BACKGROUND: The wear of awards, medal bars and/or ribbon bars were addressed in regulations of April 28^TH 1937 and followed the established directives that had been previously laid down. When an award was instituted the introductory orders would prescribe the proper form of wear with most of the awards being permitted to be grouped together on a medal bar for wear on the walking-out dress and formal uniforms. Strict regulations listed the required order in which awards were authorized to be worn on the medal bar. The War Merit Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on October 18^TH 1939, in two classes with both classes issued, with and without swords, for award to military personnel and civilians, including females and foreigners, for exemplary service and/or bravery in Germany’s war effort, in a non-combatant role. The addition of swords to the award signified bravery while awards without swords were bestowed for service. The Commemorative Medal of 1^ST October 1938 was the second of the "Anschluss", (Union/Annexation), medal series and was introduced on October 18^TH 1938, for award to civilians and military personnel who participated in the "return" of the Sudetenland to Germany. The award followed the same design as the earlier, "13^TH März" medal, that commemorated the annexation of Austria into Greater Germany. The Sudetenland, with over three million German inhabitants, was a section of Bohemia that had been awarded to Czechoslovakia in 1919 by the treaty of Saint Germain en Laye signed between Austria and the allies at the end of WWI. Hitler claimed that the Germanic Sudetens were being persecuted by the Czech’s as the main premise for the annexation of the area into greater Germany. Hitler also contended that the Sudentenland would be his final territorial claim in Europe. At a meeting in Munich on September 29^TH 1938 between Britain’s Chamberlain, France’s Daladier, Italy’s Mussolini and Hitler, without Czechoslovakian input, it was decided that the Sudentenland would be "returned" to Germany and German troops marched into the region on October 1^ST 1938. Of Note: On May 1^ST 1939 Hitler extended award of the 1^ST October 1938 medal to personnel who had participated in the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Personnel who participated in the creation of the Protectorate, and who had already been awarded the 1^ST October 1938 medal were awarded the Prague Castle bar which was to be attached to the ribbon of their 1^ST October 1938 medal.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The die struck, bronze alloy construction, War Merit Cross 2^ND class with swords features a bronze wash and is in the form of a Maltese style cross with a circular centerpiece with an embossed, canted, swastika encircled by a nicely detailed oak-leaf wreath to the obverse. The reverse centerpiece has the embossed date,"1939", which is also encompassed by a nicely detailed oak-leaf wreath. The background field of both the obverse and reverse centerpieces is smooth while the arms of the cross have a pebbled background field with raised, smooth, outer edges. The swords, indicating bravery, emanated upward, between the arms of the cross. The cross retains about 90% of its age and usage dulled, bronze wash. The medal loop and ribbon suspension ring are both intact and the cross has a parade mounted, ribbed rayon ribbon. The roughly, 1 1/4" diameter, bronze washed, die struck, bronze alloy construction Commemorative Medal of 1^ST October 1938 features two, embossed, figures symbolically breaking the chains of bondage with an unfurled national flag in the background and a high relief national eagle to the bottom to the obverse. The reverse features embossed, Latin, script to the center,"1 Oktober 1938", encompassed by additional script, "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer". (One People, One State, One Leader). The age and usage dulled, bronze wash is retained about 90% with some minor surface spotting. The ribbon suspension ring and medal loop are both intact and the award comes with a parade mounted, ribbed rayon ribbon with a bronze washed, die stamped, alloy construction Prague Castle bar cypher. The Prague Castle bar features an embossed likeness of the Prague Castle on a slightly recessed field with a raised outer edge lip. The bar retains about 90% of its original bronze wash with minimal surface spotting. The ornate parade mounted ribbons have an alloy base plate with a protective black wool backing neatly handstitched to the reverse. The reverse of the base plate as a horizontal pin and corresponding catch intact.

GRADE ***1/2                             PRICE $268.00