Russian Front Medal

[Franz Repper]

Ok gents i was asked this the other day and it had me thinking would a soldier serving on the Finnish front get the Ostmedaille ?
As all the books I have state it was for the Russian front ! would Finland be classed as Russian front ? I would say yes as Finland and Germany were fighting the Russians

[laurence strong]

"....The region that this campaign medal was to represent stretched eastward of the Ukraine and Ostland and east of the Finnish-Russian border of 1940, known as the operational area "Finnland"..."

Source: WW2 German Medals Chris Ailsby

[Franz Repper]

Thanks good sir

[Ronald Lameck]

I realise this reply comes very late: I just saw the question.
My wife's Onkel (later adoptive father) received "Die Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 (Ostmedaille)" [The Winter Battle in (the) East 1941/42 Medal] on 6 October 1942.
From June, 1941, he was an Obergefreiten [Corporal] with Krankenkraftwagen Zug 616 [Ambulance Platoon 616], part of Gebirgsjagerregiment 138 [Mountain Hunter Regiment 138] of Gebirgsdivisionen 3 [3rd Mountain Division]. It was attached to XVIII Gebirgs Armeekorps [18th Mountain Army Corps] of the Armee Lappland [Lapland Army - later known as 20th Mountain Army].
I take this information directly from the official certificate he was given when he was awarded the medal.
So, to be brief, the answer to your question is an unqualified YES. Soldiers on the Finnish front also received the medal.

[Ronald Lameck]

P.S. Are you aware that the soldiers who received this medal generally referred to it as "Die Friezefleischordnung" [The Order of (the) Frozen Flesh]?

[achim]

Hello Ronald,

in Landser-slang it's called Gefrierfleischorden, your english explanation is right.

Kind regards
Achim

[fridgeman]

The ribbon of the medal looked like this:

A landsers slogan about the medal and its ribbon goes like that:

""In der Mitte die Straße, außen der Schnee, und um uns herum die Rote Armee."

In the middle of the street, snow on the sides, surrounded by the red army.

[Mike Higgins]

Hard to see but the dark line, look to the north of Finland and you can pick up the dark line marked ND, this line marks the cut off, everywhere to the right (east) of the line qualified for the Ost Medal. Hope this helps you Franz.

[kash]

Never heard the Lansders slogan explaination before. Shows that GI humor is universal!