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Category: Germany

The Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge

The Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge was established to recognize members for proficiency in athletics, field craft, and political knowledge.

The Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge (or Leistungsabzeichen der Hitler Jugend in German) was established in June 1934 to recognize Hitler Youth members who demonstrated proficiency in athletics, field craft, and basic political knowledge.

The badge was awarded in different versions based on the age and achievement level of the recipient. It was presented in silver for boys over 17 and in bronze for 16-year-olds. Members of the Jungvolk initially received a black version until 1937 when a distinct Jungvolk badge was introduced.

By the end of 1943, a significant number of these badges had been awarded:

  • Bronze Badges: 103,061
  • Silver Badges: 217,093

These figures highlight the widespread implementation of this award within the Hitler Youth organization as a means to encourage and reward physical and ideological training.

The Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge Design

The obverse of the badge features a swastika encircled by a ring inscribed with ‘Für Leistungen in der HJ’ (For achievements in the HJ) in runic-style script. This design is set against a large tiwaz rune.

The reverse of the badge is numbered and equipped with a pin for attachment to the breast pocket.

Other Hitler Youth Badges

The variety of Hitler Youth badges arose from the organization’s desire to recognize different levels of achievement, service, and merit among its members. These included:

Hitler Youth Information

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The Hitler Youth Leader’s Sports Badge

The Hitler Youth Leader’s Sports Badge was designed to recognize those in the Hitler Youth and Jungvolk who excelled in an annual fitness test.

Instituted in January 1937, the Hitler Youth Leader’s Sports Badge in Gold (or Goldenes Führersportabzeichen der Hitler Jugend in German) was designed to recognize officers in the Hitler Youth and Jungvolk who excelled in an annual fitness test. These tests covered a range of sports and physical activities to assess the fitness and proficiency of the officers. In May 1938, this prestigious badge was officially established to honor those who achieved the highest scores.

Over 11,000 of these badges were awarded, making it a relatively common yet highly regarded decoration among Hitler Youth officers. Each badge was individually numbered, adding a layer of uniqueness to every awarded piece.

The Hitler Youth Leader’s Sports Badge Design

The badge is crafted from copper gilt and features, in the obverse, a prominent swastika at its center. Surrounding the swastika is a ring with the inscription ‘Für Leistungen in der HJ’ (For achievements in the HJ) in runic-style script. This is set in front of a large tiwaz rune, symbolizing the warrior god Tyr, and encircled by a narrow laurel wreath.

The reverse side of the badge is numbered and equipped with a pin, allowing it to be worn on the left breast pocket.

Other Hitler Youth Badges

The variety of Hitler Youth badges arose from the organization’s desire to recognize different levels of achievement, service, and merit among its members. These included:

Hitler Youth Information

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The Hitler Youth Badge for Distinguished Foreigners

The Hitler Youth Badge for Distinguished Foreigners was a special honor authorized in 1941 and specifically designed for non-German citizens.

The Hitler Youth Badge for Distinguished Foreigners (or Ehrenzeichen der Reichsjugendführung der Hitler-Jugend für Verdiente Ausländer in German) was a special honor authorized in 1941. This badge was specifically designed for non-German citizens who had shown significant support for the objectives and activities of the Hitler Youth (Hitler-Jugend).

The badge was intended to acknowledge and reward foreign individuals who contributed to the goals and spread of Nazi ideology through the Hitler Youth organization. These individuals played a role in fostering international support for the Nazi regime and its youth programs, promoting the values and principles of the Hitler Youth outside of Germany.

Instituted during the height of World War II, the badge served both as a diplomatic tool and a symbol of the Nazi Party’s international reach.

The Hitler Youth Badge for Foreigners Designs

The badge is an oval-shaped decoration made from gilt and enamel, reflecting its prestigious nature. The design features a spread eagle perched above the emblem of the Hitler Youth, which is centrally placed. Surrounding the central design is a brown enamel band with the inscription “Hitler Jugend,” signifying its association with the Hitler Youth.

Other Hitler Youth Badges

The variety of Hitler Youth badges arose from the organization’s desire to recognize different levels of achievement, service, and merit among its members. These included:

Hitler Youth Information

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The Hitler Youth Badge

The Hitler Youth Badge was a political award in Nazi Germany, given for various levels of service to the Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend).

