Description
German Warsaw 1944 Campaign Shield – Historical Background and Design
The Warsaw 1944 Campaign Shield was authorized for production but never officially issued. During the final months of World War II, an Allied air raid destroyed the production equipment and completed badges, effectively halting manufacture. While it is plausible that a small number of shields may have survived prior to the bombing, any such examples would be extremely difficult—if not impossible—to authenticate. No confirmed awards of the shield are known to have taken place.
The decoration was instituted on December 10, 1944, intended for members of the Wehrmacht and auxiliary forces who participated in combat operations during the Warsaw Uprising, which occurred between August 1 and October 4, 1944. German forces involved in the suppression of the uprising operated under the command of SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski. The fighting was marked by exceptional brutality, particularly involving elements of the 29th Waffen-Grenadier Division (Kaminski) and the 36th Waffen-Grenadier Division (Dirlewanger). Atrocities committed during the campaign were so severe that even within the collapsing Nazi command structure, some perpetrators were executed for discreditable conduct.
The proposed award took the form of a shield with a flat top and pointed base. The central design depicted a German eagle clutching a snake, symbolizing German forces subduing the rebellion. A swastika appeared on the eagle’s chest, beneath which was a scroll bearing the inscription “WARSCHAU 1944.”
Eligibility criteria for the shield included:
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Participation in at least seven days of combat
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Being wounded in action
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Performing a notable act of bravery
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Twenty-eight days of service in the combat zone in a support role
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For Luftwaffe personnel, twenty combat missions during the fighting
Like several decorations authorized in the final phase of the war, the Warsaw Battle Shield appears to have never progressed beyond the design and early production stage. It is reported that a design matrix may have been struck before the destruction of the dies, leaving open the possibility that a very limited number of shields were produced.
Whether the decoration was ever awarded administratively “on paper” remains an open question among historians, as no definitive documentation confirming such awards has surfaced.
The only known visual references for the Warsaw Shield are two original design drawings submitted for approval by the designer Benno von Arent. Surviving examples are sometimes encountered mounted on cardboard backings marked “F.A.D.”, though these should be approached with caution due to the absence of verified issuance records.
