DDR DDR Medals

[Chris S]

I have to admit I know nought about DDR medals but as I have some Soviet and German I thought why not....

Looks like 2 long service medals and 2 for outstanding service...any body got any ideas what the last two are for.

A Couple of stasi badges...they came as a group.

I have to admit the quality is better than most...Soviet bars...as are the badges...darn Germans...

Chris

[Chris S]

Close up of the Outstanding Service medal...

[Chris S]

Stasi Badge

[Chris S]

Any ideas what this is for...kinda reminds me of a wound badge from the back...

[Chris S]

An Order to the fatherland 2nd class in 925 silver...with ribbon bar ....

[Chris S]

925 marked on both medal and ribbon bar..

[Marcus H]

Top Row: x2 long Service x 2 Faithful Service

Bottom Row: 30 and 35 Anniversary MFS badges, the NVA Achievment badge, and the sports badge was the 'Military' Sports badge.

Kr

Marcus

[Chris S]

Marcus...

Thank you

Regards

Chris

[Paul R]

These medals appear to be made rather early on.(.925 stamped fatherland second class). Were these normally made of real silver?

Nice score on the mounted set. While the medals themselves are not hard to find, I have not seen too many mounted/issued sets around.

Paul

Edited November 4, 2005 by Paul Reck

[Chris S]

Were these normally made of real silver?...the later types were not, I do know that...the version shown is an early (and well worn as I like) issue with a case as well!

Chris

[Paul R]

Were these normally made of real silver?...the later types were not, I do know that...the version shown is an early (and well worn as I like) issue with a case as well!

Chris

I am definately envious!!!! This would be the first Real Silver version I have seen!!!

Very nice!

[Chris S]

In the case

[Paul R]

In the case

Wow... this one is definately outside the norm. I am used to seeing the red cases. You have something really special there!!!

[ehrentitle]

I have to admit I know nought about DDR medals but as I have some Soviet and German I thought why not....

Looks like 2 long service medals and 2 for outstanding service...any body got any ideas what the last two are for.

A Couple of stasi badges...they came as a group.

I have to admit the quality is better than most...Soviet bars...as are the badges...darn Germans...

Chris

Chris here are the German names of these medals and badges -

Medal Bar: From left to right Medellie fur treue Dienste in der NVA 5 years and 10 years, Verdienstmedaille der NVA Bronze and Silber.

Erinnerungsabzeichen der Ministeriums fur Staatssicherheit (Stasi) for 30 and 35 years

Leistungsabzeichen der NVA

Kampfsportabzeichen der Ministeriums des Innern (Police, Customs, etc...)

Vaterlandisher Verdienstorden (VVO) in Silber, it is an older harder to find .925 silver medal.

Kevin

Edited November 5, 2005 by ehrentitle

[ehrentitle]

Here is one of my East German medal bars. It is an excellent older one but does have a flaw...one of the medals has come loose from it's hanger loop. Rule of thumb with DDR medals and insignia...the older the better quality. Stuff from the 1980s really lacks the quality of medals and badges from the 1960s-1970s.

[ehrentitle]

And the reverse -

[ehrentitle]

Close up showing numbered medals - They are marked .900 silver on the bottom rim.

Edited November 5, 2005 by ehrentitle

[ehrentitle]

My VVO in Silver -

[Marcus H]

Hi Kevin,

Not my thing DDR so excuse the dumb questions, on your lovely medal bar, the first two appear to be silver ones, medal and ribbon central stripe ? Why would he be issued two of the same, instead of the gold one ?

I recognise the KVP (Kasernierton Volkspolizei) but I've seen this ribbon with the NVA Verdienstmedallie on too ? All reference to Bartels medals book........I read German a little about one word in every ten, but the book confuses me to be honest and doesn't give explanations of anything to any great degree

I've only one .900 medal, the NVA True Dienste (gold), Bartel shows pictures of the traits to period determination on these, but it's hard form his source to determine really.

There's not alot of reference on these medals, or in English.

