Political deportation and internment medal

Last updated
Political deportation and internment medal
MEDAILLE DES DEPORTES POLITIQUE.jpg MEDAILLE DES INTERNES POLITIQUE.jpg
Obverse
TypeCommemorative medal
Awarded forDeportation or internment by the enemy for political motives
Presented byFlag of France.svg  France
EligibilityFrench citizens
Campaign(s)World War II
StatusNo longer awarded
Established9 September 1948
Total~ 60,000
Medaille de la Deportation Politique ribbon.svg Medaille de l'Internement Politique ribbon.svg
Ribbons of the Political deportee's and internee’s medal
Reverse of the Political deportee's and internee's medal MEDAILLE DES INTERNES POLITIQUE revers.jpg
Reverse of the Political deportee's and internee's medal
Actor and producer Pierre Mere, a recipient of the Political deportation and internment medal Pierre Mere en 1945.jpg
Actor and producer Pierre Méré, a recipient of the Political deportation and internment medal

The Political deportation and internment medal (French : Médaille de la déportation et de l'internement politique) is a commemorative medal awarded by the Ministry for veterans and war victims of the French Republic [1] to its citizens who were deported or interned by the German occupation forces during World War II. [2]

Contents

It was created by a law of 9 September 1948 defining the status of political deportees and internees declaring in its opening article “The Republic, grateful to those who contributed to the salvation of the country, bowed before them and before their families, determined the status of political deportees and internees, proclaim their rights and those of their successors”. [1]

Possession of the Political deportee or Political internee card, issued by the National Office for Veterans Affairs, established the right to wear the medal, the insignia being common to either status, but hanging from different ribbons sometimes also bearing distinctive clasps. [2]

Award statute

Political deportee

The Title of political deportee giving the right to wear the Political deportation and internment medal with political deportee ribbon is bestowed to French citizens living in France or abroad, who were, apart from being interned for common or criminal offences and for a period of at least three months:

  1. either transferred by the enemy from the national territory and then incarcerated or interned in a prison or concentration camp; [1]
  2. either incarcerated or interned by the enemy in the camps or prisons of Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin and Moselle; [1]
  3. either incarcerated or interned by the enemy in any other territories exclusively administered by the enemy, in particular Indochina, provided that such incarceration or detention meets the conditions laid down by the public administrative regulation provided of the Minister for overseas territories. [1]
  4. the three-month minimum period is waived for persons having successfully escaped or that contracted an illness or infirmity during their internment arising in particular from torture, which may give rise to an entitlement to a State pension; [1]
  5. foreign nationals residing in France prior to September 1, 1939, and meeting the aforementioned criteria are eligible for this award. [1]

Political internee

The Title of political internee giving the right to wear the Political deportation and internment medal with political internee ribbon is bestowed to French citizens living in France or abroad, interned by the enemy or the Vichy government, for any reason other than for common or criminal offences, who were:

  1. after June 16, 1940, interned for a legitimate act accomplished for the cause of the liberation of France; [1]
  2. before 16 June 1940, for an administrative or judicial measure resulting in deprivation of freedom beyond the length of the original sentence because of the danger the release of the said person might have caused the enemy based on that person's previous activities; [1]
  3. the internment length must be for a period of at least three months after June 16, 1940, or after the previously set release date from internment; [1]
  4. the three-month minimum period is waived for persons having successfully escaped or that contracted an illness or infirmity during their internment arising in particular from torture, which may give rise to an entitlement to a State pension. [1]
  5. French citizens living in France or abroad, who were executed by the enemy for any reason other than for common or criminal offences automatically receive the Title of political internee; [1]
  6. foreign nationals residing in France prior to September 1, 1939, and meeting the aforementioned criteria are eligible for this award. [1]

1914-1918 Political deportees and internees

A decree of January 6, 1955 modified articles A.186-2 and A.186-3 of the Code of military invalidity pensions and victims of war to include political internees and deportees of the First World War and introduced a “1914-1918” clasp to the medal in both its variants. [2]

