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Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)

The Eastern Winter 1941/1942 Campaign Medal (Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942 medaille/East Front Medal) is instituted on 26-05-1942, to reward those who had taken part in the first winter campaign in Russia between 15-11-1941 and 15-04-1942. This medal is designed by SS-Unterscharfführer Ernst Kraus and could be awarded to military personal as well as to civilians who were working for the Army, as long as they qualified for one the criteria. Because of this the Eastern Winter 1941/1942 Campaign Medal is one of the most awarded German awards. By the order of the OKW (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) the awarding of this medal ceased on 04-09-1944.

The Eastern Winter 1941/1942 Campaign Medal is made from bunt metal or out of zinc. The medal has a round shape with a diameter of 36mm. The obverse is slightly concave and the reverse convex. At the outer edge of the medal, is a 1,5mm width flat rim, with at the inside a 1mm high lip. At the top of the medal is a stick grenade horizontally placed, with on top of that a steel German Wehrmacht helm. On the top of the helm is a small eyelet placed to accommodate the ring for the ribbon. The height measures from the top of the eyelet to the bottom of the medal 44,5mm. The image on the obverse shows a typical Wehrmacht eagle with folded wings, that in clutching a swastika in its claws. Behind the swastika is a branch of laurel leaves placed. This branch is placed diagonally and only half visible. The image on the reverse exists of the text: WINTERSCHLACHT IM OSTEN 1941/1942 with underneath another branch of laurel leaves, which is crossed by a broad sword. The medal has a gunmetal colour with the outer rim and helm being bright silver. The medal is suspended by a broad red ribbon, with in the centre a black stripe, which is flanked by two smaller white one’s. Its foundation decree stated that the red represented the bloodshed, the white stood for snow and the black for those who had fallen. Some know manufacturers are: (3) Wilhelm Deumer from Lüdenscheid, (4) Steinahuser & Lück from Lüdenscheid, (5) Hermann Wernstein from Jena-Löbstadt, (6) Fritz Zimmermann from Stuttgart, (7) Paul Meybauer from Berlin, (10) Foerster & Barth from Pforzheim, (11) Grossmann & Co from Vienna, (13) Gustav Brehmer from Markneukirchen, (15) Friedrich Orth from Vienna, (19) E. Ferdinand Wiedmann from Frankfurt, (20) C.F. Zimmermann from Pforzheim, (25) Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Hanauer Silberschmiede, (30) Hauptmünzamt from Vienna, (39) Rudolf Berge from Gablonz, (55) J.E. Hammer & Söhne from Geringswalde, (60) Katz & Deyhle from Pforzheim, (65) Klein & Quenzer from Idar-Oberstein, (73) Franz Möhnert from Gablonz, (76) Ernst Müller from Pforzheim, (80) G.H. Osang from Dresden, (88) Werner Redo from Saarlautern, (92) Josef Rückert & Sohn from Gablonz,
(93) Richard Simm & Söhne from Gablonz, (100) Rudolf Wächtler & Lange from Mittweida, (107) Carl Wild from Hamburg, (110) Otto Zappe from Gablonz,
(127) Moritz Hausch from Pforzheim, (L/55) Rudolf Wächtler & Lange from Mittweida and (L/57) B. Boerger & Co from Berlin. The most of these medal are not marked, those who are have the maker mark stamped in the ring of the ribbon.

The Eastern Winter 1941/1942 Campaign Medal was awarded in a blue, red or buff coloured paper bag, with the name of the award printed on it. It was awarded with a standard award document and conferment of the award was entered in the Soldbuch.

On official occasions or military parades the medal was worn suspended from its ribbon or as part of a group. During active duty only the ribbon was worn through the second buttonhole or as part of a ribbon bar. When it was worn through the buttonhole, it was put behind the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2 (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse) or The War Merit Cross second class (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse) but among combat troops it is often seen after the last because of the higher prestige of the Eastern Winter 1941/1942 Campaign Medal.

The criteria for receiving this award were:

That the recipient had been engaged in combat for at least 2 weeks.
That the recipient spent at least 60 days in the operation area.
That the recipient inflicted a wound during combat.
When the recipient suffered serious frostbite for which the Wounded Badge 1939 in Black (Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz) was awarded. Because of this the Eastern Winter 1941/1942 Campaign Medal was also know as the “Frozen Meat Order.” (Gefreierfleischorden)

For Luftwaffe personal was the criteria, that they had flown at least 30 days above enemy territory.

