Original Items: Only One Set Available. This is a very nice collection of German WWII Insignia, Tinnies, and Awards, which was brought back from the European theater by a USGI after the war was concluded. Many solders traded these on the way back, and would end up with a pocket full of various different collectible items, and this set represents the typical "haul" one might have come back with.

It includes a wide variety of items, which include:
- One German WWII Small Double Sided NSDAP Flag, measuring 8 3/4" x 13 3/4". In somewhat used and stained condition, this looks to have been originally glued to a pole for display, but was removed when it was brought back home.

- One German WWII Wehrmacht Heer & Kriegsmarine 3rd Class Long Service Award (Gold) - 12 Years with ribbon and eagle pin.

- One German WWII Mothers Cross 3rd Class in Bronze, for eligible mothers with 4 or 5 children. Much of the bronze color is very well retained, and the enamel is in very good shape. It still has the original ribbon, held together with a pin so it does not unroll.

- One German WWII Eastern Front Medal (Ostmedaille) with ribbon. The medal shows signs of minor wear and has minor surface oxidation and build-up. The ribbon is in excellent condition, and properly folded through the hanger ring.

- One Italian-German WWII African Campaign Medal with Ribbon. This example is definitely in "salty" service worn condition, having lost most of the wash on the meal, and showing a very worn and faded ribbon.

A great little set that could be the start of your collection!

Wehrmacht Long Service Awards - 18, 12, and 4 Years:
This award was a military service decoration of NSDAP Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a number of years in military service. The award itself is cumulative, so after the 3rd class, both a cross and a medal were worn, and the color indicated service.

On 16 March, 1936, Adolf AH ordered the institution of service awards for the first four classes, each reflecting the completion of a select number of years of military service.

Each branch of the Wehrmacht (army, navy, and air force) maintained their own version of the Long Service Award and the decoration was issued for four years (silver medal – fourth class), 12 years (gold medal – third class), 18 years (silver cross – second class), 25 years (gold cross – first class), and 40 years (1939 special class). The 40 years special class service award was introduced on 10 March 1939.

Professor Dr Richard Klein designed the awards. Recipients of lower year awards would wear the decoration simultaneously with higher level decorations. The manner they could be worn was:

- 3rd Class with 4th Class (gold medal with silver medal)
- 2nd Class with 4th Class (silver cross with silver medal)
- 1st Class with 3rd Class (gold cross with gold medal)

The Long Service Award was retroactive throughout a service member's career, encompassing Reichswehr service as well as service dating during and before World War I. As such, there were a handful of 40 year awards presented, even though the NSDAP era only lasted 12 years (1933-1945).

The Eastern Medal (Ostmedaille), officially the Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal (Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42), was a military award of the Wehrmacht which was created by ordinance of Adolf H on 26 May 1942.

The Eastern Medal was awarded to any member of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS "in recognition of experience in the struggle against the Bolshevik enemy and the Russian winter within the period from 15 November 1941 to 15 April 1942." It was also awarded posthumously to any service member who died in the line of duty within the Soviet Union. It was wryly called the Frozen Meat Medal or the "Order of the Frozen Flesh" (Gefrierfleischorden).

The Cross of Honour of the German Mother, referred to colloquially as the Mutterehrenkreuz (Mother’s Cross of Honor) or simply Mutterkreuz (Mother’s Cross), was a state decoration conferred by the government of the German Reich to honor a Reichsdeutsche German mother for exceptional merit to the German nation. Eligibility later extended to include Volksdeutsche (ethnic German) mothers from, for example, Austria and Sudetenland, that had earlier been incorporated into the German Reich.

The decoration was conferred from 1939 until 1945 in three classes: bronze, silver, and gold, to Reichsdeutsche mothers who exhibited probity, exemplary motherhood, and who conceived and raised at least four or more children in the role of a parent. A similar practice, that continues to this present day, was already established in France since 1920, by conferring the Médaille de la Famille française (Medal of the French Family), a tribute to the French mother who raised several children in an appropriate way.

In recognition of the substantial importance a woman's role and motherhood was in support of a strong Germany, the Cross of Honor of the German Mother was introduced by decree in Berlin on 16 December 1938 by Führer und Reichskanzler (leader and chancellor) AH. The preamble of the statutory decree declared:

As a visible sign of gratitude of the German nation to children-rich mothers I establish this Cross of Honor of the German Mother

The crosses were awarded annually on the second Sunday in May (Mothering Sunday or Mother's Day), but also extended to include other national annual occasions of celebration. So despite its institution in 1938, the first awards were rendered in May 1939.

The Mother's Cross was composed of three classes, and conferred to mothers in accordance with its statutory legislation: Verordnung des Führers und Reichskanzlers über die Stiftung des Ehrenkreuzes der Deutschen Mutter vom 16. Dezember 1938. Reichsgesetzblatt (RGBI) Teil I, 1938, Nr. 224, Seite 1923 (In English: Statutory Order of the Leader and Chancellor on the establishment of the Cross of Honor of the German Mother of 16 December 1938. Imperial-(Reichs) Law Gazette (RGBl) Part I, 1938, No. 224, Page 1923), and its stringent nomination screening protocol.

Classes
-1st class, Gold Cross: eligible mothers with eight or more children
-2nd class, Silver Cross: eligible mothers with six or seven children
-3rd class, Bronze Cross: eligible mothers with four or five children

The cross design is a slender elongated form of the Iron Cross or cross pattée and very similar in design to the Marian Cross of the Teutonic Order, enameled translucent-blue with a slim opaque-white border. Resting on the center radiant starburst rays is a metal roundel decorated with the words DER DEUTSCHEN MUTTER (in English: TO THE GERMAN MOTHER) around an enameled black straight centered "swas" symbol, infilled white enamel. Reverse of medal reads 16 December 1938, which is the date that the award was first established, along with AH's Signature.

The cross design was the creation of the established Munich-based architect and sculptor Franz Berberich. The production of the cross involved several established Präsidialkanzlei (Presidential Chancellery) approved medal makers from across the German Reich. A maker's mark was never applied to the crosses produced; though each official house of manufacture did apply their name to the dark-blue presentation case (inside cover) for the 1st Class Gold Cross and the presentation sachets (reverse side) for each of the 2nd and 3rd Class Cross.

Italian-German WWII African Campaign Medal
Awarded to soldiers of the Wehrmacht and Italian troops who worked together in the North African theater of war. The round award is constructed out of a die struck tombak base that has been bronze washed. The obverse of the award features two gladiators fighting together to keep a crocodiles jaws closed. Beside the gladiators it is written "Lorioli Milano" (manufacturing company and location) below them it is written "De Marchis" (the designer of the award). The reverse features the Arch of Fileni, above the Savoy knot and inside of a fasces (left) and a static swas (right), which is all surrounded by "Campagna Italo Tedesca in Africa - Italienisch Deutscher Feldzug in Afrika" (Medal for the Italian-German campaign in Africa (in both German and Italian)). Attached to the award is 3 inches of black, white, red and green rayon ribbon. Shows period wear and the ribbon is well worn. The award features a quality tombak base, wonderful detail and symbolism!