Commemorative Medal for the 20th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic

The Commemorative Medal for the 20th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic [Pamětní medaile k 20. výročí osvobození ČSSR] was established on 24 February 1965 by a legal measure issued by the Presidium of the National Assembly. It served as an honorary recognition of exceptional service rendered in the struggle against fascism and during the liberation of Czechoslovakia.

This commemorative medal was conferred by the President of the Republic on the proposal of the government. In cases where the medal was to be conferred on soldiers or members of the armed forces, the proposal was submitted by the Minister of National Defence directly to the President of the Republic. A diploma confirming ownership was issued along with the medal.

The medal is made of bronze and has a diameter of 35 mm. The obverse features a flowering Slavic linden tree, with the inscription “Twentieth Anniversary of the Liberation of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic” and the year 1965 around the edge. The reverse depicts a submachine gun breaking through a bundle of barbed wire as a symbol of victory over fascism.