Springer, Heinrich Adolf Leopold (Waffen SS)* November 3rd, 1914
† October 27th, 2007

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Bidermann, Gottlob-Herbert* August 28th, 1920
† September 1st, 2010

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Grid List
NameDate of birthDate of deathAwards
Abbas, Horst (Artillerie-Regiment 114)07-09-1910 more
Abel, Adolf Wilhelm (161. Infanterie-Division)18-10-191426-08-1944more
Abel, Alfred (KG 53)31-12-192002-01-1943more
Abel, Josef (Infanterie-Regiment 217)03-01-191401-12-1984more
Abele, Arnulf (Gren.Reg. 'Hoch u. Deutschmeister')08-11-191402-07-2000
Aberer, Alois22-11-190931-10-1943
Abfalter, Heinrich31-08-191007-08-1944
Ableiter, Walter (Grenadier-Regiment 396)22-01-192222-06-1993more
Abraham, Erich Gottfried (General der Infanterie)27-03-189507-03-1971more
Abraham, Max (Grenadier-Regiment 280)  
Abraham, Richard (Jäger-Pionier-Bataillon 101)13-04-191227-10-1944
Abratis, Herbert Karl (Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1)21-03-191829-03-1945more
Abs, Gerhard, Karl, Alfred (Kradschütz.Bat. 36)05-05-191627-06-1944more
Achenbach, Heinz28-11-191706-05-1945more
Ackemann, Walter John Charles (Art.Reg.10)05-03-189711-05-1959more
Ackermann, Georg12-03-191816-12-2007more
Adam, Hermann Willi (302. Infanterie-Division)13-09-191126-08-1944
Adam, Walter (Divisions-Bataillon 258)02-01-1913 more
Adam, Wilhelm (Generalmajor)28-03-189324-11-1978more
Adamowitsch, Felix (Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 904)20-11-191910-02-2013more
Adamsons, Miervaldis (Waffen SS)29-06-191023-08-1948more
Ademeit, Horst08-02-191207-08-1944more
Adlmaier, Georg30-09-192128-05-1943
Adolph, Günther (SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 10)14-11-1914 more
Adolph-Auffenberg-Komarow, Gustav11-07-188708-02-1967more
Adrario, Friedrich (Panzerjäger-Abteilung 272)29-11-191825-06-2011more
Aechtner, Fritz (Nahaufklärungsgruppe 5)04-03-191601-05-2007more
Afheldt, Werner (Pionier-Bataillon 186)18-11-1908 more
Agricola, Kurt (Generalleutnant)15-08-188927-12-1955more
Ahnert, Kurt Rolf (Grenadier-Regiment 330)05-10-1915 
Ahrens, Albert (Panzerjäger-Abteilung 31)25-07-191710-03-1980
Ahrens, Friedrich (Artillerie-Regiment 193)06-05-191607-05-1945more
Ahrens, Friedrich Robert (AOK 9)29-08-1898 
Ahrens, Gerd (Artillerie Regiment 334)01-08-191603-09-2007more
Ahrens, Hermann Gustav Paul (Pio.Bat.183)02-12-191929-09-1944
Ahrens, Hinrich (Grenadier-Regiment 1141)15-03-192131-12-2009more
Ahrens, Wilhelm "Willi" (Grenadier-Regiment 17)01-10-191226-08-1998more
Aigen, Reinhard Georg (Kampfgeschwader 4)20-05-191319-09-1943more
Aigner, Gottfried17-11-192020-11-1944
Aigner, Hellmuth (Artillerie-Regiment 8)18-12-1905 more
Aigner, Sebastian14-12-191010-01-1943
Aigner, Xaver 16-02-1944
Aimer, Johann (Hans)05-07-192007-03-1943
Albers, Hans-Peter (Artillerie-Regiment 150)20-11-191410-03-1956more
Albert, Ekkehard03-07-191418-11-2003more
Albert, Wilhelm (Panzerjäger-Abteilung 35)24-04-191715-12-2004more
Alberti, von, Konrad17-07-189401-08-1967more
