WWII GERMAN SHIELD - NARVIK -
The Narvik Shield was issued on August 19th 1940. Adolf Hitler wanted to create
a series of shields to be awarded to soldiers who participated in different battles.
To this end he commissioned professor Richard Klein (Munich) to design the first of
such shields; the Narvik shield.
This award was given to soldiers from all branches who participated in the campaign
around the Narvik region by Norway. The campaign took place between April 9th and
June 9th of 1940.
Anatomy of the Narvik shield
The shield consisted of an elongated shield attached to a piece of wool cloth. The color of the cloth
was important in determining the branch of service to which the award was given. The shield has four
prongs that attach it to the section of cloth. The award was sewn to the left sleeve of the uniform.
An eagle rests atop the shield. The wings are retracted. The head is facing left. The eagle is
clutching a swastika surrounded by a wreath. The word "Narvik" is written in large font just below.
The center of the shield has a propellor and an anchor crossing each other. An edelweiss flower is
placed just above the intersection. The date 1940 is written, where "19" is displayed to the left of
the flower and "40" is written to the right.
This page is a recognition and identification guide for WWII German badges and awards. Multiple
detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out clearly defined points
that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my WWII German badge worth?". A price
guide is included here to address this question. The value of the badges and awards is reviewed
over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth of the German
badges in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
MilitaryItems.com,
a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military
antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
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The "Military minute" is a series of instructional videos created by MilitaryItems.com for the purpose of
providing basic information about military collectibles. The idea is to expose people to the exciting
world of military collectibles.
The video presentation coupled with detailed photographs and written information, including a military
collectible's price guide, and anatomical breakdown of each piece enhances the visitor's experience.
Whether you are a long time collector, a beginner or simply have an interest in the history and value of
each collectible, we hope that you find the information presented here useful.
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By the Numbers
It is hard to determine the exact number of Krim shields that were produced. However, thanks to the record keeping
maintained by the Wehrmacht, it is possible to find how many shields were actually issued.
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There were a total of 8,577 shields issued during the war. The total number is divided per branch of the
service as follows: 2,755 were awarded to the army. 2,161 were issued to Luftwaffe personnel and a total of
3,661 given to Navy personnel.
It is interesting to note that the larger number issued to the Navy reflects the use of ships to transport
troops to the battle front.
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Collecting Third Reich Shields
Collecting Third Reich memorabilia is a field that has been growing since the days the GI's rummaged around Europe
bringing back military souvenirs. German soldiers wore many of their awards on their uniforms when they went to
battle. Once the soldier was killed or captured, the American soldiers would take the awards as war trophies.
Eventually all these pieces came back to the United States where military history enthusiasts began to collect them.
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In trying to determine if you should collect Narvik shields there are certain factors that should be
considered.
The adjacent table outlines some of the advantages and disadvantages of collecting the Narvik shields.
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The Narvik shield was produced by several manufacturers and in different configurations.
The following section displays some of the different types that were produced. It is a good idea to take a look to
as many examples as possible in order to learn more about the subject.
This award is currently being
reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality
of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style
and materials employed in the manufacturing of this badge. Attention to the details is critical in
order to be able to determine the authenticity of the badge.
If you have an interest is seeing other badges and awards of the Third Reich, you can do so by going
to our
WWII German Badges and Awards
identification guide. Where we cover Heer (Army), Navy (Kriegsmarine) and
Air Force (Luftwaffe) items.
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