The Hitler Youth Badge (or Das Hitler-Jugend-Abzeichen in German) was a political award in Nazi Germany, given for various levels of service to the Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend). Initially created in 1929, formal regulations for its presentation were established from 1933. Several other awards for merit and proficiency were also introduced by the Hitler Youth.

Public display of all Nazi Party awards, including the Hitler Youth badge, was banned after 1945.

The Hitler Youth Badge Grades and Designs

Standard Hitler Youth Badge

This badge denoted membership, particularly for leaders, and could not be worn once the individual left the Hitler Youth. It featured a golden-framed rhomboid with a black swastika in a red and white field, edged in silver.

Golden Hitler Youth Badge

Authorized by Hitler on June 23, 1934, and established by National Youth Leader Baldur von Schirach, this badge recognized leadership, long service, or special achievements. It was awarded to those who joined before October 2, 1932, and completed five years of continuous service. It resembled the standard badge but was edged in gold and could be worn indefinitely, even after leaving the Hitler Youth.

Golden Hitler Youth Badge with Oak Leaves

Instituted in 1935, this badge recognized exceptional services to the Hitler Youth and was awarded to about 250 individuals. It had a higher workmanship and was framed with a narrow border of oak leaves.

The Hitler Youth Badge - Nazi Germany Medals - Interwar & WW2
The Hitler Youth Badge - Badge, obverse.
The Hitler Youth Badge - Gold version, obverse.
The Hitler Youth Badge - Gold version, obverse.
The Hitler Youth Badge - With Oak Leaves version, obverse.
The Hitler Youth Badge - With Oak Leaves version, obverse.

Other Hitler Youth Badges

The variety of Hitler Youth badges arose from the organization’s desire to recognize different levels of achievement, service, and merit among its members. These included:

Hitler Youth Information

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The Police Long Service Award (Nazi Germany)

The Police Long Service Award was a commendation given to active members of the German police during the Nazi era.

The Police Long Service Award (or Polizei-Dienstauszeichnung in German) was a commendation given to active members of the German police during the Nazi era. Designed by Professor Richard Klein, the awards varied slightly depending on the length of service.

On January 30, 1938, Adolf Hitler instituted the Police Long Service Award to recognize police personnel based on their years of service. The awards were issued in three grades for eight, eighteen, and twenty-five years of service. 

Eligibility required active membership in the police force or administrative service, with military service time also counting towards the total service duration.

The Police Long Service Award Design

Each medal featured the police insignia—a national eagle emblem surrounded by a wreath—on the obverse, with the inscription “Für treue Dienste in der Polizei” (“For faithful service in the Police”) on the reverse.

Eight-Year Award:

    • Design: Silver, round medal, 38 mm in diameter.
    • Ribbon: Cornflower blue, 35 mm wide.
    • Obverse: Police insignia.
    • Reverse: Number 8 with the inscription “Für treue Dienste in der Polizei.”

Eighteen-Year Award:

    • Design: Silver-gray four-pointed cross (Ordenskreuz), 43 mm in size.
    • Ribbon: Cornflower blue with a woven police insignia, varying in width (37 mm or 51 mm).
    • Obverse: Police insignia.
    • Reverse: Inscription “Für treue Dienste in der Polizei.”

Twenty-Five-Year Award:

    • Design: Gold four-pointed cross (Ordenskreuz), similar to the eighteen-year award but in gold.
    • Presentation Case: Green simulated leather with the number 18 or 25 embossed on the top. Inside, the case had a white satin lid and a velvet lower portion.

On August 12, 1944, a higher grade was authorized for forty years of service, designed as a gold metal bar with the number 40 and oak leaves, to be affixed to the ribbon of the twenty-five-year award. However, there is no record of this being awarded before the end of World War II.

The SS Long Service Award (25 Years of Service)

The SS Long Service Awards were given to SS members in grades of four, eight, twelve, and twenty-five years of service.

The SS Long Service Awards (or SS-Dienstauszeichnungen in German) were given in grades of four years, eight years, twelve years, and twenty-five years as an acknowledgment for faithful and true services of SS members in the SS-Verfügungstruppen (SS Dispositional Troops), SS-Totenkopfverbänden (Death’s Head Units) und SS-Junkerschulen (Junker Schools). It was first introduced by Adolf Hitler on 30 January 1938.

