Oder Flood Medal 1997

In the summer of 1997, the largest known flood on the Oder in history occurred. Large areas in Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany were flooded and 114 people lost their lives. The Bundeswehr took part in the flood relief effort with a total of 30,000 soldiers, armored engineer vehicles, helicopters, trucks, boats and Tornado aircraft. This made it the largest disaster relief operation in the history of the Bundeswehr.

The German Basic Law sets very strict limits on the deployment of the Bundeswehr in Germany in order to ensure the separation of military and police tasks. A deployment is only possible in the context of an emergency – or as so-called administrative assistance. Since the Bundeswehr was established, it has regularly provided administrative assistance during storm floods and forest fires or as harvest helpers. However, the extent and cause of a Bundeswehr deployment in Germany has repeatedly been the subject of discussion, for example when the Elbe burst its banks in February 1962 and flooded parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Hamburg and Bremen and the Bundeswehr rescued people as part of its administrative assistance. This contribution by the Bundeswehr was instrumentalized to establish new emergency laws in 1968.

However, the Bundeswehr’s deployment in East Germany in 1997 received nationwide recognition. In August 1997, the then Prime Minister of Brandenburg, Manfred Stolpe, donated a medal to honor the forces involved. This is not a military award, but was awarded to all the forces involved. Individuals had to be nominated for the award beforehand. The medal on the red and white ribbon shows the Brandenburg eagle framed by the words “In Gratitude and Recognition – Oder Flood 1997”. The reverse shows the outlines of the regions affected by the flood in Poland and Germany with the courses of the Oder.

Object of the month

(short) stories from the depot

Unfortunately, many objects cannot currently be shown in the exhibition for conservation reasons. Here you will find unusual objects and exciting stories of special pieces from the depot