Azad Hind Medal Discussion

[Bob Hritz]

I was going through my accumulation of Azad Hind medals and am aware of two types: tomback and feinzink. The tomback versions, with swords, have the sword finished on the obverse and smooth on the verso. The zinc version have the swords finished on both obverse and verso. I also noticed that the swords are much thicker on the zinc versions. I am wondering if the tomback versions were very early and when the zinc versions were made, the die had to be adapted to make the swords thicker because of inferior metal to avoid breakage.

I attach photos of the tomback versions with swords.

Bob Hritz

[Bob Hritz]

The attached photos are of zinc examples in bronze and silver. Swords are finished on verso.

Bob Hritz

[Bob Hritz]

Comparison o thin swords on tomback version and thick swords on zinc version.

Bob Hritz

[RKC]

Bob:

Nice medals!

I think Souval also put out an 'aluminum' version of this medal
with swords & they were flat on the back of the swords.

It was quite some time ago, 1978-1980, I picked-up all the
pieces to the set except the breast star & I remember finding
that the 'Luftschutz' medal was also in 'aluminum' but, I never
did find any of the combat awards in aluminum.

Ron.

[RonR]

Bob,

Cannot add much information, but a related thread to which you contributed a number of years ago...........

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...highlight=Hind

Best regards,

[Antonio Scapini]

hi Bob, can you post a close up of the jig/saw marks on the thickness of the zinc medal?
These signs are present in wartime pieces and, I suppose, in post war too.

I have no knowledge on these medals so I ask you: do you knoe if them are both wartime?

I know Souval was the only maker for these medals, during and after the war.
There's a way to recognize them or both productions (wartime and post war) are the same?

[McCulloh]

Ed is still on Facebook. He knows a LOT about these awards.
When the British MPs raided Souvals' shop in 1945 for Azad Hind material( for war crimes trials on charges of treason) , they took the dies...except they didn't look in the die press machine itself, so they got only the "Stempel".
These awards were massively reproduced by Souval starting in the later 1940s. They were "exotic" and sold in batches of 10 pieces to US and British dealers. They can be easily found advertised In "Stag" magazine and "Gun Digest" etc. in the 1950s and 1960s.

[Antonio Scapini]

Indeed very interesting. Thanks for your reply.
Do you know if for the postwar production Souval used a different die?

[RonR]

Do you know if for the postwar production Souval used a different die?

to quote Bob from an earlier discussion...

"The Azad Hinds were awarded from 1943 until 1961. After 1961, the pieces made by Souval had unmarked backplates."

[jules61]

to quote Bob from an earlier discussion...

"The Azad Hinds were awarded from 1943 until 1961. After 1961, the pieces made by Souval had unmarked backplates."

Hi Ron!
And these one with the ring soldered on top.....???
It's a copy....?
The Case look original Souval period one, and the ribbon "Green" is faded for the time!
Can be one variant...?

Thanks for reply!
Gian.

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[jules61]

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