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Category: German Democratic Republic

The Honored Member of the Civil Defense Medal

The Honored Member of the Civil Defense Medal was established in 1977 and was awarded for in increasing operational readiness.

The title Honored Member of Civil Defense (or Verdienter Angehöriger der Zivilverteidigung in German) was a state award of the GDR, conferred as an honorary title accompanied by a certificate and a wearable medal.

The title was established on October 25, 1977. It was awarded to members of the civil defense and volunteers for outstanding achievements, special merits, and many years of exemplary duty fulfillment in enhancing the operational readiness of the GDR’s civil defense. The number of honorary titles awarded each year was limited to just five.

The Honored Member of the Civil Defense Medal Design

The gold-plated medal, with a diameter of 35 mm, features the large state coat of arms of the GDR (14.5 mm in diameter) in the center of its obverse on a wine-red background.

Surrounding the coat of arms is the inscription “FÜR DEN SCHUTZ DER ARBEITER UND BAUERNMACHT” (“FOR THE PROTECTION OF WORKERS AND FARMER POWER“). The medal’s edge is adorned with a large laurel wreath with two crossed daggers at the bottom. The reverse side of the medal bears the five-line inscription “VERDIENTER / ANGEHÖRIGER / DER / ZIVILVERTEIDIGUNG / DER DDR” (“MERITORIOUS / MEMBER / OF / CIVIL DEFENSE / OF THE GDR“).

The medal was worn on the upper left side of the chest, mounted on a pentagonal clasp with a silver-gray ribbon adorned with a gold laurel group.

The ribbon itself features two vertical wine-red stripes: the outer stripe is 0.5 mm wide, and the inner stripe is 2 mm wide, with a 3 mm gap between the hem and the first inner stripe, and a 0.5 mm gap to the second stripe. The interim clasp is of similar design and also displays the gold laurel group in the center as a miniature.

The Honored Member of the Border Troops Medal

The Honored Member of the Border Troops Medal was established in 1975 and awarded in a single class for outstanding achievements and merit.

The Honored Member of the Border Troops Medal (or Verdienter Angehöriger der Grenztruppen in German) was a prestigious state award in the GDR. It was conferred as an honorary title accompanied by a certificate and a wearable medal.

Established on November 14, 1975, this title was awarded to members of the GDR border troops for their exceptional service in protecting the state border. The award was highly exclusive, limited to five recipients per year, and could only be awarded to the same individual once.

The Honored Member of the Border Troops Medal Design

The gold-plated medal, measuring 35 mm in diameter, features the large state coat of arms of the GDR (14.5 mm in diameter) at the center of its obverse on a green background. Surrounding the coat of arms is the inscription: “FÜR DEN SCHUTZ DER ARBEITER UND BAUERNMACHT” (“FOR THE PROTECTION OF WORKERS AND FARMER POWER“). The medal’s border is adorned with a large golden laurel wreath with two crossed daggers at the bottom.

The reverse side of the medal displays a five-line inscription: “DESERVED / MEMBER / OF / THE / BORDER TROOPS / OF THE GDR.”

The medal was worn on the upper left side of the chest, mounted on a pentagonal clasp with a silver-gray ribbon adorned with a gold laurel group. The ribbon features two vertical green stripes: the outer stripe is 0.5 mm wide and the inner stripe is 2 mm wide, with a 3 mm gap between the hem and the first inner stripe, and a 0.5 mm gap to the second stripe.

The Honored Member of the National People’s Army Medal

The Honored Member of the National People’s Army Medal was established in 1976 and awarded for outstanding achievements and merit.

The Meritorious Member of the National People’s Army (or Verdienter Angehöriger der Nationalen Volksarmee in German) was a prestigious state award of the German Democratic Republic (or GDR), conferred as an honorary title accompanied by a certificate and a wearable medal.

Instituted on November 14, 1975, and first awarded on February 20, 1976, this honor was limited to a maximum of 20 recipients per year and could be awarded to an individual only once. The title recognized members of the National People’s Army (NVA) for outstanding services that significantly enhanced the NVA’s combat readiness.

