Two types of shields were awarded; one was gold while the other one was bronze. Notice the detail on the eagle and the map.   The shield came attached to a piece of cloth, which would be sewn to the sleeve of the dress uniform.  The example illustrated here is missing the extra cloth.

The Krim shield was sewn to the side of the arm. A section of wool cloth was the base of the shield. The color of the wool varied depending on the branch of service to which the award was given. In addition, the back of the wool cloth had a section of paper glued to it.

Award qualifications The qualifications to earn the Krim shield included the following. QUALIFICATIONS 1 To have served in the Krim region for three or more months. 2 To have been wounded while serving in the region 3 To have taken part in at least one major operation against the enemy. The photo to the left is an example of what the award document for the shield looks like. It is important to note that the format of the document was not standard. It is possible to find documents that do not look exactly like the one featured here. Feldmarschall Von Manstein is credited with introducing this shield as an award in the German armed forces. The document would be stamped with a headquarters seal and would have the signature of the commanding officer making the award.

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.

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.

There were over 1000 shields issued during the war. The author does not have a breakdown of how many were issued per branch.

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.

In trying to determine if you should collect Krim shields there are certain factors that should be considered. The adjacent table outlines some of the advantages and disadvantages of collecting the Krim shields.

As a military collector, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with as many examples of the shield you are collecting. The following section provides additional examples of the Krim shield.

WWII Krim shield - 1 This is a German WWII Krim shield without the wool backing.

WWII Krim shield - 2 Green wool backing indicates this is a German army krim shield.

WWII Krim shield - 3 This is a German army krim shield.

WWII Krim shield - 4 This is a German army krim shield.

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.