Hans Beimler Medal.

[Ed_Haynes]

Hans Beimler Medaille / Hans Beimler Medal

Established 18 July 1956 by the German Democratic Republic to reward German veterans of the XI Thälmann Brigade (later renamed after Hans Beimler), founded in October 1936, and in other German volunteer units.

The first awards went to 632 surviving veterans of the International Brigades. In 1959, the 20th anniversary of the end of the war, an additional 112 awards were made, for a total award of this medal of only 744.

On the obverse of the 32-mm silver medal is a portrait of Hans Beimler, leader of the German communist contingent in Spain. On the upper outer portion of the obverse is the inscription of the years of Beimler's life "1895-1936" (he was killed in Spain).

The reverse displays the emblem of the International Brigades, a three-pointed star, whose points are superimposed over the inner legend "INTERNATIONALE BRIGADEN" (INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES), and surrounded by an outer legend "KAMPFER FVR SPANIENS FREIHEIT 1936-1939" (FIGHTERS FOR SPANISH LIBERTY 1936-1939).

The medal is suspended from rectangular ribbon bar of red, yellow, and violet horizontal strips in equal proportion, these were the colors of the Spanish Republican Flag. On the outer edges of both sides are narrow vertical strips of black, red, and gold, the colors of the German Flag.