The SS Long Service Award for 25 years of service was the highest class of the SS long service awards, specifically designed to honor members of the SS who had dedicated a quarter-century to the organization.

The SS Long Service Awards Grades or Classes

The grades are awarded to the respective ranks as follows:

  • 1st Class (Gold) for 25 years true service awards to eligible Officers, NCO’s and Men
  • 2nd Class (Silver) for 12 years true service awards to eligible Officers, NCO’s and Men
  • 3th Class (Bronze) for 8 years true service awards to eligible Officers, NCO’s and Men
  • 4th Class (Black) for 4 yrs true service for eligible NCO’s and Men.

The SS Long Service Award for 25 years of service was awarded to officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and enlisted men, recognizing their prolonged commitment and loyalty to the SS and the Nazi Party over a significant part of their careers.

The four-year and eight-year awards were the most common awards, and despite the fact that the Nazi movement lasted for little over 25 years, awards of the 25-year version were made well before 25 years of actual service were completed. This was because Kampfzeit (or “Time of Struggle”) counted double. Nevertheless, this was one of the rarer awards given out by Nazi Germany.

The SS Long Service Awards Design

The SS service awards were designed in Munich by Professor Karl Diebitsch, an artist and the Schutzstaffel (SS) officer responsible for designing much of the SS regalia in the Third Reich, including the chained SS officer’s dagger scabbard.

On its reverse side, each award had emblazoned the inscription, in German: FÜR TREUE DIENSTE IN DER SS (“For Loyal Service in the SS”). 

The awards varied in design depending on the length of service of the recipient, and the branches of the Wehrmacht (Luftwaffe, Heer and Kriegsmarine) had different insignia. The Nazi Party and German Police also had a similar service award.

The twenty-five-year service award was designed in the shape of a swastika, featuring a gold finish. It was bestowed upon all officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and enlisted men in recognition of their long-term service.

The Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg)

The Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg) was established as the Order of Saint John or the Johanniter Order in 1099.

The Bailiwick of Brandenburg of the Chivalric Order of Saint John of the Hospital at Jerusalem (or Balley Brandenburg des Ritterlichen Ordens Sankt Johannis vom Spital zu Jerusalem in German), commonly referred to as the Order of Saint John or the Johanniter Order (Johanniterorden), is the German Protestant branch of the Knights Hospitaller. The order, considered the oldest surviving chivalric order, is believed to have been established in Jerusalem in 1099.

The current leader, or Herrenmeister (Master of the Knights/Grand Master), is Oskar Prince of Prussia. The order comprises approximately four thousand knights globally, classified as either Knights of Justice (Rechtsritter) or Knights of Honour (Ehrenritter). Membership is by invitation only and is not restricted to German nationals or speakers. Though the order no longer requires noble status for membership since 1948, most members still come from the nobility. The order includes seventeen commanderies in Germany and one each in Austria, Finland, France, Hungary, and Switzerland, along with a global commandery with subcommanderies in twelve other countries, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Italy, Namibia, Poland, South Africa, the UK, the US, and Venezuela.

The Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg) Design

The cloak of the Order is primarily black, featuring a prominent white, linen eight-pointed cross on the left breast. Most knights wear cloaks made of black wool, while French knights add distinctive white wool collars.

The basic insignia is a white-enamelled Maltese cross. Since 1668, the crosses have featured crowned Brandenburg (later Prussian) eagles between the arms. For Knights of Justice, Honorary Commanders, Commanders, and the Herrenmeister, the eagles are gold, while for Knights of Honour and Honorary Members, the eagles are enamelled black with gold crowns. The cross’s size varies by rank: 5 cm for Knights of Justice, 5.5 cm for Commanders and Honorary Commanders, 6 cm for Knights of Honour, and 7 cm for the Herrenmeister. Each cross is worn on a black-moire ribbon around the neck.

Members may also wear a plain Maltese cross as a star or ‘breast badge,’ typically made of plain linen, with enamelled stars in silver or silver gilt for formal occasions. Additionally, a smaller white-enamelled Maltese cross in gold or silver may be worn on the left lapel of a knight’s suit or sportcoat.

The German Order (WW2)

The German Order was the highest honor the Nazi Party could confer on an individual for exceptional services to the state and party.

The German Order (or Deutscher Orden in German) was the highest honor the Nazi Party could confer on an individual for exceptional services to the state and party.