Kr

Marcus

[ehrentitle]

Hi Kevin,

Not my thing DDR so excuse the dumb questions, on your lovely medal bar, the first two appear to be silver ones, medal and ribbon central stripe ? Why would he be issued two of the same, instead of the gold one ?

I recognise the KVP (Kasernierton Volkspolizei) but I've seen this ribbon with the NVA Verdienstmedallie on too ? All reference to Bartels medals book........I read German a little about one word in every ten, but the book confuses me to be honest and doesn't give explanations of anything to any great degree

I've only one .900 medal, the NVA True Dienste (gold), Bartel shows pictures of the traits to period determination on these, but it's hard form his source to determine really.

There's not alot of reference on these medals, or in English.

Kr

Marcus

Marcus - Don't have a clue on why he earned two silver Verdienstmedaille der NVA. Perhaps two periods of achievement/service that were equal in merit. Yes the last medal is the 5 year Medellie fur treue Dienste in der KVP. The simular ribboned medal for the NVA was only awarded from 1956-1957. Both are only found in bronze. From 1957-1959 there was a silver and a bonze medal which like the earlier KVP and NVA medals didn't have the DDR state symbol on the flag, but had the black, red, yellow and green ribbon used in later Medellie fur treue Dienste. From 1960 on to the end they are the standard medals, most of which you see in my ribbon bar, Bronze (5 years), Silver (10 years), Gold (15 years) and Gold with an XX device and color enamel flags (20 years).

You are right about the shortage of references. There were several medal references published by the DDR, but unfortunately they are a bit hard to find. The best is Auszeichnungen der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, printed in 1979 which shows both civil and military medals in color and black & white plates.

Even the Bartel's references are expensive and hard to come by in the US. I have the older Bartel medal and badge books which I brought back from my service in Berlin.

Kevin

Edited November 5, 2005 by ehrentitle

[Gerd Becker]

Close up showing numbered medals - They are marked .900 silver on the bottom rim.

Kevin, this is the first time, that i see numbered DDR-Medals. They seem to be rare, to say at least. Is it possible to trace the owner with that number? What are the numbers, I can?t read them completely?

And i can confirm the statement, the earlier, the better the quality. The threw out zillions of these medals, after the wall was gone already and you could buy the most of them on German ebay. Its really hard to find some earlier issues nowadays, and if, they often go for a crazy prices.

Very nice examples in this thread

Gerd

[Ed_Haynes]

Just to add a few of my favourites.

I have some up already over on the Spanish Civil War volunteers thread -- http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1245 -- and will be making some additions there real soon now.

Medal for the Participants in the Armed Struggle of the German Working Classes, 1918-23 / Medaille f?r die Teilnahme an den bewaffneten K?mpfen der deutschen Arbeiterklasse 1918-23

[Ed_Haynes]

Medal for the Fighters against Fascism, 1933-45 / Medaille f?r K?mpfer gegen Faschismus 1933-45

[ehrentitle]

Kevin, this is the first time, that i see numbered DDR-Medals. They seem to be rare, to say at least. Is it possible to trace the owner with that number? What are the numbers, I can?t read them completely?

And i can confirm the statement, the earlier, the better the quality. The threw out zillions of these medals, after the wall was gone already and you could buy the most of them on German ebay. Its really hard to find some earlier issues nowadays, and if, they often go for a crazy prices.

Very nice examples in this thread

Gerd

Gerd - I found this medal bar and the VVO in a coin store on Karl-Marx allee around 1988 when I was stationed in the Berlin Brigade. I picked up several other medals and badges at this store as well. The medals are numbered 00407 and 01360.

I also have an early 1950s numbered Grenztruppen Medaille fue vorbildlichen Grenzdienst that I found in a flea market on West Berlin's 17 Juli Stra?e. I'll post it here if anyone is interested.

Unfortunately I was more interested in Soviet insignia and medals back then and as a result didn't pick up a lot of quality early DDR stuff that is now very difficult to find.

Kevin

[ehrentitle]

Medal for the Fighters against Fascism, 1933-45 / Medaille f?r K?mpfer gegen Faschismus 1933-45

Ed - Excellent! I've seen these medals in books, but have never seen one up close. Kevin