Original German WWII Heer Army Crimea Krim Shield Decoration with Fabric Backing - Krimschild

Item DescriptionOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely service used example of the German WWII Crimea Shield Award, with a lovely metal shield directly attached to field gray wool Heer (Army) cloth backing. It looks like the backing plate was lost, and the prongs broke off, so holes were added at the bottom and top corners of the shield so it could be stitched directly to the fabric. The wood is in good condition, showing fading and light mothing consistent with age and service. The brass plated steel main shield still retains most of the original antiqued brass finish, showing wear or oxidation where it is missing.A great service used example with a fantastic look, ready to add to your collection!The Crimea Shield (Krimschildor KRIM Shield) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to military personnel under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein who fought against Soviet Red Army forces and captured the Crimea region (Krim in German) between 21 September 1941 and 4 July 1942. It was instituted on 25 July 1942. It was the most widely distributed of the various German shields with approximately 250,000 being awarded.DesignThe Wehrmacht's Army Group South advanced through the Crimean peninsula between the Autumn of 1941 and Summer of 1942. To commemorate the hostilities that ended with the German capture of Sevastopol on 4 July 1942 the Crimea Shield was created for all members of the armed forces under area commander Field Marshal Erich von Manstein.The shield is headed by the German eagle clutching a laurel wreath surrounding a swas. Flanking the eagle are the dates 1941 and 1942, which represent the start and end dates of the campaign. This sits on the backdrop of the Crimean peninsula, where the fighting took place, which has the word KRIM stamped across it.Criteria for awardThe Crimea Shield could be awarded to all members of the Wehrmacht and to Luftwaffe and other units affiliated to the campaign between 21 September 1941 and 4 July 1942. The following conditions needed to have been met for the award:- Served in the area for at least 90 days; or- Been wounded while serving in the area; or- Had been engaged in at least one major operation against the enemyRomanian troops serving in the Crimea were also eligible for the award.Gold versionA special pure-gold version of the Crimea Shield was also produced. It was first bestowed upon Marshal Ion Antonescu, the military dictator of Romania, at the end of the Siege of Sevastopol (3 July 1942). It was awarded to him in Bucharest by Erich von Manstein, on Adolf AH's behalf. The second and last Golden Krimschild was awarded to von Manstein himself, on 24 November 1942.Shipping RestrictionsThis product is available for international shipping.Shipping not available to: Australia, France, or GermanyPayment OptionsNot eligible for payment with Paypal or AmazonLegal InformationDue to legal restrictions this item cannot be shipped to Australia, France or Germany. This is not a comprehensive list and other countries may be added in the future.