Demyansk Shield
Demyansk Shield (Ärmelschild Demjansk) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to Wehrmacht personnel who fought in the Demyansk pocket on the Eastern Front in the early months of 1942. The pocket of German troops had been encircled and cut off by the Red Army around Demyansk (Demjansk), south of Leningrad, and was successfully defended with the aid of an airbridge. The shield was instituted on 25 April 1943 by Adolf Hitler and was not bestowed after 1 July 1944.
Demyansk Shield
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- Name
- Demyansk Shield Demjanskschild
- Period
- 1943
- Region
- Nazi Germany
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Documentary summary
Demyansk Shield (Ärmelschild Demjansk) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to Wehrmacht personnel who fought in the Demyansk pocket on the Eastern Front in the early months of 1942. The pocket of German troops had been encircled and cut off by the Red Army around Demyansk (Demjansk), south of Leningrad, and was successfully defended with the aid of an airbridge. The shield was instituted on 25 April 1943 by Adolf Hitler and was not bestowed after 1 July 1944.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q569403 · wikipedia · Demyansk Shield
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Demyansk Shield Demjanskschild • Presenter — Nazi Germany • Type — Badge • Eligibility — Wehrmacht personnel • Awarded For — Defence of the Demyansk Pocket • Campaign — World War II • Status — Obsolete • Established — 25 April 1943 • Lastawarded — 1 July 1944 • Total Awarded — Approximately 100,000 • Illustration — Post-war 'de-nazified' version
Design
Design
The shield was die-struck and produced in silver-washed zinc and later in plain zinc. It features at its apex an eagle with swooped down wings clutching a laurel wreath that surrounds a swastika. This is flanked by two log pillboxes with gun ports, with "DEMJANSK" in capitals below. The central portion of the shield features a head-on single engine aircraft behind two crossed swords and, at the base, the year "1942". Two minor variations of the aircraft's propeller exist with either a curved or straight propeller. The shield measures 51mm wide and 92mm in height. It was affixed to the upper left sleeve of the uniform via a cloth that matched the colour of the uniform of the recipient: • Light green-grey (field-grey) for Heer (army) • Blue for Luftwaffe (air force) • Black for Panzer (armoured) units • Field-grey for Waffen-SS Where the recipient received more than one campaign shield, the earlier was worn above any later awards. After an initial ban, the Federal Republic of Germany re-authorised the wear of many World War II military decorations in 1957. These included the Demyansk Shield, re-designed by removing the eagle and swastika emblem at the top of the badge. Members of the Bundeswehr could wear the shield on the ribbon bar, represented by a small replica of the award on a field grey ribbon.
Definition
Definition
The following is established of the heading itself. It is also recorded that demyansk Shield is recorded from 1943. Associated with Nazi Germany.
Demjansk Shield, 1942. Post war de-nazified version, 1957.
Hsq7278
Catalogued output
Recorded examples
The following works and productions are recorded by name or by count. Institutional cataloguing adds that demyansk Shield is recorded as campaign medal. It is also recorded that demyansk Shield was established or created on 25 April 1943. Situated in Nazi Germany.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Demyansk Shield”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q569403: Demyansk Shield
General reference · Wikidata
Criteria for award
The qualifying period was 8 February to 21 April 1942. The requirement for ground units was honourable service in the besieged area for 60 days, or a shorter period if wounded. Luftwaffe personnel required 50 combat or re-supply missions over the besieged area. Approximately 100,000 service personnel qualified for the shield, with up to five examples issued to each recipient, enabling them to be permanently attached to each tunic and greatcoat.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
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This entry is compiled from 8 catalogued sources across 4 independent registers. The registers consulted are Crossref registry, Wikipedia, Wikidata and National Library of Medicine. Every statement above is held against the register that stated it; where the registers are silent, the entry is silent.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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