Kuban Shield
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The Kuban Shield (Template:Langx) was a World War II military decoration of Nazi Germany. It was awarded to Wehrmacht forces who fought at the Kuban bridgehead in the Soviet Union from February 1943 until it was abandoned in October 1943. The award was instituted on 21 September 1943.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Design
The shield was struck in sheet metal or zinc and treated with a bronzed wash. Similar in design to the Crimea Shield, it features a German eagle with outstretched wings clutching a laurel wreath containing a swastika. On each side the wreath are the numbers <templatestyles src="Mono/styles.css" />19 and <templatestyles src="Mono/styles.css" />43. Directly below the eagle is written <templatestyles src="Mono/styles.css" />KUBAN in block capitals. Below this is a stylized map of the Kuban region, with a line representing the defensive line that the men fought to preserve with three locations on the bridgehead marked - <templatestyles src="Mono/styles.css" />KRYMSKAJA, <templatestyles src="Mono/styles.css" />LAGUNEN, and <templatestyles src="Mono/styles.css" />NOWOROSSIJSK.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". The shield measures 52mm wide and 62mm in height.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
A back plate, which held in place a piece of cloth matching the recipients’ branch of service, was applied to the shield:Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
The shield was worn on the upper left sleeve of the tunic. Where the recipient received more than one campaign shield, the earlier was worn above any later awards.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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 Kuban Shield, re-designed by removing the eagle and swastika emblem. 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.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Criteria for award
The shield was awarded for service at the Kuban Bridgehead between 1 February 1943 and 9 October 1943, when the bridgehead was finally evacuated.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". To qualify, Army personnel had to have:Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- served at the bridgehead for 60 days, or
- been wounded while defending the bridgehead, or
- been engaged in a single major operation at the bridgehead.
Qualification by members of the German Navy and Air Force was determined by a points system, with points gained for different operations against, and contact with, the enemy.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Approximately 50,000 service personnel qualified for the shield,Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". with up to five examples issued to each recipient, enabling them to be permanently attached to each tunic and greatcoat.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
See also
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Notes
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References
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