The Medal of a liberated France (french: "Médaille de la France libérée") was a decoration of the

French Republic France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

created by decree on 12 September 1947 and originally named the "Medal of Gratitude of a Liberated France" (french: "Médaille de la Reconnaissance de la France Libérée"). It was intended as a reward for French and foreign nationals that had made a notable contribution to the liberation of France from the

German occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...

. A decree of 7 October 1947 defined the medal's design and added it would be awarded under the authority of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Victims of War (french: Ministre des Anciens Combattants et Victimes de guerre) on advice from a board composed of twenty-one members including the President of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

, the Vice-President of the

State Council State Council may refer to: Government * State Council of the Republic of Korea, the national cabinet of South Korea, headed by the President * State Council of the People's Republic of China, the national cabinet and chief administrative auth ...

, a representative of the National Council of the Resistance, a

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

and a representative of the

Justice Ministry A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...

. A later decree of 16 June 1948 gave it its present name and added a member from the

Interior Ministry An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministry ...

to the board charged with selecting recipients from the applications. A further decree of 4 June 1949 followed by ministerial instructions on 1 December 1950 redefined both the composition of the board and award prerequisites. The board was composed of: *Grand chancellor of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

; *Chancellor of the

Order of Liberation The Order of Liberation (french: Ordre de la Libération) is a French Order which was awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II. It is a very high honour, second only after the ''Légion d’Honneur'' (Legion of Honour ...

; *Representative of the

Keeper of the Seals of France Keeper of the Seals of France () was an office of the Kingdom of France, French monarchy under the ''Ancien Régime''. Its principal function was to supplement or assist the Chancellor of France. Its successor office under the French First Repu ...

; *Representative of the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...

; *Representative of the

Ministry of the Interior An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministry ...

; *General officer designated by the Minister of Defence; *Four representatives from veterans' and war victims' organizations designated by the minister. This number was brought up to five by a decree of 19 January 1950 and to six by a decree of 20 April 1951.

Award statute

The Medal of a liberated France could be awarded: *To soldiers of the allied armies who participated in war operations on the soil of

Metropolitan France Metropolitan France (french: France métropolitaine or ''la Métropole''), also known as European France (french: Territoire européen de la France) is the area of France which is geographically in Europe. This collective name for the European ...

or soil under French mandate between 3 September 1939 and 20 August 1945; *To soldiers of allied armies who served as liaison with the French forces between 18 June 1940 and 20 August 1945; *To French nationals who made a notable contribution to the liberation of Metropolitan France or soil under French mandate between 18 June 1940 and 20 August 1945. Recipients of the following French awards received in conjunction with the liberation of France could not receive the Medal of a liberated France: *

for feats with the

resistance Resistance may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Either of two similarly named but otherwise unrelated comic book series, both published by Wildstorm: ** ''Resistance'' (comics), based on the video game of the same title ** ''T ...

; *Cross of the

; *

Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...

for feats with the resistance; *

Resistance Medal The Resistance Medal (french: Médaille de la Résistance) was a decoration bestowed by the French Committee of National Liberation, based in the United Kingdom, during World War II. It was established by a decree of General Charles de Gaulle on 9 ...

; *Medal of French Gratitude for feats with the resistance.

Award description

The Medal of a liberated France was a 35mm in diameter circular medal struck from bronze. The obverse bore the relief image of France with the relief date "1944" at its center. A relief chain encircles the image of France with two breaks in its links, one North-east, the other South-west, symbolizing the allied landings. The reverse bore the relief image of a

Fasces Fasces ( ; ; a ''plurale tantum'', from the Latin word ''fascis'', meaning "bundle"; it, fascio littorio) is a bound bundle of wooden rods, sometimes including an axe (occasionally two axes) with its blade emerging. The fasces is an Italian symbo ...

below a Phrygian cap bisecting the initials "R.F." and the relief inscription "LA FRANCE A SES LIBERATEURS" ( en, "FRANCE TO ITS LIBERATORS") along the upper and lower circumference. The medal hung from a 36mm wide rainbow coloured silk moiré ribbon, the colours placed opposite those of the ribbon of the

1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal The 1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal (french: "Médaille Interalliée de la Victoire 1914–1918") was a French commemorative medal established on 20 July 1922. It was the French version of a common allied campaign medal where each allied ...

with the purple at center.

