Ribbon bar I.D.

[Angel Farré]

Find here two photos from Georg Stern, DKiG on February 14th, 1.942, the left one as Feldwebel on 1.940 and the right as Leutnant on 1.943/44. My ask is about the first ribbon you can see in the left photo, what medal is? the right one shows him wearing all his medals as I have his Soldbuch and all the ones notated are showed in the photo.

Cheers

Angel Farré

[Rick Research]

Angel-- I believe that is the Westwall Medal. In the first photo it is being worn incorrectly in front of his long service medal (this was very common with the Austrian Anschluss and Sudeten medals as well, at first) with an unusual mini device, perhaps to distinguish the similar ribbon from that of the Lifesaving Medal. Rick

[Daniel Krause]

Angel,

I fully agree with Rick, note the device is oval like the Westwall medal.

Best Regards

Daniel

[Stijn David]

agree

Hello,


I have been looking also on this one and it is a tough one => can you give us more info on the service record of your man Angel ? , this can bring us certainly closer i believe ( lets say when promoted + what awards and the dates => i know almost for sure you have tehse dates )

I also assume that it is a unusual ribbon device for a Westwal medal but on the other hand why is this person wearing the ribbon before the ribbon of a long service award ? , am i wrong in believing that this medal (westwal ) is normally worn behind the long service awards ?

Friendly Greetings ,

[Rick Research]

Into 1940, there was still confusion about the "flowers wars" medals (and let's lump in the Westwall with Austria, Sudeten, and Memel there) as to whether they were actually "campaign" medals or not. They are often found incorrectly ahead of long service etc awards, but only for this first year or so of their existence.

I've never seen the mini Westwall device, but I HAVE seen some equally "pointless" Sudetens (never an Austria, though!)... maybe just some "fashion" of 1939/40. The other reason for the device could be to distinguish between the "light toast" Westwall ribbon and the "orange marmalade" colored life saving medal ribbons.

The top one is the Prussian/Reichs Lifesaving Medal, then three varieties of Westwall, then three shades of WW1 Turkish War Medal, from the "confusing ribbons" section of the Ribbon Bar Article poor Seba must slave over to get posted on the Members Only side of the website:

[Angel Farré]

As requested here is a little research I have done, unafortunately I obrained from the famiy only his replacement Sodlbuch open on June 28th, 1.944, various photos, his Erkennungsmarke and a gift given to him fromhis NCO comrades. I add here a pic of the award page and this two last items. I know he entered the army on 1.934 serving as a musician in 15 Inf.Rgt. later he was transfered to 109 Inf.Rgt. where he served troughtout the war, his promotions were: to Unteroffizier on August 26th 1.939, to Feldwebel on July 1st 1.940, to Oberfeldwebel on March 1st 1.941, to Leutnant on April 1st 1.943 and to Oberleutnant on April 1st 1.944. No other dates and pieces has surfaced despite an intensive seach on his relatives home. I hope you enjoy it. One of the pics show him in a Waffenrock wearing his DKiG.

Cheers

Angel

[Angel Farré]

Sorry I don't know what happen with the image, second try

Angel

[Rick Research]

Yup--there it is right at the top, 27.4.40 "Dt. Schutzwallehrenzeichen"--that's the Westwall Medal.

[Angel Farré]

My doubt comes with the device in the ribbon, I never has seen it and the orders state that this medal must be after the WH Long Service Awards and I know he also won the DRL in bronze and a shooting lanyard so I guess if this could be a civil award or something like the ones that were not notated in Soldbuchs.

Thanks to all

Angel

[Rick Research]

No, it's the Westwall ribbon with funny little device. Even in a dictatorship, not everyone obeyed ALL The Rules!

[Daniel Krause]

Hi,

Rick is completely right. (as everytime) The regulations from 11.08.1939 ordered to wear the flower war medals and the Westwall medal after the long service awards. But some guys considered this campaign awards higher than a "boring" long service medal. The unofficial miniaturized devices were also existing for the flower war medals and the Luftschutzehrenzeichen.

Best regards

Daniel