Alberts, Otto (Grenadier-Regiment 501)22-02-189310-12-1943more
Albrecht, Fritz Wilhelm Karl (Pz-Art.Reg. 'GD')23-12-190529-04-1977more
Albrecht, Hans-Joachim (Grenadier-Regiment 51)18-03-192000-02-1945more
Albrecht, Kurt (Artillerie-Regiment 172)26-12-189523-07-1966more
Albrecht, Kurt (Grenadier-Regiment 948)24-02-188902-09-1968more
Albrecht-Lemke, Egon (Zerstörergeschwader 76)19-05-191825-08-1944more
Aldrian, Eduard26-04-188801-10-1955
Algermissen, Walter Wilhelm (Pz.Abt. 116)10-06-191528-12-1944
Alleborn, Philipp25-12-1919 more
Allersmeier, Heinz24-03-191723-03-2001more
Allmacher, Friedrich "Fritz"03-12-191426-12-1944more
Allmendinger, Karl03-03-189102-10-1965more
Alm, Karl04-01-191923-11-1944more
Alm, Werner04-05-1917 more
Altacher, Eduard24-01-191927-05-1945
Altenbuchner, Michael 22-10-1943
Alter, Max17-01-191015-03-2001
Altermann, Karl-Heinz (Pz-Gren.Reg. 25)04-06-192226-11-2013more
Altmann, Otto15-07-192010-09-1943
Altmann, Rudolf (SS)20-12-1907 
Altrichter, Friedrich Dr.phil. (Generalleutnant)03-09-189014-04-1949more
Altstadt, Rudolf (Grenadier-Regiment 380)16-01-191427-05-1974more
Altstötter, Josef Dr. jur. (Waffen SS)04-01-189213-11-1979more
Alvensleben, von, Ludolf-Hermann (SS)17-03-190101-04-1970more
Alvermann, Gustav (Infanterie-Regiment 47)09-10-189707-06-1942more
Amann, Herbert (Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 905)11-10-191912-01-1944more
Amberger, Lorenz15-07-191030-01-1944
Ambos, Helmuth25-07-1912 
Ambrosius, Dr., Lothar Adolf Heinrich11-05-190309-01-1971more
Ambrosy, Gerhard (Pionier-Bataillon 181)16-06-1904 more
Ameiser, Anton 'Toni' (Waffen SS)01-08-190720-02-1976more
Amelung, Gerhard (Pionier-Bataillon 743)21-01-191710-08-1944
Amelung, Günther (Schnelle Abteilung 123)08-04-191429-03-1944more
Amelung, Heinz-Günther (Sturzkampfgeschwader 77)09-04-191726-12-1964more
Ameres, Alois15-04-190724-09-1943
Amerkamp, Siegfried (Grenadier-Regiment 459)25-03-192003-09-1995more
Amlacher, Kurt01-05-192102-05-1945more
Ammann, Franz03-11-191918-08-1943more
Ammann, Lothar Harry Arthur (Pz-Gren.Reg.101)12-08-190205-02-1943
Ammer, Hermann (Grenadier-Regiment 62)08-03-191409-12-2000more
Amsberg, von, Joachim (Grenadier-Regiment 502)28-12-190327-05-1981more
Amselgruber, Thomas 'Amsel' (schw.SS-Pz-Abt. 501)18-12-1905 more
Ancans, Robert (Waffen SS)11-11-191901-01-1982more
Anders, Carl Ulrich Ernst Paul (Generalmajor)31-08-189328-01-1972more
Anders, Friedrich (Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 2)04-11-191707-03-1988
Anders, Herbert (Artillerie-Regiment 161)30-03-190200-00-1945
Anders, Richard (Aufklärungsgruppe 12)03-01-191509-09-1993more
Andersen, Ernst-August (Pio.Btl.196)20-07-1914 
Andreae, Wolf (Werfer-Regiment 71)13-07-189818-12-1991more
Andree, Harry (Grenadier-Regiment 504)02-10-191315-08-1944more
Andres, Hans11-04-192225-03-1944
Andrä, Heinrich08-07-1915 more
Angel, Otto20-02-191314-10-2002
Angelis, de, Maximilian02-10-188906-12-1974more
Angelmaier, Heinz (Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 279)22-07-191812-01-2014more
Angerer, Hermann Ignaz (Artillerie-Regiment 96)02-12-189312-02-1942