Notable recipients (partial list)

*Commander

Philippe Kieffer Philippe Kieffer (24 October 1899 – 20 November 1962), ''capitaine de frégate'' in the French Navy, was a French officer and political personality, and a hero of the Free French Forces. Life and career Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to an ...

-Country of Allegiance: France(République française), Free France(La France Libre), Service: French Navy (Marine Nationale), Free French Naval Forces(Forces Navales Françaises), Rank: Commander(Capitaine de frégate) *Captain Émile Allegret- France(République française), Free France(La France Libre), Service: French Airforce(Armée de l'Air), Free French Airforce(Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres), Rank: Capitaine(Captain), Commands: Bombardment Group "Lorraine"Squadron 342(Les Equipages Du Groupe "Lorraine” Squadron 342) *Resistance member Augustin Le Maresquier- Country of Allegiance: France(République française), Free France(La France Libre), Service: French Resistance(La Résistance), French Forces of the Interior(Forces françaises de l'intérieur) *Resistance member

Antoinette Feuerwerker Antoinette Feuerwerker (24 November 1912 – 10 February 2003) was a French jurist and an active fighter in the French Resistance during the Second World War. Early years Antoinette (Antonia, Toni, Toibe Rochel) Gluck was born in Antwerp (Borg ...

-Country of Allegiance: France(République française), Free France(La France Libre), Service: French Resistance(La Résistance), French Forces of the Interior(Forces françaises de l'intérieur) *Resistance member André Girard-Country of Allegiance: France(République française), Free France(La France Libre), Service: French Resistance(La Résistance), French Forces of the Interior(Forces françaises de l'intérieur), Rank: Voluntary Combatant of the Resistance (Combattante Volontaire de la Résistance) *Free French soldier Louis Saget-Country of Allegiance: France(République française), Free France(La France Libre), Service: Free French Forces(Forces françaises libres) *Belgian general baron Georges Danloy-Country of Allegiance: Belgium(Royaume de Belgique) Service: Belgian Army(Composante terre), Rank: Lieutenant General(Generalleutnant) *Belgian general baron

Michel Donnet Michel G. L. "Mike" Donnet, (1 April 1917 – 31 July 2013) was a Belgian pilot who served in the Belgian Army and British Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He shot down four enemy aircraft confirmed, and achieved the RAF rank o ...

-Country of Allegiance: Belgium(Royaume de Belgique), United Kingdom, Service: Belgian Army(Composante terre), Royal Air Force, Rank: Wing commander(Lieutenant colonel);UK Service, Lieutenant General(Generalleutnant);Post War Belgian Service *United States Army major

Richard Winters Richard Davis Winters (January 21, 1918January 2, 2011) was an American businessman and decorated war veteran who served as a U.S. Army officer during World War II. He is best known for having commanded Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion, 506th ...

-- Country of Allegiance: United States of America, Service: United States Army, Rank: Major, Commands: 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division *United States Army first lieutenant Audie Murphy-Country of Allegiance: United States of America, Service: United States Army, Rank: First Lieutenant *French-American academic

Bernard B. Fall Bernard B. Fall (November 19, 1926 – February 21, 1967) was a prominent war correspondent, historian, political scientist, and expert on Indochina during the 1950s and 1960s. Born in Austria, he moved with his family to France as a child aft ...

-Country of Allegiance: France(République française), Free France(La France Libre), Service: French Resistance(La Résistance), French Army(''Armée de Terre)''

References

External links

Museum of the Legion of Honour
(in French) {{French medals Civil awards and decorations of France Military awards and decorations of France Awards established in 1947

Award statute

Award description

Notable recipients (partial list)

See also

References

External links