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Category: Germany

The Danzig Cross

The Danzig Cross or Danziger Kreuz was a Nazi decoration established in the Free City of Danzig prior to its incorporation into Germany.

The Danzig Cross (or Danziger Kreuz in German) was a Nazi decoration established in the Free City of Danzig. Instituted on August 31, 1939, by Danzig Gauleiter Albert Forster, this decoration recognized individuals who contributed significantly to the development of the Nazi Party in Danzig prior to its incorporation into Germany on September 1, 1939.

By December 1939, a total of 88 first-class crosses and 253 second-class crosses had been awarded, most during a ceremony on October 24, 1939. Among the recipients was Hans Frank, who received his award on May 19, 1940.

As a decoration from the National Socialist government of Danzig, the Danzig Cross was recognized as an official state award and could be worn on both Nazi Party and Wehrmacht uniforms. After Germany’s defeat in 1945, all Nazi-era decorations were banned. The Danzig Cross was not re-authorized for wear by the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957.

The Danzig Cross Design

The Danzig Cross was designed by Benno von Arent. The cross featured elongated upper and lower arms and was crafted from white enamel with gilt outlines. The top arm and center displayed the coronet and twin cross from the Danzig coat of arms, also in gilt. The reverse side of the cross was plain, marked by the manufacturer Huelse Berlin.

  • Second Class Cross: Measures 43mm in height and 31mm in width. It is attached to a red ribbon with yellow and white stripes along its edges.
  • First Class Cross: Slightly larger at 60mm by 44mm, it is convex and features a pin on the reverse, allowing it to be worn on the left side of the jacket.

The Brunswick Rally Badge

The Brunswick Rally Badge was established in 1936 and was the third badge to be recognized as a national award by the Nazi Party (NSDAP).

The Brunswick Rally Badge, officially known as the Badge of the SA Rally at Brunswick 1931 (or Das Abzeichen vom SA – Treffen in Braunschweig 1931 in German), was the third badge to be recognized as a national award by the Nazi Party (NSDAP).

Established through regulations issued on November 6, 1936, this special Party Honor Badge commemorated the SA Assembly in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, held on October 17-18, 1931.

The Rally Event

The Brunswick rally was a significant joint event involving members of the Sturmabteilung (SA) and Schutzstaffel (SS). It aimed to demonstrate the strength and solidarity of these paramilitary groups in a Germany weary from internal strife and political instability.

Held before Adolf Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933, the rally saw a massive participation of 104,000 SA and SS men who marched in a six-hour parade reviewed by Hitler. This event also marked the first inspection of the SA Motor and National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK) units.

The rally was organized by SA-Gruppe Nord under the leadership of then SA-Gruppenführer Viktor Lutze. During the event, the SA pledged their loyalty to Hitler, who in turn expanded the SA by creating 24 new Standarten (regiment-sized formations). Hitler later rewarded Lutze’s loyalty by appointing him as the commander of the SA in 1934, following the purge of Ernst Röhm during the Night of the Long Knives.

The Brunswick Rally Badge Design

The Brunswick Rally Badge was created to commemorate this large-scale rally and honor its participants. To qualify for purchasing and wearing the badge, one had to have officially attended the rally. The badge was worn on the left breast of the uniform and was made in two patterns.

  • Pattern 1: Measuring 37mm wide by 50mm high, it featured the Party eagle at the top and an oak leaf wreath around the edge, with a bow at the bottom. Inside the wreath was inscribed “S—A Treffen Braunschweig 17./18. Oktober 1931.”
  • Pattern 2: Slightly larger at 37mm wide by 52mm high, it retained the same basic design as the first pattern. Early badges were stamped out of tin and silver in color, while later ones were stamped with a solid back and were grey.

Permission to wear the badge had to be confirmed by a senior SA Party leader or higher, and the authorization to wear it could be revoked by SA-Stabschef Viktor Lutze or his successors.

The Frontbann Badge

The Frontbann Badge was introduced in 1932 by the SA Group Berlin-Brandenburg to honor the members of the Frontbann organization.

The Frontbann Badge (or Frontbannabzeichen in German) was introduced in 1932 by the SA Group Berlin-Brandenburg to honor the members of the Frontbann organization.

This badge was awarded to individuals who had joined the Frontbann before December 31, 1927, and who also had been members of the Nazi Party or another right-wing paramilitary group prior to that date. 

