The Escapees' Medal () is a military award bestowed by the government of France to individuals who were prisoners of war and who successfully escaped internment or died as a result of their escape attempt. The "Escapees' Medal" was established by a 1926 law, intended to honour combatants not only of the First World War, but also of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Its statute was later amended to include combatants of the Second World War and later conflicts. Award statute The award criteria for the Franco-Prussian War was established by law on 2 October 1926 and read as follows: To French soldiers serving during the Franco-Prussian War, who successfully escaped their internment in Germany. The award criteria for the First World War were established by decree on 7 April 1927 and read as follows: To French soldiers serving during the First World War, who were taken prisoner during combat either in Europe or in an external theatre of operations, and who successfully escaped, regardless of the length of their internment; To citizens of Alsace-Lorraine, who, between 2 August 1914 and 1 November 1918, deserted from the German army. To civilians interned in Germany, or living in territories occupied by the enemy, who crossed enemy lines with the intent of making themselves available to the French military authority. The award criteria for the Second World War were long in coming. A decree of 7 February 1959 allowed for award of the medal, followed by an Order on 20 May 1959 and detailed instructions on 10 July 1959. The medal was bestowed to persons able to prove a successful escape: From a prisoner of war camp; From a place of internment where they were being held for acts related to the resistance; From enemy held or controlled territory, an escape including the clandestine crossing of a front line or customs checkpoint; To persons able to prove: Two escape attempts followed by disciplinary measures; A single escape attempt resulting in a transfer to a punitive establishment or by deportation measures recognised for the award of the Croix du combattant volontaire de la Résistance; To citizens of Alsace-Lorraine forcibly incorporated into the German armed forces, who deserted in order to serve in the resistance or in the allied armies; To citizens of Alsace-Lorraine who escaped from their provinces in order to fight the enemy; These actions are only considered for bestowal of the