Political decorations of the Nazi Party
Encyclopedia
Political decorations of the Nazi Party were medals and awards issued by the National Socialist German Workers Party
between1920 and 1945. Political awards were authorized for wear on any paramilitary
uniform of Nazi Germany
, as well as civilian attire, but were generally frowned upon for display (but not actually forbidden) on active duty military uniforms of the Wehrmacht
. The one exception to this were the uniforms of the Waffen-SS
, which freely mixed political awards and military decorations
.
The various degrees of Nazi Party decorations are as follows:
. The pin was intended to denote Hitler's position
as Führer
of the Party and was worn as a lapel pin on a civilian jacket. The decoration was discontinued in 1934 after the Night of the Long Knives
. Thereafter, Hitler regularly displayed the Golden Party Badge
.
Designated those who joined the Party before Hitler became Chancellor
. It was worn on the right sleeve.
For membership in the Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten
.
) were empowered to bestow Gau Badges for a variety of services rendered to the local political organization. The badges were issued in Silver and Gold with some issuances in Bronze. They were rarely issued in Gold with Diamonds.
List of the Gau badges:
Hitler Youth
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
between1920 and 1945. Political awards were authorized for wear on any paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
uniform of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, as well as civilian attire, but were generally frowned upon for display (but not actually forbidden) on active duty military uniforms of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. The one exception to this were the uniforms of the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
, which freely mixed political awards and military decorations
Military decorations of the Third Reich
Military decorations of the Third Reich were awards and medals bestowed by the Wehrmacht between 1935 and 1945 during the reign of Nazi Germany and the years of World War II.-Senior military leadership decorations:...
.
The various degrees of Nazi Party decorations are as follows:
Political Decorations
| The German Order German Order (decoration) The German Order was the most important award that the Nazi Party could bestow on an individual for "duties of the highest order to the state and party". This award was first made by Adolf Hitler posthumously to Reichsminister Fritz Todt at his funeral in February, 1942... (Awarded with and without Swords) |
|---|
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| The Blood Order Blood Order The Blood Order , officially known as the Decoration of 9 November 1923 , was one of the most prestigious decorations in the Nazi Party... |
Golden Nazi Party Badge |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Eagle of Sovereignty Pin
The Eagle of Sovereignty Pin was a special award of the Nazi Party which was intended to be held solely by Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. The pin was intended to denote Hitler's position
Military career of Adolf Hitler
The military career of Adolf Hitler can be divided into two distinct portions of Adolf Hitler's life. Mainly, the period during World War I when Hitler served as a Gefreiter in the Bavarian Army, and the era of World War II when Hitler served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht through his...
as Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
of the Party and was worn as a lapel pin on a civilian jacket. The decoration was discontinued in 1934 after the Night of the Long Knives
Night of the Long Knives
The Night of the Long Knives , sometimes called "Operation Hummingbird " or in Germany the "Röhm-Putsch," was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany between June 30 and July 2, 1934, when the Nazi regime carried out a series of political murders...
. Thereafter, Hitler regularly displayed the Golden Party Badge
Golden Party Badge
The Golden Party Badge was a special badge of the Nazi Party. The first 100,000 members who had joined and had uninterrupted service in the Party were given the right to wear it...
.
Golden Nazi Party Badge
The first 100,000 members who had joined and had uninterrupted service in the Nazi Party were given the right to wear the Golden Nazi Party Badge (Golsenes Parteiabzeichen), shown above. Those badges had the recipient's membership number on the back (Adolf Hitler had badge #1). Other Golden Party Badges (with the initials A.H. on the back) were awarded at the discretion of Hitler to certain members of the party who merited special attention. An identical badge was awarded each year on 30 January to persons who had shown outstanding service to the Party or State.Other Nazi Badges
- Coburg BadgeCoburg BadgeThe Coburg Badge is one of the highest ranked awards in the Nazi Party. It consists in the form of a simple looking badge in bronze with a little village on top of a wreath and a sword placed tip downward across the face of a swastika within the wreath...
- Nuremberg Party Day BadgeNuremberg Party Day BadgeThe Nuremberg Party Day Badge was a highly revered political decoration of the Nazi Party, eventually ranking fourth in order after the German Order, Blood Order, and the Coburg Badge....
(1929) - Brunswick Rally Badge
- Frontbann Badge
- Danzig CrossDanzig CrossThe Danzig Cross was a Nazi decoration of the Free City of Danzig.The Danzig Cross was instituted in 31 August 1939 as two grade decoration by Danzig Gauleiter Albert Forster...
(Awarded in 1st and 2nd Classes) - NSDAP Long Service AwardNSDAP Long Service AwardNSDAP Long Service Award were given in three grades of ten years, fifteen years, and twenty-five years of service. On its reverse side, each award had emblazoned the inscription, in German: Treue für Führer und Volk...