In 1933, it was officially recognized as a Nazi Party decoration. However, by the end of 1934, the badge was no longer authorized for wear by members of the NSDAP.

The Frontbann Badge Design

The badge was made of silver, featured a pin-back, and measured 20 mm in diameter.

Its design included a swastika with a German helmet at the center, and the inscription “WIR-WOLLEN-FREI-WERDEN” (“We want to be free”) on the arms of the swastika.

The Nazi Party Long Service Award

The Nazi Party Long Service Award was a distinguished political decoration presented in the form of a badge by the Nazi Party.

The Nazi Party Long Service Award, officially known as Die Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP in German, was a distinguished political decoration presented in the form of a badge by the Nazi Party.

Instituted on April 2, 1939, by Adolf Hitler, this award recognized long-term service of male and female members of the NSDAP. The decoration was first bestowed on January 30, 1940. 

Due to the Nazi Party’s relatively short existence (1920–1945), the awards were granted before the actual service years were completed. The period from February 1925 to January 1933 was considered the “Kampfzeit” (Time of Struggle), and service during this time was counted double. Continuous service in any Nazi Party organization or formation qualified, with exceptions for up to two years of compulsory military service, military service against the Republican Government in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), and German military service post-September 1939.

The Nazi Party Long Service Award Classes

The award featured three classes: ten years (bronze), fifteen years (silver), and twenty-five years (gold).

Ten-Year Award: The ten-year service medal (3rd class) was a bronze medal measuring 43mm, suspended from a dark brown ribbon with two narrow white side stripes. The reverse side featured raised lettering.

Fifteen-Year Award: The fifteen-year service medal (2nd class) had a similar design but was plated in silver and featured dark blue enamel on the cross arms and the center section. The reverse side inscription was in blue enamel with silver lettering. The ribbon was blue with two narrow silver-gray side stripes.

Twenty-Five-Year Award: The twenty-five-year service medal (1st class) was gold-plated with white enamel on the cross arms and center section. The reverse inscription was white enamel with gold lettering. The ribbon was red with white edge stripes and a small gold center stripe. This medal was sometimes awarded posthumously.

Nazi Party Long Service Award - 25 Years.
Nazi Party Long Service Award - 10 Years.
The Nazi Party Long Service Award - Germany Medals, Interwar
The Nazi Party Long Service Award - 15 Years.
Nazi Party Long Service Award - 25 Years.
Nazi Party Long Service Award - 25 Years.

The Nazi Party Long Service Award Design

Each medal bore the inscription “Treue für Führer und Volk” (Loyalty to Leader and People) on the reverse side. The service award was a four-pointed cross with slightly curved arms, featuring a national eagle and an oak leaf wreath at the center.

When awarded to men, the medals were worn on the left breast pocket medal bar. Women wore the award as a neck order or a brooch medal from a 15mm ribbon. On the small ribbon bar, the ribbon included a small national eagle within a wreath in the class-specific color.

All three classes could be worn simultaneously.

The Blood Order or Blutorden

The Blood Order or Blutorden was a highly prestigious Nazi Party decoration established by Adolf Hitler in March 1934.

The Blood Order (or Blutorden in German), formally known as the Decoration in Memory of 9 November 1923 (Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 9. November 1923), was a highly prestigious Nazi Party decoration.

Established by Adolf Hitler in March 1934, it commemorated the failed Beer Hall Putsch of November 9, 1923. 

Initially, the Blood Order was awarded to 1,500 putsch participants who were members of the Nazi Party or its formations before January 1932, or cadets from the Munich Infantry School. These first medals, made of 99% pure silver, were carefully numbered except for those given to Hitler and Göring. Recipients wore the ribbon on the right breast in a rosette form, with the medal sometimes pinned below.

In May 1938, eligibility expanded to include those imprisoned or sentenced to death for Nazi activities before 1933, those severely wounded in service of the Party, Austrian Nazi participants in the 1934 July Putsch, and others at Hitler’s discretion. Reinhard Heydrich was the last posthumous recipient.

The Blood Order or Blutorden Rank

Holders who left the Nazi Party had to return the medal. Among the recipients were 16 women, with fewer than 6,000 total awards given, including the original putsch participants and those from the 1938 extensions.

Hitler’s 1936 “Orders and Awards” decree ranked the Blood Order fifth among top NSDAP honors, after the Coburg Badge, Nürnberg Party Badge of 1929, SA Treffen at Brunswick 1931, and the Golden Party Badge, followed by Gau badges and the Golden HJ Badge.

