WW2 German War Medal

Roughly translated, is says "For (your) work at protecting Germany"

Thanks again for the information. I really appreciate it.

Sorry to jump in, but if I may, I would like to make a few additional comments and indeed corrections to the links provided:

The medal was instituted on the 2nd August 1939 and it ceased to be awarded on the 31st January 1941, by which time actual awarded medal numbers where 622, 064; however, you could privately purchase additional/replacement examples via LDO outlets for the wars duration.

All personal either civil or military whom where entitled to the award, were rewarded for basically the construction/defence of the 'Siegfried Line' between the period of 15th June 1938 to 31st March 1939; the duration requirements for the medal were 3 weeks military and 10 weeks civil.

Interesting to note that members of the armed forces were not entitled to the award who had already received the Memel Medal.

The medal was thus re-instituted on the 10th October 1944 by Hitler, but only from the the 6th June 1944 and not for those that had constructed or guarded/defended the Atlantic Wall prior to that date (i.e since 31.03.39)

The intimation regarding the '1944' Spange, bar or device is slightly misleading, in so far as it is believed that trial strikes were made, but never issued. There is a picture of an 'intended' Spange in the 1945, Dr Doehle book concerning German Awards.

Although, sometimes, on ribbon bars you do encounter the non-regulation practice (in this very instance) of a miniature medal device attached to the ribbon to distinguish it from the German Lifesaving medal, which has very similar colours to the West Wall medal ribbon.

And, as already said, this indeed would be an example of the second re-institution of the award.

Kind regards,

Marcus