BACKGROUND: The Kuban Campaign Shield was instituted by Adolf Hitler on September 21ST 1943, as the last official campaign shield to see production and issue during the war. The shield was designed for award to personnel, in all branches of service, who had served in the defensive battles in the Crimean peninsula from February 1943 onward. Criteria for award of the shield dictated that personnel had to have been involved in at least one major engagement, served two months in the theatre or had been wounded in battle. The shields were bestowed by Knight’s Cross, Oak-leaves and Swords winner, Generalfeldmarschall Ewald von Kliest as the commanding officer of Army Group South Ukraine.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A roughly 21cm x 15cm, mid-weight paper, "Besitzzeugnis", (Possession Certificate), document with black printed Gothic script and typed particulars. The printed and typed script indicates that "Obergefreiten Josef Dormagen", serving with, "2./Pi.173", was awarded a Kuban Campaign shield on, "1.10.44".