DDR Medaille für Kämpfer gegen Faschismus 1933-1945

[Gordon Craig]

Gents,

Some weeks ago I put in a bid on a groups of DDR medals because the reserve bid price was low. I didn't bother looking at this auction again. When I received a notice that a parcel was at the post office I had not idea what it was and was surprised that when I opened the box it was this group I had bid on. Most of the medals were ones I already but the Faschismus looked interesting. I was surprised to see that all of the medals were cased because the was no mention of cases in the listing. I was especially interested in the case of the Faschismus. It was a very early wooden case with a brass latch. When I examined it I suspected that it was one of the first issue medals. Measuring the bandspange proved it. These medals were authorized on 22.02.1958. The first issue medals were bronze and silver plated. They had a 28mm bandspange and this one measured 28mm and was silver plated. My forgotten bid certainly paid off. Here are some photos.

[Gordon Craig]

A closer view of the front of the medal.

[Gordon Craig]

A close up of the back of the medal.

[Gordon Craig]

I forgot to mention in my first post to this thread that these medals were only issued with the 28mm bandspange in 1958. From then on they were issued with a 24mm bandspange.

Regards,

Gordon

[ehrentitle]

Gordon that's an outstanding medal. Older K?mpfer gegen Faschismus are hard to find. Did you find it there is Hungary or somewhere else? Kevin

[Ed_Haynes]

Yes, ons of my favorites too. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7339 where I show mine, cased etc., but still seeking one with document.

Almost as much fun (and history) as the Medaille f?r die Teilnahme an den bewaffneten K?mpfen der deutschen Arbeiterklasse 1918-23 -- mine at http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7338 also cased etc., but documented set still to come

[Gordon Craig]

Kevin,

The medal actually came from the U.S. I was surprised when no one else bid on this particular lot. Very pleased to get it and find out it was of the 1958 variety. There is very littel DDR stuff here in Hungary and what I have seen hasn't been worth picking up.

Ed,

Those are nice early medals you have there. Thanks for posting the threads. I'd like to get a documented set as well but will probably be lucky to get an award document and a mappe of the correct date to go with it. But then again, the chase is half the fun!

Regards,

Gordon

Edited March 25, 2007 by Gordon Craig

[Ulsterman]

Darn!!

THAt is a most excellent medal Sir! You did really, really well there.

[Grant Broadhurst]

Thanks for the info on this medal Gordon !

Are these considered rare ?

[Gordon Craig]

Grant,

Considering the award was instituted on 22.02.58 and this particular style of medal with the 28mm banspange was only awarded in 1958 I would say that is a fair comment. No idea how many were awarded but it had to be a small number. It takes a while for a new award to get into production and then to be awarded. For someone to be awarded this medal, I would imagine they would need to prove that they qualified for it. That also would take time. Considering this, I would say "rare" would be a good choice of words.

Regards,

Gordon

[Ed_Haynes]

I suspect it is rare (though I have never seem numbers), but I doubt it is as rare as the Medaille f?r die Teilnahme an den bewaffneten K?mpfen der deutschen Arbeiterklasse 1918-23 or the Hans Beimler Medal, as far more of the smaller numbers of potential recipients of these two wouldn't have survived WWII.

In any case, these three are my favorites. See http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11514&st=4

Edited March 29, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[kimj]

I recently won a document group on German Ebay. The sad thing is that the group was broken, but the good thing is that it had the document for "k?mpfer gegen den Faschismus". I got it home today and discovered that the name of the awardee is printed, instead of the usual hand written. Now I wonder if anyone has seen this before? My first thought was that is was a higher grad of quality. But when I checked the tiny pic in Zeige of Willi Stoph's document it looks like his name was hand written too. And if Stoph doesn't get a "higher quality" urkunde then who gets one....?

Pics will come when I get the time for it. Hopefully soon.

/Kim

[kimj]

Here they are. First a pic of the cover.

[kimj]

Here the names. Gerhard Gr?nberg is my latest find. Fritz B?rner's group is already posted on this forum.

/Kim

[ehrentitle]

I recently won a document group on German Ebay. The sad thing is that the group was broken, but the good thing is that it had the document for "k?mpfer gegen den Faschismus". I got it home today and discovered that the name of the awardee is printed, instead of the usual hand written. Now I wonder if anyone has seen this before? My first thought was that is was a higher grad of quality. But when I checked the tiny pic in Zeige of Willi Stoph's document it looks like his name was hand written too. And if Stoph doesn't get a "higher quality" urkunde then who gets one....?

Pics will come when I get the time for it. Hopefully soon.

/Kim

Kim, It's not uncommon to see printed names on one DDR award document and then hand printed on another.

[kimj]

ehrentitle: Of course one would expect some variation in the "production". But most documents I have seen were awarded on one occasion, 14 September 1958. So I would expect that they would be made in the same way. Although it could be diffrent batches at the document makers. Who knows...

Anyway it makes a nice addition to my other urkunden.

/Kim

[seb16trs]

KImj, your document with a printed name has been given on another year than the classical one 1958?

[kimj]

KImj, your document with a printed name has been given on another year than the classical one 1958?

No, it's dated 1958. One of the others have a 1962 date and the same style of hand printed text as the common 1958 have. Do you have any documents for the medal?

/Kim

[seb16trs]

No, it's dated 1958. One of the others have a 1962 date and the same style of hand printed text as the common 1958 have. Do you have any documents for the medal?

/Kim

yes I have got two of these, both with the small "ausweis" card. I'll try to make a decent scan of them.

[kimj]

I would be nice to see the ausweis. Never gotten one, although I have been outbid on a couple complete sets.

/Kim

[bifter]

Hi!

I managed to get myself a cased 1918-1923 medal & a 1933-1945 medal; both came with documents.

They were not expensive; but my dealer is known for offering his items for good prices. He is garanteed to sell things quickly & without any attempts at 'haggling', & he gets a loyal customer group too.

The Hans Beimler is one that I am looking for now, but I am not going to hold my breath for too long; it is a real pricey one apparently. One sold recently, without case or document for 400EUROES.

[seb16trs]

Hi!

I managed to get myself a cased 1918-1923 medal & a 1933-1945 medal; both came with documents.

They were not expensive; but my dealer is known for offering his items for good prices. He is garanteed to sell things quickly & without any attempts at 'haggling', & he gets a loyal customer group too.

The Hans Beimler is one that I am looking for now, but I am not going to hold my breath for too long; it is a real pricey one apparently. One sold recently, without case or document for 400EUROES.

a bargain price; the average entry price is about 1000 euros.