Ostvolk Medal
Encyclopedia
The Ostvolk Medal was a military award in Nazi Germany
, bestowed to the personnel from the former Soviet Union
(Ostvolk in German, literally 'the East people'). The award was designed by Elmar Lang and existed in two classes: 1st, in gold or silver, and 2nd (gold, silver or bronze). There were two versions: with swords, for bravery, and without, for merit.
The medal represented an octactinal star with plant pattern in the centre. The 1st class was 48 mm in diameter, attachable to the cloth by pin. The 2nd class had 40 mm in diameter and was worn on a 32 mm wide ribbon. In December, 1943 seventeen workers from Zhytomyr
(including one woman) were awarded with bronze stars for "saving a valuable property from Bolsheviks".
According to some sources, special ribbons were issued:
There was also a rare 2nd variant class in gold.
The 1st class was worn on the lower left breast, like the Iron Cross
, and the 2nd class was worn only as a ribbon. The Germans had to be wearing the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st class before obtaining the silver Ostvolk Medal.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, bestowed to the personnel from the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(Ostvolk in German, literally 'the East people'). The award was designed by Elmar Lang and existed in two classes: 1st, in gold or silver, and 2nd (gold, silver or bronze). There were two versions: with swords, for bravery, and without, for merit.
The medal represented an octactinal star with plant pattern in the centre. The 1st class was 48 mm in diameter, attachable to the cloth by pin. The 2nd class had 40 mm in diameter and was worn on a 32 mm wide ribbon. In December, 1943 seventeen workers from Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr is a city in the North of the western half of Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zhytomyr Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Zhytomyr Raion...
(including one woman) were awarded with bronze stars for "saving a valuable property from Bolsheviks".
Ribbons and wearing
- Green with two red stripes (2nd class in gold)
- Green with two white stripes (2nd class in silver)
- Green (2nd class in bronze)
According to some sources, special ribbons were issued:
- light yellow with dark red central stripe (2nd class in gold)
- grass green with dark blue central stripe (2nd class in silver)
- lime green with light blue central stripe (2nd class in bronze)
The 1st class was worn on the lower left breast, like the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
, and the 2nd class was worn only as a ribbon. The Germans had to be wearing the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st class before obtaining the silver Ostvolk Medal.