BACKGROUND: The Demjansk Campaign shield was instituted by Adolf Hitler on April 25TH 1943 as the fourth, officially sanctioned, campaign shield and was intended for award to personnel who participated in the defence and the eventual break out of the besieged Russian village of Demjansk between February 8TH 1941 and April 21ST 1942. The shield was awarded to roughly 100,00 personnel of the 2ND Army Corps, Organization Todt, Russian volunteers, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe personnel who served in the area for sixty or more days, were wounded, or flew fifty flights over the area during the engagement. The shields were bestowed to eligible personnel by the Commander of Army Group North, General of Infantry Graf Brockdorf-Ahlefeldt and were to be worn on the upper left sleeve of the uniform with the color of the backing material to match that of the uniform it was to be worn on.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly 15cm x 21cm. Two hole punched. Awarded to a member of "Stab III./ SS-T. Pz.Gren.Rgt. ."Eicke"" on the 31st of Dec 1943.