Bidspirit auction | German WWII Wehrmacht 4-Year Long

German WWII Wehrmacht 4-Year Long Service Medal - A circular military service award featuring an eagle grasping a mobile swastika above the inscription ”Treue Dienste in der Wehrmacht” (Faithful Service in the Wehrmacht) on one face, and the numeral ”4” set within an oak leaf wreath on the other, denoting four years of service. A suspension ring is fitted at the top of the medal. This award was instituted in 1936 to recognize long and faithful service by members of the German armed forces, with different medal grades corresponding to varying lengths of service. The Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung) was established by decree on 16 March 1936 as part of the broader remilitarisation programme following the reintroduction of conscription, replacing earlier Reichswehr service distinctions. It was awarded in a graded system, with the 4-year clasp/medal representing the lowest tier, rising through further grades for 12, 18, 25 and 40 years of service, the higher grades rendered in silver and gold with corresponding crosses. Millions of these awards were issued throughout the Third Reich period, making the 4-year grade the most commonly encountered example among the service classes, typically given to soldiers, sailors, and airmen who had completed their initial term of active duty.