The Honored Member of the National People’s Army Medal Design

The gold-plated medal, with a diameter of 35 mm, features the large state coat of arms of the GDR (14.5 mm in diameter) set against a red background on the obverse side. Encircling the coat of arms was the inscription: “FÜR DEN SCHUTZ DER ARBEITER UND BAUERNMACHT” (“FOR THE PROTECTION OF WORKERS AND FARMER POWER“). The border of the medal was adorned with a large golden laurel wreath, intersected at the bottom by two crossed daggers.

The reverse of the medal bears the four-line inscription “VERDIENTER – ANGEHÖRIGER – DER NATIONALEN – VOLKSARMEE“.

The medal was worn on the upper left side of the chest, affixed to a pentagonal clasp. The clasp was covered with a silver-gray ribbon featuring two vertical red stripes.

The Honored People’s Policeman Medal

The Honored People’s Policeman Medal was instituted on 15 June 1966 and was awarded for achievements and commitment to the GDR.

The title of Honored People’s Policeman of the German Democratic Republic (or Verdienter Volkspolizist in German) was a prestigious award instituted on 15 June 1966. This title recognized special achievements and personal commitment to the protection of the GDR, as well as exemplary initiatives that contributed to enhancing public safety and order.

Established during a period of heightened focus on internal security and state control, the Honour Title of Meritorious People’s Policeman was part of broader efforts to recognize and incentivize loyalty and excellence within the security forces of East Germany.

The Honored People’s Policeman Medal Criteria

Recipients of this honor were typically members of the People’s Police who demonstrated exceptional dedication and effectiveness in their duties. The award was given to individuals who showed:

  • Outstanding performance in protecting the state and its citizens.
  • Significant contributions to maintaining and improving public safety and order.
  • Exemplary personal commitment and initiative in their police work.
  • Innovative approaches to crime prevention and community safety.

The Honored People’s Policeman Medal Design

The medal awarded with this title is round and gold in color. 

The ribbon is red with thin black and yellow stripes close to the edges.

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The Meritorious Military Pilot of the German Democratic Republic

The Meritorious Military Pilot of the German Democratic Republic was the highest title awarded by the RDG to military pilots.

The Meritorious Military Pilot of the GDR (or Verdienter Militärflieger der DDR in German) was the highest honorary title awarded to military pilots of the East German National People’s Army. Instituted on August 1, 1974, by the Council of Ministers of the GDR, this prestigious title was bestowed in the form of a medal and was awarded until the dissolution of the GDR in 1990.

Award Criteria

This honorary title was granted to military pilots who demonstrated:

  • Distinguished performance, with outstanding results in both political and military duties.
  • Exceptional contributions to the development and combat readiness of the National People’s Army (NPA).
  • A Class I performance level.
  • An incident-free aviation record. The number of recipients was limited to 10 military pilots per year.

The Pilot of the GDR (DDR) Medal Design

The golden medal was shaped like a pentagon, measuring 31.5 mm in width and 41.5 mm in height. At the bottom tip, the emblem of the NPA, featuring the enameled flag of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was displayed. The medal’s main design included a MiG-23 or MiG-21 aircraft ascending steeply against a bright rising sun, with a laurel branch on the left and the inscription “VERDIENTER MILITÄRFLIEGER” on the right. The reverse side of the medal was glossy and plain.

Versions

  • 1974–1976: Made from gold-colored nonferrous metal, varnished, with a size of 40.5 × 30 mm including an arched eye. It was mounted on a small medal bar measuring 14 × 25 mm.
  • 1976–1989: Similar to the previous version but with a round eye, mounted on a pentagon bar with a gibbon bar measuring 14 × 25 mm. This version was also brass-plated, and the reverse side featured additional ornamentation.

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The Meritorious Member of State Security Medal

The Member of State Security Medal was established in 1969 and awarded for outstanding contributions to the protection of the state.

The Honor Title of Meritorious Member of State Security (or Ehrentitel Verdienter Mitarbeiter der Staatssicherheit in German) was an esteemed award in the GDR or East Germany.

It was established to recognize individuals for their exceptional service and contributions to the state security apparatus, known as the Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, MfS).

The title was introduced to formally acknowledge and reward significant achievements, dedication, and loyalty among members of the Stasi. Its primary purpose was to incentivize and honor outstanding service that significantly contributed to the effectiveness and operational success of the state security services. In other words, the decoration aimed to boost morale and encourage continued excellence among the Stasi members.

The Meritorious Member of State Security Medal Criteria

The award was given to members of the Stasi who demonstrated exceptional merit, outstanding achievements, and notable contributions to state security.

Recipients were selected based on their dedication, innovative efforts, and impactful actions that enhanced the operational capabilities of the Stasi. This included uncovering espionage, thwarting threats to the state, and other significant contributions to state security.

The Meritorious Member of State Security Medal Design

The medal featured symbolic elements representative of the Stasi and the GDR, including the flag.

The title and accompanying medal were presented during formal ceremonies. High-ranking officials from the Stasi and the GDR government often participated in these ceremonies to emphasize the importance of the award and the recognition of the recipient’s contributions.

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The Hero of Labor (DDR)

The Hero of Labor was created by the German Democratic Republic and awarded for for supporting the socialist economy.

The title Hero of Labor (or Held der Arbeit in German) was a prestigious award in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) conferred to individuals who made significant contributions to the socialist economy.

Instituted on 19 April 1950, this honor was typically awarded for exceptional increases in factory output, agricultural yields, or other substantial contributions to economic development.

The Hero of Labor Award Criteria

Each year, the award was limited to a maximum of 50 recipients. This restriction emphasized the exclusivity and prestige of the honor. The recipients were often workers, engineers, and agriculturalists who demonstrated extraordinary dedication and innovation in their respective fields.

The goal was to incentivize and recognize efforts that aligned with the socialist principles of the GDR, fostering a culture of productivity and excellence.

The Hero of Labor Design

The Hero of Labor medal was a distinctive and symbolic piece of craftsmanship. The medal featured imagery representing labor and industry, such as hammer and sickle motifs, gears, and wheat sheaves. These elements symbolized the unity of workers and peasants in building the socialist state.

Central to the medal’s design was a gold star, a common symbol of excellence and achievement in socialist iconography. This star signified the recipient’s outstanding contributions to the nation’s economic progress.

The medal was suspended from a red ribbon, a color associated with socialism and the labor movement, and often included engravings of the recipient’s name and the date of the award.

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The Hero of the German Democratic Republic

The Hero of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was an Honorary Title awarded by the East German state and its most prestigious award.

The Hero of the German Democratic Republic (or Held der Arbeit in German) was the highest honor awarded by East Germany, accompanied by a gold star medal, certificate, and financial reward.

Established by the politburo of the Socialist Unity Party on 29 October 1975, it was first awarded on 28 November 1975.

The first recipient was General Heinz Hoffmann on his 65th birthday. The first foreign recipient was Leonid Brezhnev, who was honored three times. Only two recipients, cosmonauts Vladimir Kovalyonok and Aleksander Ivanchenkov, are still alive today. The last citizen of the GDR to bear the title was Sigmund Jähn, who passed away in 2019.

A total of 17 awards were given to 11 recipients.

The Hero of the German Democratic Republic Award Criteria

The title was awarded to individuals who demonstrated extraordinary service or acts of heroism that contributed significantly to the development, international standing, military security, or authority of the GDR. Eligible recipients included combatants against fascism, servicemen of the National People’s Army, civilians cooperating with the armed services, foreign nationals in exceptional cases, and cosmonauts, who were also honored as Cosmonaut of the German Democratic Republic.

The Hero of the German Democratic Republic Privileges

The five-pointed gold star medal was similar to the Soviet Union’s Hero of the Soviet Union. Recipients also received a certificate and financial reward. After 1978, the Order of Karl Marx was a prerequisite for this honor. Both the medal and the certificate had to be returned to the state upon the recipient’s death.

Originally, up to 10 awards could be given annually, with recipients eligible for multiple awards, leading to titles such as “twice Hero” or, uniquely for Leonid Brezhnev, “three times Hero” of the GDR.

The Hero of the German Democratic Republic Design

The design of the Hero of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) medal is inspired by the Soviet Hero of the Soviet Union award. The medal features a five-pointed gold star, symbolizing excellence and achievement. 

The main component of the award was a gold star with five points, which was worn on the left side of the chest. The star was polished and made to stand out, signifying the highest level of honor and valor recognized by the state.

The medal is suspended from a red ribbon, reflecting the socialist values and heritage of the GDR. The red color symbolized the socialist ideology and the connection to the broader communist movement. The ribbon was designed to be worn on the uniform, making the award highly visible.

Alongside the medal, recipients were presented with a certificate documenting their achievements and the reasons for their recognition and a financial reward.

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