German Shooting Price Medal

Shooting Prize (Erinnerungsmedaille) of the German Wehrmacht from 1935. Although this is not an official national decoration that could be worn on the uniform, it was awarded as a prestigious trophy for achievements during shooting competitions within a regiment or division.

Characteristics of the Medal

Based on known examples from 1935 with a 6th prize, the medal typically looks as follows:

• Obverse: A detailed image of a German soldier with a helmet, often operating an MG08 or MG08/15 machine gun.
• Reverse: Featuring the text "PREISRICHTEN 1935" and specifically "6. PREIS". Sometimes the specific unit is also mentioned, such as the company or regiment.
• Material: Usually made of bronze or a copper alloy, with a diameter of approximately 49 to 50 mm and a thickness of approximately 4 mm.

Historical Context

In 1935, the large-scale rearmament of Germany took place under the Nazi regime, during which the Reichswehr was transformed into the Wehrmacht. Internal competitions such as Preisrichten were essential to test and stimulate the marksmanship of the rapidly growing machine-gun companies.