History

The West Russian Volunteer Army was established in 1919 and made up of German and Russian men, the latter were loyal to the Russian Empire and enemies of the Bolsheviks. They fought in the Baltic region to (unsuccessfully) reinstate the Russian monarchy. Eventually, the army had to retreat to the East German provinces and was finally disbanded in December of 1919. The West Russian Volunteer Army was under the command of Oberst Bermont who later called himself Duke Pavel Avalov.

The commemorative badge was instituted by Avalov in the fall of 1919 for anybody who had fought the Bolsheviks in the Baltic region, either as a member of the West Russian Volunteer Army or a German Freikorps.

Depending on the material used, the badge may be in (reddish) bronze, silver, or gold colour. It is round and features an image of St. George slaying the dragon on the obverse, and an orthodox cross on the reverse, with "19" to the left and "19" to the right of it. The ribbon has a black left and orange right half.