Medal of a liberated France
| Medal of a liberated France | |
|---|---|
Medal of a liberated France (obverse) | |
| Type | Decoration |
| Awarded for | Participation in the liberation of France in the Second World War |
| Presented by | France |
| Eligibility | Military and civilian French and foreign nationals |
| Status | Not awarded since 1957 |
| Established | 12 September 1947 |
| Final award | 7 July 1957 |
| Total | 13,469 |
Ribbon of the Medal of a liberated France | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1939–1945 |
| Next (lower) | Insigne du réfractaire au STO |
The Medal of a liberated France (French: "Médaille de la France libérée") was a decoration of the French Republic 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.
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, the Vice-President of the State Council, a representative of the National Council of the Resistance, a general officer and a representative of the Justice Ministry.
A later decree of 16 June 1948 gave it its present name and added a member from the Interior 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;
- Chancellor of the Order of Liberation;
- Representative of the Keeper of the Seals of France;
- Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- Representative of the Ministry of the Interior;
- 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.