the medal and packet came together.

cheers
Graeme

[Steve Mezey]

I think I found one too!

Terrible shape but found at the local flea market last weekend. Looks like the stamp is off a bit but I think it is a #4
Zinc and poor photos
Steve

[Steve Mezey]

mark

mark

[Tom Yanacek]

Hi Tom

Interesting find, and thanks for putting the comparison pics together.

Amazing how a thread like this can get you thinking, I have just been comparing my westwall medals that came in Lauer marked packets to yours..

They do not appear to be a match, but as with most awards in packets, you can never be sure when the medal and packet came together.

cheers
Graeme

Hi Graeme,

Thanks for responding. I'm curious if your examples in S&L packets are bronze or zinc. According to Basti, S&L did not have a contract to supply Westwall Medals to the chancellery in 1939, but they did buy some from Lauer in 1940 and 1942 for commercial sales. So if yours are bronze, they might actually be made by Lauer. Maybe S&L only manufactured Westwalls in zinc for when the medal was re-instituted in late 1944. Prior to this time they were just selling the Westwalls of Lauer, but packaged under the S&L name. This could explain why your Westwall Medals do not match the marked '4' examples in zinc. Or, as you say, it could also be due to the marriage of a mismatched medal and packet in the postwar years.

Best regards,
Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

Terrible shape but found at the local flea market last weekend. Looks like the stamp is off a bit but I think it is a #4
Zinc and poor photos
Steve

Hi Steve,

Nice find! There is no doubt in my mind: It's a match!

Best regards,
Tom

[M3A1Mats]

Very nice guys!

This one came in today and to my surprise it was marked!

Best regards,

Mats

[Tom Yanacek]

Very nice guys!

This one came in today and to my surprise it was marked!

Best regards,

Mats

Hi Mats,

Very nice! Looks like they're starting to pop up everywhere.

Best regards,
Tom

[Graeme]

Hi Graeme,

Thanks for responding. I'm curious if your examples in S&L packets are bronze or zinc. According to Basti, S&L did not have a contract to supply Westwall Medals to the chancellery in 1939, but they did buy some from Lauer in 1940 and 1942 for commercial sales. So if yours are bronze, they might actually be made by Lauer. Maybe S&L only manufactured Westwalls in zinc for when the medal was re-instituted in late 1944. Prior to this time they were just selling the Westwalls of Lauer, but packaged under the S&L name. This could explain why your Westwall Medals do not match the marked '4' examples in zinc. Or, as you say, it could also be due to the marriage of a mismatched medal and packet in the postwar years.

Best regards,
Tom

Hi Tom

Sorry for the delayed response.

My examples are in Lauer Packets, not S&L. They are bronze.

regards
Graeme