The decoration was of two classes, silver and bronze, and was awarded to those who aided the Dutch during the period of World War II, or afterwards helped relieve those who had suffered from the German occupation.

The decoration was designed as a circular medal 29 millimetres in diameter and exists in two classes, silver and bronze.

The choice of motif was guided by the fact that the lion is the royal emblem of the Netherlands and the story was once commonly cited as an example of enduring gratitude.

On the reverse of the medal the inscription reads POPULUS BATAVUS GRATO ANIMO (Latin for 'With the gratitude of the Dutch people').

The medal's ribbon is orange with a broad white stripe down the middle, on which there is a small silver or bronze crown according to class.