Award description

The Political deportation and internment medal, a design of French artist engraver Arthus Bertrand, is a 30 mm in diameter circular medal struck from bronze or gilt bronze. Its obverse bears the relief image of four vertical chain links protruding from the medal circumference with the upper one forming the ribbon suspension loop. Within the chain link at the center of the medal, a small relief image of the map of France with six rays of light protruding out to the medal's outer edges. Above the upper most rays, the relief semi-circular inscription along the medal circumference (French : RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE) (FRENCH REPUBLIC). The reverse bears the same chain links but without the map of France or the rays, instead, at its center can be found the years in relief “1940” and “1945” on two lines, with the relief inscription along the medal circumference (French : MÉDAILLE DE LA DÉPORTATION ET DE L’INTERNEMENT) (POLITICAL DEPORTATION AND INTERNMENT MEDAL). [1]

The deportee's medal hangs from a 36 mm wide silk moiré ribbon with 2 mm wide yellow edge stripes framing four blue and three white alternating equal vertical stripes. The internee's medal hangs from a 36 mm wide silk moiré ribbon with 2 mm wide yellow edge stripes framing diagonal alternating stripes of blue and white.

Three clasps are allowed for wear on the ribbon:

Notable recipients (partial list)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatura</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Tatura is a town in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, Australia, and is situated within the City of Greater Shepparton local government area, 167 kilometres (104 mi) north of the state capital (Melbourne) and 18 kilometres (11 mi) west of the regional centre of Shepparton. At the 2021 census, Tatura had a population of 4,955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Escapees' Medal</span> Award

The Escapees' Medal is a military award bestowed by the government of France to individuals who were prisoners of war and who successfully escaped internment or died as a result of their escape attempt. The "Escapees' Medal" was established by a 1926 law, intended to honour combatants not only of the First World War, but also of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Its statute was later amended to include combatants of the Second World War and later conflicts.

Ilag is an abbreviation of the German word Internierungslager. They were internment camps established by the German Army in World War II to hold Allied civilians, caught in areas that were occupied by the German Army. They included United States citizens caught in Europe by surprise when war was declared in December 1941 and citizens of the British Commonwealth caught in areas engulfed by the Blitzkrieg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medal for the War Wounded</span> Award

The Medal for the War Wounded was originally a mere insignia in the form of an ribbon awarded for wounds received in the line of duty while facing an enemy. The insignia was established by the law of 11 December 1916, based on an idea by the nationalist writer Maurice Barrès. Although originally established as a temporary measure, the insignia survived for a century in some form or another. It could be awarded to wounded soldiers, prisoners of war, to World War II deportees and internees from the French resistance and to soldiers wounded in more recent conflicts. A variety of unofficial medals in the form of a red enamelled star suspended by the same ribbon appeared very early on and although tolerated for wear by the authorities, were not official until recently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal City Internment Camp</span> United States historic place

Crystal City Internment Camp, located near Crystal City, Texas, was a place of confinement for people of Japanese, German, and Italian descent during World War II, and has been variously described as a detention facility or a concentration camp. The camp, which was originally designed to hold 3,500 people, opened in December 1943 and was officially closed on February 11, 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syria-Cilicia commemorative medal</span> Award

The Syria-Cilicia Medal was a French decoration awarded to military personnel engaged in the hostilities that erupted in the Middle East in the immediate aftermath of World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medal of French Gratitude</span> Award

The Medal of French Gratitude was a French honour medal created on 13 July 1917 and solely awarded to civilians. The medal was created to express gratitude by the French government to all those who, without legal or military obligation, had come to the aid of the injured, disabled, refugees, or who had performed an act of exceptional dedication in the presence of the enemy during the First World War. The creation of this distinction was mainly the result of unsuccessful offensives of General Nivelle in 1917 and the serious crisis of confidence in France. The French government thus wanted to thank those who, despite the crisis, were always volunteering. It has three classes: bronze, silver, and gold. Nearly 15,000 people and communities were recipients of this award. The medal is no longer awarded, the last award was on 14 February 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Defence Medal</span> Award

The National Defence Medal is a French military decoration. It was created by Charles Hernu, Minister of Defence and established by decree on 21 April 1982. It rewards particularly honourable service rendered by military personnel for their participation in operational activities. The medal has three levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commemorative medal of the 1870–1871 War</span> Award

The Commemorative medal of the 1870–1871 War was a French military campaign medal awarded to those who served during the Franco-Prussian War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1940–1945 African War Medal</span> Award

