Original Item: Only One Available. This is an interesting German WWII Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen, commonly known to collectors as the West Wall Medal, display group consisting of a named 1940 award document and two examples of the decoration mounted together in a framed presentation approximately 28 cm x 53 ½ cm (11" x 21"). One medal is displayed obverse-out and the second reverse-out, allowing both sides of the award to be seen without disturbing the mounting.

Most importantly, the document is named to Erich Kurz, dated 10 June 1940 at Landau/Pfalz, and bears the clearly visible service seal of Festungs-Pionierstab 20. This is a particularly appropriate issuing formation, as Festungs-Pionierstab 20 was established at Landau and was directly involved in the German fortification organization associated with the western defenses. German archival references confirm that the staff was formed at Landau on 12 October 1937 and remained there through this period.

The West Wall Medal existed in one class only. Accordingly, the document records the award of a single decoration to Kurz. The inclusion of two medals in this display appears to have been done so that the obverse and reverse can be viewed simultaneously and should not be interpreted as evidence that Kurz received the award twice.

The obverse-facing medal displays the characteristic design of the West Wall Medal: a German national eagle with a wreathed swas. above a crossed sword and spade, with a fortified bunker below, all enclosed within an oak-leaf border. The second medal is mounted reverse-out and displays the raised inscription:

FÜR ARBEIT
ZUM
SCHUTZE
DEUTSCHLANDS

Translated as: “For Work in the Protection of Germany.”

Both medals are suspended from the characteristic golden-brown ribbon with white stripes near each edge. The obverse-facing example retains a warm bronze-brown appearance consistent with the bronze or tombak construction used for early production of the West Wall Medal following its institution in 1939. The reverse-facing example has a noticeably darker gray surface, an appearance often encountered on the bronzed zinc medals produced for the renewed 1944 issue, after much of the applied bronze-colored finish has worn or deteriorated.

Given the 10 June 1940 date of Erich Kurz’s award document, an early bronze or tombak example would be chronologically appropriate for his original decoration. The darker medal may represent a later zinc-production example subsequently incorporated; however, this cannot be established conclusively without removing and examining the medals.

Both show expected age and finish wear, while the ribbons exhibit some fading and minor handling wear but remain complete as displayed. The group is mounted beneath glass in a decorative frame. Since the medals have not been removed from the frame, their concealed faces, suspension construction, exact base-metal composition, and any possible maker characteristics have not been examined.

Above the medals is the original award document to Herr Erich Kurz. The document was issued at Landau/Pfalz on 10 June 1940 under the authority of the General of Engineers and Fortifications at Army High Command. The printed authority is Jacob, identified as Generalleutnant Alfred Jacob, with the document locally certified by an Oberstleutnant serving as deputy commander. Jacob held the position of General der Pioniere und Festungen within the Army High Command during this period.

The document remains quite presentable, with expected toning. The printed text, recipient's name, date, serial number, service seal and certification signature remain readily visible.

The document reads:

Im
Namen des führers
verleihe ich
dem

Herrn Erich K u r z

das
Deutsche Schutzwall=
Ehrenzeichen

Landau/Pfalz, den 10. Juni 1940.

Der General der Pioniere und Festungen
beim Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres

Jacob
Generalleutnant

Circular service seal:

Festungs-Pionierstab 20
(Dienstsiegel)

At lower right:

Für die Richtigkeit:
[handwritten signature]

Oberstlt. u. stellv. Kommandeur
(Dienstgrad und Dienststellung)

At lower left:

Nr. 25877/.....
des Verzeichnisses der Verleihungsstelle

The handwritten certifying signature is clearly present, although we have not been able to identify the officer's name with enough certainty to attribute it.

In the name of the führer,
I award to

Mr. Erich Kurz

the
German Defense Wall
Honor Decoration.

Landau, Palatinate, 10 June 1940.

The General of Engineers and Fortifications
with the Commander-in-Chief of the Army

Jacob
Lieutenant General

Service seal:

Fortress Engineer Staff 20

Lower right:

Certified correct:
[signature]

Lieutenant Colonel and Deputy Commander

Lower left:

No. 25877/.....
of the register of the awarding office

The wording is significant because Kurz is identified only as “Herr”, or “Mr.,” rather than by military rank or organizational title. The certificate therefore does not establish whether he was a civilian worker, engineer, government employee, labor-service member, or military serviceman, and no more specific occupation should be assigned to him without additional documentation.

The Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen was established by official decree on 2 August 1939 in recognition of work connected with Germany's defensive fortification program. The regulations appeared in the Reichsgesetzblatt immediately before the outbreak of the Second World War. Eligibility was subsequently broadened in November 1939, including certain military personnel who had served for the required period on the western defensive system. The decoration was therefore associated with construction and fortification service rather than battlefield bravery.

The western defensive system itself was an enormous engineering undertaking. The Bundesarchiv describes the Westwall as extending approximately 630 kilometers and incorporating more than 18,000 fortification works of various types. Engineer staffs, construction organizations and specialized fortress-pioneer formations coordinated the planning, construction and maintenance of this network.

This particular document has a much more specific connection to that organization than a generic West Wall certificate. Its Festungs-Pionierstab 20 seal corresponds directly with the place of issue. Archival organizational records state that Festungs-Pionierstab 20 was formed at Landau on 12 October 1937, in Wehrkreis XII, and was initially subordinate to Festungs-Pionier-Kommandeur V in the Saarpfalz area. By 1940 it incorporated three Abschnittsgruppen, or sector groups. The staff remained associated with Landau until its reorganization for service in Norway in May 1941.

The officer named in print on the document, Alfred Jacob, was closely connected with German fortress engineering. The office of the General der Pioniere und Festungen was established in 1939 to advise the Commander-in-Chief of the Army on pioneer troops, fortifications, technical development and the employment of personnel and material for defensive construction. Jacob occupied this senior position from October 1939.

An interesting detail is that the form identifies Jacob by the printed rank Generalleutnant. Available biographical records indicate that his promotion to General der Pioniere became effective on 1 June 1940, only nine days before this certificate was dated. The continued appearance of his former rank may therefore represent the use of preprinted award forms prepared before the promotion rather than an indication that the certificate itself predates 10 June.

The local connection is further strengthened by the leadership history of Festungs-Pionierstab 20. Colonel Otto Roesinger had commanded the staff at Landau since its formation in October 1937 and remained its commander through 1940. The certificate, however, is expressly certified by an “Oberstlt. u. stellv. Kommandeur,” meaning a lieutenant colonel acting as deputy commander. This explains why the handwritten certifying signature is not Roesinger's.