Cholm Shield Small “M”

Product Description: This Cholm Shield Small “M” is an ultra-rare award. It’s a rare variant of the rarest and most desirable of the standard wartime Wehrmacht campaign shields. The shield is stamped steel. Most of the original silver finish is intact, with some light wear to high points that exposes the steel. The darker tone of the bare steel contrasts handsomely with the intact light silver finish in the fields of the design. There is a slight age patina, with a few small old spots of rust.  This attractive Cholm shield is still firmly affixed to the original field gray wool backing. All of the original prongs on the shield remain present, as does the steel backing plate, which shows expected age. This shield originally had a backing cloth, also made of field gray wool, glued to the reverse. This cloth backing is still present, but has come unglued due to age. This Cholm Shield Small ‘M” is a rare opportunity to earn a very sought-after award that is missing from most collections. The condition is excellent plus.

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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