German Wehrmacht Long Service Medal (12 years) the ribbon may be incorrect - CONFIRM This medal was found in a black case with these other medals: German Honour Cross of the World War, 1914 - 1918; German Wehrmacht Long Service Medal (25 years); German Iron Cross 2nd Class Ribbon and the German Kaiser Wilhelm I Memorial Medal, 1897. The Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung) was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a number of years ( four years, eight years, 12 years, 25 years, and 40 years) in military service. On 16 March, 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered the institution of service awards for the first four classes. Thereafter, on 10 March, 1939, the 40 years service award was introduced. The Long Service Award was retroactive throughout a service member's career, encompassing Reichswehr service as well as service dating during and before World War I. As such, there were a handful of 40 year awards presented, even though the Nazi era only lasted 12 years (1933-1945).