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Date Instituted:
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August 19th, 1940
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Awarded To:
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Officers and men of the Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe or Heer that participated
in the Battle of Narvik during the Norwegian Campaign.
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Required Qualifications:
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Participation in the Battle for Narvik between April 9th, 1940
and June 9th, 1940.
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First Awarded:
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March 21st, 1941 - to GenObrst. Dietl
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Number Awarded:
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8,577 total
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Grades/Variations:
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This badge was awarded in three versions, two silver versions and a gold
version. Each version was issued on cloth backing for attachment to the
uniform. The version shown here at right is an example of the gold tinted
shield issued to members of the Kriegsmarine. The Kriegsmarine shield
was issued on blue cloth backing. The two remaining
versions of the Narvik Shield were for issue to members of the Luftwaffe
and Heer. The Luftwaffe and Heer version were both silver, with the
Luftwaffe version being issued on gray-blue cloth backing and the Heer
version on field-gray cloth backing. Other than color and cloth backing,
all three designs of the shield were exactly alike.
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Method of Wear:
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The Narvik Shield was worn on the upper left sleeve of the service,
walking-out dress and guard uniforms of the respective arm of service
of the individual. It was attached to the uniform using the cloth backing
issued with each shield, but if the cloth backing was missing or not issued,
it was attached to the upper left sleeve by a set of four prongs on the
back of the shield. If a second shield was awarded to an individual, both
shields could be worn, one above another seperated by 5mm of space.
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Notes:
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The Narvik Shield was the first Campaign/Battle Shield designed and
issued to the forces of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS during WWII. It was
a relatively highly regarded award and was issued to a relatively small
number of German soldiers. The nature of the struggle to maintain the
lines around Narvik against very great odds created a very stong image of
those who were awarded this shield. The design of the shield itself was a
motif consisting of elements of all three branches of the Wehrmacht that
took part in the Battle, the prop for the Luftwaffe airmen and Fallschirmjäger, the Edlweisse for the
Heer Gebirgsjäger and the anchor for the naval and ground troops of the
Kriegsmarine.
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Kriegsmarine version of the Narvik Shield
"Narvik Kampfer"
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