The Blood Order or Blutorden Design

The medal is silver, featuring an eagle clutching an oak wreath with the date “9. Nov” and “München 1923–1933” inscribed on the obverse. The later medals, struck in 80% silver, carried serial numbers above 1500 and lacked the maker’s name, unlike the initial Type I medals. 

The reverse shows the Feldherrnhalle entrance, a swastika with sun rays, and the motto “UND IHR HABT DOCH GESIEGT” (“And after all, you won”).

The Ordre de la Sincérité (Order of Sincerity)

The Ordre de la Sincérité was a knighthood order established in 1705 by the House of Hohenzollern in the German Margrave of Bayreuth.

  • Time Period: Pre-WW1
  • Institution: 17 November 1705
  • Country: Germany (German Margrave of Bayreuth)

The Order of Sincerity, originally known as “Ordre de la Sincérité” due to the 18th-century French-speaking courtiers, was a knighthood order established by the German Margrave of Bayreuth.

This order was later renamed the Order of the Brandenburg Red Eagle and eventually became known as the Order of the Red Eagle.

The Order of Sincerity was founded on November 17, 1705, by Margrave George William of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, a member of the House of Hohenzollern. Similar to many knighthood orders of small German courts, it initially fell into disuse. It was revived in 1712 in Brandenburg-Bayreuth and again in 1734 in Brandenburg-Ansbach, where it was renamed the “Order of the Brandenburg Red Eagle.” In 1777, its statutes were revised, and it was referred to as the “Order of the Red Eagle.” This order was limited to fifty knights and was conferred in one class. The church associated with the order was the Ordenskirche St. Georgen in Bayreuth.

In January 1792, the Kingdom of Prussia acquired Brandenburg-Bayreuth and Brandenburg-Ansbach. On June 12, 1792, King Frederick William II revived the order as a Prussian royal order. It became the second-highest order in the kingdom, following the Order of the Black Eagle. Although it was abolished as a state order in 1918, it continues to exist as a House Order of the House of Hohenzollern.

The Ordre de la Sincérité Design

The medal features a white enamel cross with broad arms. The cross is a Maltese cross, characterized by its four equal arms that are narrower at the center and wider at the ends.

At the center of the cross, in the obverse, there is a circular medallion with a red eagle, which is a significant symbol in German heraldry. The eagle is detailed with red enamel and appears to be crowned and holding a scepter and orb, signifying sovereignty and authority.

The top of the medal is adorned with an enameled crown. The crown is red with white and blue details and attached to a loop.

The ribbon of the order is orange. 

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The Medal for Faithful Fulfillment of Duties in the Civil Defense of the GDR

The Medal for Faithful Fulfillment of Duties in the Civil Defense of the GDR honored individuals who demonstrated exceptional dedication.

The Medal for Faithful Fulfillment of Duties in the Civil Defense of the GDR (or Medaille für treue Pflichterfüllung in der Zivilverteidigung der DDR in German) was established to honor individuals who demonstrated exceptional dedication and performance in the civil defense sector of the German Democratic Republic.

Created on February 11, 1963, this medal recognized those who contributed significantly to the preparation, coordination, and execution of civil defense measures, ensuring the safety and protection of the population during emergencies and disasters.

The Award Criteria

The criteria for receiving the Medal for Faithful Fulfillment of Duties in the Civil Defense of the GDR included demonstrating consistent dedication, efficiency, and professionalism in civil defense roles.

The medal was awarded in multiple classes based on service duration and performance: bronze for 5 years, silver for 10 years, and gold for 15 years or more. Recipients were expected to have shown exceptional performance in planning and executing civil defense operations, adherence to socialist principles, and significant contributions to the safety and preparedness of the state.

The Award Design

The Medal for Faithful Fulfillment of Duties in the Civil Defense of the GDR featured a circular design made from bronze, silver, or gold, depending on the class.

The obverse side displayed civil defense symbols, such as a shield or a torch, surrounded by laurel leaves. The reverse bore the inscription “Für treue Pflichterfüllung” (For Faithful Fulfillment of Duties) and the number of years of service.

The medal was attached to a crimson ribbon with a central red stripe.

The Medal for Faithful Service in Fighting Groups of the Working Class

The Medal for Faithful Service in Fighting Groups of the Working Class was awarded to paramilitary units composed of workers of the GDR.