Angerer, Josef12-09-191018-02-1944
Angerer, Josef27-11-192118-09-1943
Anhalt, Günther (SS-Polizei-Rgt. 2)23-01-190627-04-1945more
Anneken, Udo11-10-191711-10-1997more
Ansons, Zanis (Waffen SS)04-12-191124-11-1968more
Anti, Alfred 30-06-1944
Anzinger, Max02-09-192012-01-1944
Anzinger, Max15-09-191114-06-1944more
Apel,  
Apel, Heinrich12-06-1913 
Apell, von, Wilhelm16-01-189207-03-1969more
Apelt, Fedor Johannes14-10-190415-04-1988more
Apitz, Willy27-01-191628-02-2004
Apitzsch, Karl-Arthur25-10-192001-01-1943
Appel, Heinrich01-10-1920 more
Arendt, Kurt Dietrich Paul (Panzer-Abteilung 5)08-10-191709-01-1945more
Arendt, Velten-Reinhardt (Panzer-Regiment 36)28-03-191923-03-1945more
Arenstorff, von, Hans-Adolf18-10-189505-05-1952
Arentschildt, von, Alexander (Panzer-Abteilung 67)27-04-191122-06-1999more
Arhens, Karl (Panzerjäger-Abteilung 8)  
Armann, Hugo (Wehrmacht)11-08-191700-05-1989
Armberger, Josef „Sepp" (Waffen SS)26-06-192021-08-1944more
Arndt, Fritz (Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 32)01-06-191012-03-2003more
Arndt, Johannes07-10-190606-07-1944more
Arndt, Karl Hermann (359. Infanterie-Division)10-03-189230-12-1981more
Arnim, von, Hans-Jürgen04-04-188901-09-1962more
Arning, Karl Eduard Friedrich10-02-189217-11-1964more
Arnold, Alfred02-01-191510-10-1944more
Arnold, Friedrich (WH-Sturmgeschütz)10-05-191901-09-2006more
Arnold, Herbert Friedrich (Panzer-Regiment 3)01-01-191403-01-1945more
Arnold, Karl-Horst10-03-1918 more
Aron, Ferdinand  
Arpke, Helmut (Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Regiment 1)20-03-191716-01-1942
Asbahr, Erhardt14-03-191417-07-1943
Asbeck, Franz 14-01-1944
Aschenbach, Bernhard31-05-1912 
Ascherfeld, Willy (Grenadier-Regiment 926)21-03-191013-04-1945
Aschmann, Rudolf26-10-1921 
Asendorf, Wilhelm (Panzergrenadier-Regiment 76)27-11-1920 more
Asshoff, Bruno15-02-1914 
Assmann, Alois (Panzerjäger-Abteilung 61)05-06-191326-10-1987more
Assmann, Walter22-07-189601-05-1964more
Aster, Hans-Heinrich28-10-1921 more
Attenberger, Franz-Xaver (Artillerie-Regiment 114)19-07-191509-08-1991more
Au, Oskar21-02-1918 more
Auberger, Josef (Infanterie-Regiment 61)19-03-191908-04-2010more
Aubrecht, Hermann  more
Auburger, Johann11-07-192009-08-1944
Audenrieth, Georg 'Girgl' (Gebirgsjäger-Reg.99)20-07-191715-01-1999more
Auer, Karl (Waffen SS)20-10-191631-03-1997more
Auert, Heinz11-06-192118-02-2002more
Augsberger, Franz Xaver Josef Maria "Franz" (SS)10-10-190519-03-1945more
Augustin, Franz (Unteroffizier)06-07-192006-03-1944
Augustin, Hans (Grenadier-Regiment 253)05-08-190504-10-2000more
Augustin, Johann 'Hans' (Oberleutnant)06-07-191818-07-1944more
Auleb, Helge (General der Infanterie)01-03-188714-04-1964more
Aulepp, Hermann (Flak-Regiment 411)17-08-190300-05-1945
Aulock, von, Andreas Maria Karl23-03-189323-06-1968more
Austen, Hans27-07-191824-01-1994more
Austermann, Johannes (Grenadier-Regiment 1146)24-06-190612-08-1973more
Ax, Adolf (Waffen SS)23-06-190606-02-1983more
Axtmann, Fritz (Infanterie-Regiment 20)07-12-191413-09-1943more

Sources