The 1940–1945 African War Medal was a Belgian war service medal established by royal decree of the Regent on 30 January 1947 and awarded to officers and soldiers for at least one year's service in the Force Publique between 10 May 1940 and 7 May 1945. This service was not limited to the Belgian colonies of the Congo and Ruanda-Urundi but also included the Middle East, Nigeria, Madagascar and Burma, for which clasps were awarded for six months service in those areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deportees' Cross 1914–1918</span> Former Belgian war medal

The Deportees' Cross 1914–1918 was a Belgian war medal established on 27 November 1922 by royal decree and awarded to Belgian citizens deported to Germany for forced labour during the First World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Political Prisoner's Cross 1940–1945</span> Award

The Political Prisoner's Cross 1940–1945 was a Belgian war medal established by royal decree of the Regent on 13 November 1947 and awarded to Belgian citizens arrested and interned by the Germans as political prisoners during the Second World War. The award's statute included provisions for posthumous award should the intended recipient not survive detention, and the right of the widow, the mother or the father of the deceased to wear the cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royallieu-Compiègne internment camp</span>

The Royallieu-Compiègne was an internment and deportation camp located in the north of France in the city of Compiègne, open from June 1941 to August 1944. French resistance fighters and Jews were among some of the prisoners held in this camp. It is estimated that around 40,000 people were deported from the Royallieu-Compiègne camp to other camps in the German territory of the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dardanelles campaign medal</span> Award

The Dardanelles campaign medal was a French military medal bestowed for participation in the Battle of the Dardanelles, also known as the Gallipoli campaign against the Central Powers by the Corps expéditionnaire d'Orient supported by the Royal Navy and French Navy between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medal for civilian prisoners, deportees and hostages of the 1914-1918 Great War</span> Award

The Medal for civilian prisoners, deportees and hostages of the 1914-1918 Great War was a commemorative medal awarded to French civilians who were deported from the German occupied French territories and interned in camps during World War I. A law of 14 March 1936 announced the government's intention to officially recognize the sacrifices and patriotism of the French civilians that were forced from their homes and into prison camps to serve as hostages or to be detained with a new medal. The law of 25 August 1936 officially established the award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle East Operations Commemorative Medal (1956)</span> Award

The Middle East operations commemorative medal was a French commemorative medal established on 22 May 1957 to recognize the participation of French nationals in the military operations conducted during the Suez Crisis of 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medal for Victims of the Invasion</span> Award

During the war of 1914-1918, the populations of the invaded and occupied regions of France were put under severe strain. Thus, at the end of hostilities, it seemed necessary to pay tribute to the courage of these people by rewarding them with several medals such as the Medal for victims of the invasion, the Medal of French Fidelity and the Medal for civilian prisoners, deportees and hostages of the 1914-1918 Great War. It was on the proposal of the Minister for the Liberated Regions that the Medal for victims of the invasion was created on 30 June 1921 in three classes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recusant's insignia</span> Award

The Recusant's Insignia is a French medal to honour French citizens who evaded the Compulsory Work Service (S.T.O.) in Nazi Germany and therefore participated in the fight against the invader.

During World War II, 4,058 ethnic Germans along with several hundred other Axis-nationals living in Latin America were deported to the United States and their home countries, often at the behest of the US government. Although the arrest, internment and/or deportation of belligerent country nationals was common practice in both Axis and Allied countries during both World War I and World War II, subsequent US Congressional investigations and reparations during the 1980s and 1990s, especially for Japanese Americans interned, have raised awareness of the injustice of such practices. Unlike Allied civilians held in Nazi concentration camps or those interned by the Japanese, Axis nationals interned in Allied countries did not suffer from systematic starvation and widespread mistreatment by their captors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merignac internment camp</span> WWII internment camp in Nazi occupied France

The Mérignac internment camp, also known as the Beau-Désert internment camp, was a French internment and transit camp for Roma, Jews, French members of the Resistance, and political prisoners; it was located in the district of Beau-Désert in the commune of Mérignac, near Bordeaux, in German occupied France during World War II.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Law n°48-1404 of 9 September 1948 establishing the status of political deportees and internees" (in French). LégiFrance. 1948-09-10. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
  2. 1 2 3 "France Phaléristique web site" (in French). Marc Champenois. 2004. Retrieved 2017-01-14.