Designed by Benno von Arent, it was first awarded posthumously by Adolf Hitler to Reichsminister Fritz Todt at Todt’s funeral in February 1942. A second posthumous award was given to SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich during his funeral in June of the same year.

Due to its frequent posthumous bestowal, it was cynically referred to as the “dead hero order.” The only two recipients who survived the war were Konstantin Hierl and Artur Axmann.

Hitler viewed the German Order as his personal decoration, reserved for those whose contributions he deemed exceptionally valuable to the state, party, and people. This exclusivity, combined with the presence of Hitler’s facsimile signature on the reverse, led to it being informally known as the “Hitler Order.” The awardees were intended to form a special confraternity, symbolizing their distinguished status within the Nazi regime.

The German Order Design

The German Order’s design incorporated elements reminiscent of the Iron Cross and the Order of the German Eagle.

It featured a black enamel cross measuring 48.5 mm across, with a central medallion of 20.5 mm. Between the cross’s arms were national eagles with furled wings, each clutching a wreath. The center displayed the Golden Party Badge.

The design was inspired by the regalia of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, the Marian Cross, theKnight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, and the Knight of Justice of the Order of St. John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg). Although intended to be awarded in three grades, only the neck order (the highest grade) was ever issued. It is considered the second rarest Nazi Germany award after the National Prize for Art and Science.

The Honor Chevron for the Old Guard

The Honor Chevron for the Old Guard was a decoration worn by members of the Nazi Party’s SS. It was nstituted by Adolf Hitler in 1934.

The Honor Chevron for the Old Guard (or Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer in German) was a distinctive decoration worn by members of the Nazi Party’s SS. Instituted by Adolf Hitler in February 1934, this silver chevron was worn on the upper right sleeve and signified early membership in the Nazi movement.

This chevron was awarded to all members of the SS who had joined the Allgemeine SS, the NSDAP, or any other affiliated party organization before January 30, 1933. This date marked the Nazi Party’s rise to power, and thus early membership was highly prized as a sign of loyalty and commitment to the party’s cause.

Following the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938, the eligibility for the Honor Chevron was extended. Austrians who had joined the Austrian National Socialist Workers’ Party (DNSAP) before February 18, 1938, were also entitled to wear the insignia. Additionally, this decoration was later made available to former members of various Nazi security services, the Ordnungspolizei (order police), and the Wehrmacht, provided they met specific criteria.

The Honor Chevron for the Old Guard Design and Wear

The Honor Chevron for the Old Guard served not only as a mark of early and dedicated support for the Nazi Party but also as a symbol of elite status within the SS and other Nazi organizations. Its display on the uniform was a visible indication of the wearer’s longstanding loyalty to Hitler and the Nazi ideology.

The Nuremberg Party Day Badge

The Nuremberg Party Day Badge was a highly esteemed political decoration within the NSDAP and the second national award of the party.

The Nuremberg Party Day Badge (or Das Nürnberger Parteiabzeichen von 1929 in German) was a highly esteemed political decoration within the Nazi Party (NSDAP). Recognized as the second national award of the party, it was established through regulations on November 6, 1936, to commemorate the 4th Reichsparteitag (National Party Day) held in Nuremberg from August 1-4, 1929.

Also referred to as the “1929 Nürnberg Party Badge,” this special honor badge was awarded to Nazi Party members who attended the 1929 national rally in Nuremberg. The badge symbolized the “Old Guard” and was prominently worn by high-ranking Nazi leaders, including Adolf Hitler, during subsequent rallies in Nuremberg. Permission to wear the badge was granted by the Gauleiter (Senior district leader), and the right to wear it could be revoked by Hitler or Martin Bormann, the chief of the Nazi Party Chancellery.

In a 1936 order by Hitler regarding Nazi awards, the Nuremberg Party Badge was ranked second, preceded only by the Coburg Badge and followed by the SA Rally Badge of 1931, the Golden Party Badge, and the Blood Order.

The Nuremberg Party Day Badge Design

The badge was to be worn on the left breast side of a uniform and measured 21mm wide by 48mm high. It featured the Nuremberg Castle at the top with the word “Nürnberg” underneath. An eagle perched atop a helmet was depicted in the center, with inscriptions around it reading “1914-1919” and “N.S.D.A.P. 1929 Partei Tag.”