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Tag: NSDAP Decorations

The Germanic Proficiency Runes

The Nazi regime introduced a sports badge for non-Germans who were part of the Germanic-SS and Waffen-SS, known as the runes.

The Germanic Proficiency Runes Badge, established on August 15, 1943, was awarded to non-German members of the Germanic-SS and Waffen-SS who demonstrated exceptional physical fitness and adherence to Nazi ideology.

The Germanic Proficiency Runes were awarded in two grades: bronze and silver. The distinction between these grades was based on the level of physical achievement demonstrated by the recipients.

The tests for these awards were similar to those required for the SA Sports Badge, ensuring a standardized measure of physical fitness across both German and non-German SS members.

The creation of the Germanic Proficiency Runes served several purposes. It was a tool for promoting physical fitness and readiness among non-German SS members. Additionally, it reinforced the ideology of the Germanic-SS, which sought to include ethnically Germanic volunteers from occupied and neutral countries in Europe.

The Germanic Proficiency Runes Tests

Recipients of the Germanic Proficiency Runes had to undergo rigorous physical tests that were on par with the requirements for the SA Sports Badge. These tests included a variety of athletic and endurance challenges designed to assess overall physical fitness, agility, strength, and stamina. The aim was to maintain a high level of physical preparedness among the SS troops, irrespective of their nationality.

The SS Zivilabzeichen Badge

The SS Zivilabzeichen Badge, also known as the SS Civil Badge, was a lapel pin issued to SS members between 1933 and 1938.

The SS Zivilabzeichen, also known as the SS Civil Badge, was a lapel pin issued to SS members between 1933 and 1938. This badge, displaying the SS runes, was worn on civilian clothing to signify membership in the SS.

The badge was predominantly awarded to veteran SS members within the Sicherheitspolizei, though there was no strict criteria for its issuance. Members simply had to apply to the SS-Hauptamt to receive it.

Known Badge Numbers

  • Adolf Hitler: Honorary SS number “1”. His badge was kept in his Munich apartment and later taken by 1st Lieutenant Philip Ben Lieber in 1945. This badge, along with other items owned by Hitler, was sold through Mohawk Arms to collectors Stephen Wolfe and Neil Hardin, and eventually acquired by collector Craig Gottlieb in 2013.
  • Heinrich Himmler: Badge number 2.
  • Adolf Eichmann: Badge number 6,375.
  • Gustav Lombard: Badge number 72,723.
  • Karl Freiherr Michel von Tüßling: Badge number 106,983.
  • Ernst Kaltenbrunner: Badge number 160,180.
  • Hermann Senkowsky: Badge number 169,582.

The SS Membership Runes for Order Police

The SS Membership Runes for Order Police was a badge worn by members of the Ordnungspolizei who were also full members of the SS.

The SS Membership Runes for Order Police was a badge worn by members of the Ordnungspolizei (Orpo) who were also full members of the Schutzstaffel (SS). This badge featured two white Sig Runes, the symbol of the SS, and was centered on the lower left-hand pocket of the jacket.

This badge marked the initial step towards merging the Order Police with the SS, a process supported by Kurt Daluege and Heinrich Himmler. The integration advanced further in 1942, when all Orpo Police Generals were granted equivalent SS ranks and began wearing modified SS-Police rank insignia.

The SS Membership Runes for Order Police Design

The badge was centered on the lower left-hand jacket pocket. It prominently featured two white Sig Runes, which are the iconic symbol of the SS, signifying the wearer’s dual membership in both the Order Police and the SS.

The two white Sig Runes were centrally placed, symbolizing the SS. The runes are in a stylized font typical of Nazi iconography.

The background of the badge is a dark green color, creating a strong contrast with the white runes and ensuring the symbol is easily recognizable from a distance.

The SS Chevron for Former Police and Military

The SS Chevron for Former Police and Military was a service badge awarded to members of the Nazi Party Schutzstaffel (SS) for service.

The SS Chevron for Former Police and Military (or SS-Ehrenwinkel mit Stern für ehemalige Polizei- und Wehrmachtsangehörige in German) was a service badge awarded to members of the Nazi Party Schutzstaffel (SS) who had previously served in law enforcement, the Reichswehr, or Der Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten (“The Steel Helmet, League of Front-Line Soldiers”).

Notable recipients included Arthur Nebe, recognized for his service as a detective with the Berlin Police Department, and Franz Josef Huber, who had served as a police inspector with the Munich Police Department.

The SS Chevron for Former Police and Military Design

This badge signified prior professional service and was visually similar to the Honor Chevron for the Old Guard, distinguished by a darkened center and a silver service pip.

The average price for an authentic SS Chevron for Former Police and Military typically ranges from $300 to $600 USD, depending on its condition and provenance.

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 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.”

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.