- Awarded for 10, 15, and 25 years of service
- Honour Chevron for the Old GuardHonour Chevron for the Old GuardThe Honour Chevron for the Old Guard, or in German Ehrenwinkel für Alte Kämpfer, was a political decoration of the Nazi Party in Germany. It was authorised in February 1934, as a silver chevron to be worn on the upper right arm, by all members of the SS, who had joined the SS, NSDAP or any other...
- Honour Chevron for the Old Guard
Designated those who joined the Party before Hitler became Chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
. It was worn on the right sleeve.
- Steel Helmet Veterans Memorial Badge
For membership in the Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten
Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten
The Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten also known in short form as Der Stahlhelm was one of the many paramilitary organizations that arose after the defeat of World War I in the Weimar Republic...
.
Gau Decorations
The leaders of Nazi policial districts (known as the GauleiterGauleiter
A Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Creation and Early Usage:...
) were empowered to bestow Gau Badges for a variety of services rendered to the local political organization. The badges were issued in Silver and Gold with some issuances in Bronze. They were rarely issued in Gold with Diamonds.
List of the Gau badges:
- Standard Gau Badge
- Munich Gau Badge
- Berlin Gau Badge
- Thuringia Gau Badge
- East Hannover Gau Badge
- East Prussia Gau Badge
- Baden Gau Badge
- Essen Gau Badge
- Danzig Gau Badge
- Wartheland Gau Badge
- Sudetenland Gau Badge
SS and Police Decorations
- SS Chevron for Former Police and MilitarySS Chevron for Former Police and MilitaryThe SS Chevron for Former Police and Military was a prior service qualification badge which was displayed by members of the Nazi Schutzstaffel who had previously served as professional law enforcement or as members of the Reichswehr....
- SS Membership Runes for Order PoliceSS Membership Runes for Order PoliceThe SS Membership Runes for Order Police was a badge worn by members of the uniformed order police or Ordnungspolizei of Nazi Germany who were also full members of the Schutzstaffel...
- SS-SA Flyers Badge
- SS Long Service AwardSS Long Service AwardSS Long Service Awards were given in grades of four years, eight years, twelve years, twenty-five years, and forty years. On its reverse side, each award had emblazoned the inscription, in German: "Für treue Dienste in der SS"...
- Police Long Service Award
- Awarded for 8, 18, and 25 years of service
- Totenkopf Ring
- SS Honor Sword
- SS JulleuchterSS JulleuchterThe SS-Julleuchter was both an award and trophy of the German Schutzstaffel that was presented to members of the SS from approximately 1936 until 1944...
- SS ZivilabzeichenSS ZivilabzeichenThe SS Zivilabzeichen , was a badge of the SS issued between the years of 1933 and 1938 to certain SS officers.Translated as "SS-Civil Badge", the SS Zivilabzeichen was a small lapel pin worn on civilian clothing to denote membership in the SS. The badge was most commonly awarded to members of the...
Sports Decorations
- SA Sports BadgeSA Sports BadgeThe SA Sports Badge was a decoration of Nazi Germany that was issued between the years 1933 and 1945. It was a political version of the much more generic German Sports Badge which was also issued in great numbers by the Nazis....
(Gold, Silver, and Bronze) - SA Sports Badge for War WoundedSA Sports BadgeThe SA Sports Badge was a decoration of Nazi Germany that was issued between the years 1933 and 1945. It was a political version of the much more generic German Sports Badge which was also issued in great numbers by the Nazis....
- Germanic Proficiency RunesGermanic Proficiency RunesThe Germanic Proficiency Runes was a decoration of the German SS, issued as a type of sports badge to members of the Germanic-SS...
(Silver and Bronze) - SS Sports BadgeSS Sports BadgeThe SS Sports Badge was a rare SS sports decoration of the German Schutzstaffel, created in 1941 as an award of the Germanic-SS. The decoration was solely awarded to ethnic German SS members, and was not intended for presentation to regular German members of the Allgemeine-SS who were eligible for...
NSDAP Flyer Corps Decorations
- Powered Aircraft Badge
- Glider Pilot's Badge
- Balloon Pilot's Badge
Hitler YouthHitler YouthThe Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
Decorations
- Golden Hitler Youth Badge with OakleavesHitler Youth BadgeThe Hitler Youth Badge was a political decoration of Nazi Germany, awarded for various degrees of service to the Hitler Youth. The badge was first created in 1929, with formal regulations for presentation as a decoration formalized in 1933....
- Hitler Youth BadgeHitler Youth BadgeThe Hitler Youth Badge was a political decoration of Nazi Germany, awarded for various degrees of service to the Hitler Youth. The badge was first created in 1929, with formal regulations for presentation as a decoration formalized in 1933....
- Hitler Youth Badge for Distinguished ForeignersHitler Youth BadgeThe Hitler Youth Badge was a political decoration of Nazi Germany, awarded for various degrees of service to the Hitler Youth. The badge was first created in 1929, with formal regulations for presentation as a decoration formalized in 1933....
- Hitler Youth Leader's Sports Badge
- Hitler Youth Skier Badge
- Hitler Youth Marksmanship Badge
- Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge