- Time Period: Nazi Germany (Interwars Period, World War II)
- Institution: 18 October 1938
- Country: Germany
The commonly known Sudetenland Medal (or “1 October 1938 Commemorative Medal”, Die Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 in German) was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded during the interwar period.
The Sudetenland medal was instituted on 18 October 1938 and was awarded to all German (and as well Sudeten) military personnel and State officials who had participated in the occupation of Sudetenland and the occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, as well as members of the German Wehrmacht and SS who marched into Sudetenland. Later, the medal was awarded to military personnel participating in the occupation of the remnants of Czechoslovakia on 15 March 1939.
The Sudetenland medal was awarded until 31 December 1940. In total, 1,162,617 medals and 134,563 bars were awarded.
The Sudetenland Medal Design
The medal was designed by Professor Richard Klein, a German artist known for his patriotic work as a medallist from the start of World War I and for his work as a favoured artist of the Nazi regime.
The medal looked similar to the Anschluss Medal, but the reverse differed in the date. It is round and on the obverse there is a man standing on a podium with the Third Reich coat of arms and holding the Nazi flag. The man is holding his hand and helping him get on the podium. Another man has a broken shackle on his right hand, symbolizing the joining to the Reich of Austria.
On the reverse side there is the inscription “1. Oktober 1938“, and the date is surrounded with the words “Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer” (One People, One Empire, One Leader).
The medal was dye-struck and high in detail, with a bronze finish. It was suspended from a black ribbon with a red stripe in the middle, these being the colors of the Sudetenland.
