History

The Shield was instituted by SS-Obergruppenführer Karl Hermann Frank on June 4th, 1944, the second anniversary of the death of Reich-Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, Reinhard Heydrich.

The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was established in 1939 following the annexation of the former Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany. The area became an autonomous territory, which was administered by the Nazi Government. The population was primarily ethnic Czechs and Slovaks, the majority of which were employed as industrial workers and farmers.

The Badge was conferred upon citizens of the Protectorate who performed meritorious service in the fields of industry, agriculture, technology and culture, and also consistently demonstrated their commitment to the Nazi Regime.

Near the end of the war, it became difficult for recipients to accept the Award, as they would be marked as Nazi collaborators. However, it could have been unthinkable and dangerous to reject the Award before the fall of the Nazi regime.

The Shield was conferred in three grades, gold with laurel wreath, silver with laurel wreath, and silver without laurel wreath.

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