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. On March 16^TH 1936 Adolf Hitler instituted a series of four Long Service Awards, to reward military personnel for loyal service in the Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), including the Luftwaffe. The awards were issued in four classes for four, twelve, eighteen and twenty-five years service respectively. 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. This medal bar consists of a parade mounted, four year Long Service Award and a Commemorative Medal of 1^ST October 1938.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 1 3/16" diameter, silver washed, die struck, magnetic metal, fourth class Long Service award for four years service. The award features an embossed Wehrmacht style eagle with down swept wings encompassed by Gothic script, "Treue Dienste in der Wehrmacht" (Loyal Service in the Armed Forces), on a smooth background field to the obverse. The reverse has a large embossed numeral, "4" to the center encompassed by an embossed circular oak-leaf wreath. The silver wash is retained about 70% with numerous small spots of wear to the base metal. The ribbon suspension ring and medal loop are both intact and the award comes with a parade mounted, ribbed rayon ribbon with a silver washed, stamped magnetic, "droop tailed" Luftwaffe national eagle cypher. The eagle cypher retains about 95% of its silver wash. 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 bronze wash is fully retained. The ribbon suspension ring and medal loop are both intact and the award comes with a parade mounted, ribbed rayon ribbon. The ribbons both show light age toning. The ornate parade mounted ribbons have an alloy base plate with a protective light blue 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 $215.00