instituted by Hitler on August 2nd 1939
to award the more than 600.000 designers, engineers and builders of the Siegfried Line (Westwall) and other fortifications on Germany’s Western border. This medal could also be awarded to all the military personnel who were stationed on these fortifications before May 1940. The first awarding of the Westwall Medal was on November 23rd 1939. On this date the first Westwall Medal was given by Hitler personally to Dr. Todt. The first group of workers were on November 24th 1939
The Westwall Medal could be awarded until January 31st 1941. From this date onwards it was forbidden to award this medal until Hitler reinstituted it on October 10th 1944.When on January 31st 1941 the awardings were ceased, there were already 622.064 medals awarded. After the successful Allied landings in Normandy and the following allied advance, a group of a 200.000 engineers and builders of the Organisation Todt were rushed in to the Westwall fortifications to renovate and strengthen it. To keep the moral of this workforce high, the Westwall Medal was reinstituted.
The Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen has an oval shape, is 40mm high and 33mm wide. The total picture on this medal exists of 3 different motives. The lower motive exists of a dug-in pillbox with 2 gun ports, of which the left gun port is a bit smaller than the right one. The 2 small hills that are placed in a V-shape in front of the pillbox, represent the grass hills in the surrounding area. The complete pillbox motive refers to the Westwall fortification. The centre motive exists of a spade and double-edged sword that are placed in a crossed form. This refers to the fact that the Westwall Medal could be awarded to civilians and military personnel.
The Westwall Medal was awarded in a brown or grey coloured paper packet with the award name stencilled on it in Gothic letters. It was also possible that the medal was awarded in a box. This box exists in multiple colours and with the awarding came a standard award document.
The criteria for receiving the award were:
- Construction workers had to been working on the Siegfried Line for at least 10 weeks.
- Military personnel had to been stationed on the Siegfried Line for at least 3 weeks.
- Construction workers who had been working on the Siegfried Line after 06-06-1944.
- Military personnel who had been stationed on the Siegfried Line after 06-06-1944.
Approximately 622,064 West Wall Medals were awarded during World War II.