German Awards - Medal of the Order of Azad Hind in Bronze

The Order of Azad Hind is a distinctive feature in the awards of the Wehrmacht. It was donated in 1942 by Subhas Chandra Bose to the leader of the Indian Freedom Struggle for soldiers of the 950th Infantry Regiment (Indian Legion) of the German Wehrmacht. The Indian Legion was assembled from Bose Indian prisoners of war. In December 1942, the number of the legion was about 3,500 people. As part of the Wehrmacht, troops were used first in Holland, and then in France to protect the Antlantik rampart. In August 1944, the unit was subordinated to the Waffen-SS. In March 1945, the legion was captured and sent prisoner to India.
The order was established in the 3rd grade and was awarded both with and without swords. The 1st class was a neck cross, the 2nd class was a nodal cross, and the 3rd class was a cross on a ribbon. At the same time, the medal was also donated in 3 classes (gold, silver, bronze). Awarding swords, in the form of Indian sabers, was awarded only for excellent use under the influence of the enemy.
Medals were made of fine zinc, gold plated, silver plated or bronze. The only known manufacturer in Vienna is Souval, which also produced examples after 1945. For many medals, the coatings have already passed and the assignment to the steps is difficult.

Round medal of bronze zinc with a border. Above is a soldered ordinary eye with a ribbon ring.

Front side:

In the
• center above is an elevated image of the head of a lion facing left.
• Below it rises a font in quotation marks: - AZAD - HIND -
In the
• center from the lower edge with a stalk is a 3-leaf lily.

Downside:

In
• the base of the support is a central openwork square grid.
In
• a free openwork field, three-line font:
• - INDIA -/- FREEDOM -/- STRUGGLE -
• Sun rays coming out of the center in the background.