Long M Cholm Shield

Product Description: This original Long “M” Cholm Shield is a scarce and highly desirable campaign award, seldom encountered and absent from many advanced collections. The piece exhibits condition issues consistent with prolonged poor storage, but remains an unquestionably original example.

The obverse shows little to no wear and retains approximately 50% of its original finish. Areas of exposed base metal display heavy, old, stable oxidation, with light surface pitting visible in places. Despite this, the overall detail remains clear and well defined.

The original backing cloth is present and consists of a correct plain-weave wartime wool in the field-gray shade used by both the Heer and Waffen-SS. The wool has lost most of its original surface nap and shows scattered small holes and staining, all consistent with age and storage. The backplate remains intact and shows uniform rust throughout. The original attachment prongs have rusted away; however, the shield itself remains secured to the backplate.

This is a well-aged, honest example that clearly shows its history, with oxidation present on both obverse and reverse. Offered at a significantly reduced price compared to more intact examples, this Cholm Shield represents an excellent opportunity to acquire a rare and important campaign award at an accessible level.

Historical Description: In early 1942, the Soviet Army began its winter counter offensive. During the ensuing battles, the small town of Cholm was encircled. The German forces in the area, numbering only roughly 5,500 men made up of an ad hoc force of Luftwaffe, Polizei, and Heer, set up a defensive perimeter around the strategically important town. During the siege of Cholm, the German forces were under constant pressure from the three Soviet Divisions which made up the encirclement. With almost no heavy weapons, and little ammunition, the German defenders held off the constant Soviet attacks until relief finally came on May 5, 1942. The Cholm Shield was designed during the encirclement by both the commanding officer of the Cholm Pocket, Generalmajor Theodor Scherer, and Polizei Rotwachtmeister Schlimmer. The Cholm Shield was instituted on July 1, 1942 and was awarded to those who fought inside the Cholm Pocket between January 21 and May 5, 1942. Because only 5,500 men of the German Army served inside the Cholm Pocket, the Cholm Shield is today the rarest of the officially made Campaign Shields.

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