Medal for Victims of the Invasion

During the war of 1914-1918, the populations of the invaded and occupied regions of France were put under severe strain. Thus, at the end of hostilities, it seemed necessary to pay tribute to the courage of these people by rewarding them with several medals such as the Medal for victims of the invasion, the Medal of French Fidelity and the Medal for civilian prisoners, deportees and hostages of the 1914-1918 Great War.

It was on the proposal of the Minister for the Liberated Regions that the Medal for victims of the invasion (French: Médaille des victimes de l'invasion) was created on 30 June 1921 in three classes (bronze, silver and silver gilt).

The Medal of the Victims of the Invasion thanked and distinguished the war hostages, and persons deported outside of France, imprisoned by the enemy or condemned to forced labour.

Among the civilian victims of the war who were awarded the medal under the original conditions, two categories of persons were recognized to have the right to special recognition by the country.