Germany, Heer. A Kuban Shield visually-hidden the Battalion was redesignated the

the Battalion was redesignated the 23rd Reserve Battalion

and it is conferred to foreigners and Spanish citizens either women or men for meritorious civil acts

the obverse bearing a machine-embroidered golden-brown Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika

A scrapbook compiled by Zaske’s wife Betty

Germany, Heer. A Kuban Shield visually-hidden the Battalion was redesignated the(Heer Kubanschild). Constructed of bronzed magnetic metal, the obverse consisting of a shield bearing a stylized map of the Kuban region, topped by a raised inscription of KUBA and a Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, in turn flanked by a date of 1943, affixed with all four reverse attachment prongs to a magnetic metal backplate with a field grey wool liner and intact faux black leather backer, unmarked, the shield measuring 52. 40