Silesian Eagle
Encyclopedia
The Silesian Eagle was a medal awarded for fighting the Silesian Uprisings
as part of the Freikorps Oberland
under the Weimar Republic
.
Instituted on the 19 of June 1919 by VI. Armee-Korps Generalleutnant Friedrich von Friedeburg, the Silesian Eagle declined itself in two classes, 2nd class for three months of service and 1st class for 6 months of service and could be adorned with oak leaves, swords, of both. This medal was one of the few Freikorps awards that were allowed to be worn on uniforms during the Third Reich after the 1935 ban on unofficial medals. However, the swords, and oak leaves, denoting additional bravery, merit or service were banned, but despite interdictions, many veterans continued wearing them in active military service with the Third Reich.
Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
as part of the Freikorps Oberland
Freikorps Oberland
The Freikorps Oberland was a free corps in the early years of the Weimar Republic, fighting against Communist and Polish insurgents...
under the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
.
Instituted on the 19 of June 1919 by VI. Armee-Korps Generalleutnant Friedrich von Friedeburg, the Silesian Eagle declined itself in two classes, 2nd class for three months of service and 1st class for 6 months of service and could be adorned with oak leaves, swords, of both. This medal was one of the few Freikorps awards that were allowed to be worn on uniforms during the Third Reich after the 1935 ban on unofficial medals. However, the swords, and oak leaves, denoting additional bravery, merit or service were banned, but despite interdictions, many veterans continued wearing them in active military service with the Third Reich.