The winter of 1941-1942 turned out to be "hot". In mid-November, the 41st Army of the Center decided on large-scale offensive operations. The target was Moscow. However, the plans of the Wehrmacht army also failed on a massive scale. The reason for this was the courage of our heroes and the severe cold that "worked" in the winter of 1941-1942.
In January 1942, the USSR decides to launch a counteroffensive. The Barvenkovo-Lozovskaya operation begins. Its main goal was to counter the armies of the South group. For the USSR, the operation turned out to be a relative success. Firstly, we managed to break through the front line, more than a hundred kilometers wide. And secondly, we managed to move inside, about the same amount. At the same time, significant enemy forces were destroyed.
Several more powerful attacks were planned from both sides. However, by April of the same year, both armies suffered heavy losses both among manpower and equipment. Both sides have postponed the offensive indefinitely.
And the losses werereally significant. Millions of soldiers were killed, wounded and maimed in those battles. In memory of this "hot" winter of 1941-1942 in Germany, the Frozen Meat medal appears.
History of Creation
The fighters who participated in the battles that took place in the winter of 1941-1942 were presented for the award. It was one of the harshest winters in the one hundred and fifty years before World War II. And it was a real gift of fate. The fact is that the enemy was not ready for such weather conditions. The result of this was a large number of Wehrmacht fighters frozen to death. Many survived, but received injuries of varying severity.
For this reason, the medal was unofficially called Gefrierfleischorden, which means “frozen meat” in German. This name was invented by the Germans themselves with malicious sarcasm and was used more often than the official name.
The medal of honor was awarded to the military in a special package, on which its name was written. Also, the fighter was given a document confirming his military merits. It was possible to wear such an award only in dress and output uniforms.
Currently, the cost of a complete set: a package, a medal "Frozen Meat" and a document, is seventy-five conventional units (about 5,000 rubles).
The award was designed by 22-year-old war correspondent Ernst Krause. On it, he tried to depict everything that the living went through and that the fallen saw before they died.
Appearance
To determine the authenticity of the Frozen Meat medal, you need to know its characteristics.
The award is made in the shape of a zinc circle. Above is a hand grenade and a helmet. A ring with a red ribbon is attached to the helmet itself. The edges of the medal and helmet are silver. In the center is an imperial eagle, whose wings are turned down. The eagle, in turn, is on top of the swastika, and a laurel branch is depicted in the background.
The ribbon attached to the ring is made in red with three stripes on it: two white on the sides and black between them. The color scheme was chosen for a reason, it is symbolic. Red is the blood that was spilled in countless streams on enemy territory, white is the ubiquitous Russian snow, and black was a symbol of sorrow and longing for the dead comrades.
Below is a photo of the Frozen Meat medal.
Eligibility Criteria
To become the owner of the German Frozen Meat medal, a soldier had to fulfill the following conditions:
- For at least two weeks of days, be a participant in the battle.
- For two months, take an active part in military operations.
- Luftwaffe personnel were required to conduct air operations for a month.
- Being injured or frostbitten is equivalent to the Wounded Medal.
All these items were to be completed within five months, starting on November 15, 1941. If the fighter was awardedawards, but died, it was passed on to his family.
The last award of the Frozen Meat medal dates back to September 4, 1944. A total of three million Wehrmacht employees received the Gefrierfleischorden. It is worth noting that not only German soldiers were awarded, but also volunteers from allied countries.
Post-war years
It is known that in Germany in 1957 a law was passed, according to which military personnel were allowed to wear awards. But it was forbidden to wear medals on which the swastika was depicted. That is why, after some time, the Gefrierfleischorden award was slightly modified: the swastika was removed, and the rest of the elements remained intact.
The "new" medals were sold in special shops, where anyone who deserved them could buy them and wear them freely.
