Germany – Third Reich: A pair of mounted medals comprising: Army 4 Year Long Service Medal; Germany – Third Reich: Entry into the Sudetenland Medal, 1st October 1938.
Pair: Germany – Third Reich: Army 4 Year Long Service Medal; Germany – Third Reich: Entry into the Sudetenland Medal, 1st October 1938. Court-mounted for wear continental style
Condition: court-mounted for wear continental style, Good Very Fine
Instituted on October 18, 1938, the medal commemorated the union of the Sudetenland to Germany. Once again Hitler employed skillful diplomacy, using brinkmanship as a tool to bring the Sudetenland under German control and paving the road for the annexation of Czechoslovakia. The medal was awarded to all German (and as well Sudeten) State officials and members of the German Wehrmacht and SS who marched into Sudetenland. Later it was awarded to military personnel participating in the occupation of the remnants of Czechoslovakia on March 15, 1939. For those who had participated in both the occupation of the Sudetenland and the annexation of Bohemia and Moravia on March 15, 1939, a bronze Bar (Spange Prager Burg in German) was approved on May 1, 1939. This Bar featured the Prague Castle on the obverse with two triangular prongs in the back, which held it on the ribbon. The bar, like the medal, die-struck and high in detail, with a bronze finish. It was designed by the sculpturer Hanish-Conée. It was awarded until December 31, 1940. In all 1,162,617 medals and 134,563 bars were awarded.