The Medal for Faithful Service in Fighting Groups of the Working Class (or Medaille für treue Dienste in den Kampfgruppen der Arbeiterklasse in German) was established to recognize the long-term dedication and exemplary service of members of the Fighting Groups of the Working Class.

These groups were paramilitary units composed of workers who were trained and organized to defend the German Democratic Republic (GDR) against internal and external threats. The medal was created to honor their commitment to the socialist state and their role in safeguarding its achievements.

The Award Criteria

The criteria for receiving the Medal for Faithful Service in Fighting Groups of the Working Class included demonstrating long-term service and exemplary performance in the duties of the Fighting Groups.

The award was given in multiple classes, typically bronze for 5 years, silver for 10 years, and gold for 15 years or more. Recipients needed to show dedication to their training, readiness to defend the state, and adherence to socialist principles. The medal recognized both individual achievements and collective efforts in maintaining the security and stability of the GDR.

The Award Design

The Medal for Faithful Service in Fighting Groups of the Working Class featured a round design made from bronze, silver, or gold, depending on the class.

The obverse side displayed symbols of the Fighting Groups, such as crossed rifles or a clenched fist, surrounded by laurel leaves. The reverse bore the inscription “Für treue Dienste” (For Faithful Service) and the number of years of service.

The medal was attached to a red ribbon with a central white stripe.

The Medal for Loyal Service in the Customs Administration of the GDR

The Medal for Loyal Service in the Customs Administration of the GDR was established to recognize the dedication of customs officials.

The Medal for Loyal Service in the Customs Administration of the GDR (or Medaille für treue Dienste in der Zollverwaltung der DDR in German) was established to recognize the dedication and long-term service of customs officials within the German Democratic Republic.

Instituted on June 30, 1954, this medal honored customs officers who played a crucial role in regulating trade, preventing smuggling, and ensuring the security and economic interests of the state. The award highlighted the importance of the Customs Administration in maintaining the integrity of the GDR’s borders and economic policies.

The Award Criteria

Recipients of the Medal for Loyal Service in the Customs Administration of the GDR were selected based on their length of service and exemplary conduct.

The medal was awarded in multiple classes, typically bronze for 5 years, silver for 10 years, and gold for 15 years or more. Criteria included consistent performance, adherence to state regulations, and significant contributions to the efficiency and effectiveness of the customs services. The award aimed to motivate customs officials and recognize their commitment to upholding the state’s economic and security measures.

The Award Design

The Medal for Loyal Service in the Customs Administration of the GDR featured a circular design made from bronze, silver, or gold, corresponding to the class.

The obverse displayed an emblem of the Customs Administration, such as crossed keys or a shield, surrounded by laurel branches. The reverse bore the inscription “Für treue Dienste” (For Faithful Service) and the number of years of service.

The medal was attached to a green ribbon with a thick red stripe in the middle.

The Medal for Faithful Service in Militarized Organs of the Interior Ministry

The Medal for Faithful Service in Militarized Organs of the Interior Ministry recognized dedication and service in the militarized branches.

The Medal for Faithful Service in Militarized Organs of the Interior Ministry (or Medaille für treue Dienste in den bewaffneten Organen des Ministeriums des Innern in German) was an honor awarded by the German Democratic Republic. It was established on December 1, 1955, to recognize the dedication and long-term service of personnel within the militarized branches of the Ministry of the Interior, including the police and other security services.

This medal aimed to acknowledge the essential role these organs played in maintaining internal security, public order, and the enforcement of state laws. It was part of the broader system of state awards designed to incentivize loyalty and exemplary performance among security personnel.

The Award Criteria

The criteria for receiving the Medal for Faithful Service in Militarized Organs of the Interior Ministry were based on the length of service and the demonstration of consistent, exemplary performance.

The medal was awarded in different classes, reflecting various milestones in service duration. Typically, these classes included bronze for 5 years of service, silver for 10 years, and gold for 15 years or more. Recipients needed to have shown continuous dedication, adherence to the principles of socialism, and significant contributions to the effectiveness and reliability of the security services.

The Award Design

The Medal for Faithful Service in Militarized Organs of the Interior Ministry featured a circular design made from bronze, silver, or gold, depending on the class.

The obverse side displayed the emblem of the Ministry of the Interior, which might include symbols such as a shield, crossed swords, or other elements indicative of law enforcement. The reverse typically bore the inscription “Für treue Dienste” (For Faithful Service) along with the number of years of service.

The medal was attached to a green ribbon with three thin red lines in the middle.