1936 Olympic games decorations

[Raz]

Not the awards awarded to the athletes but awards presented to individuals who helped organize the
games themselves. Reinhard Heydrich was one such unsavory character to be awarded the 1st class
decoration.

The 1st class decoration was worn from the neck and the 2nd class from a ribbon. The 1st class was
awarded 767 times with the 2nd class being awarded 3364 times.


1st class decoration(Left) 2nd class decoration(Right)



Group pic, decorations with cases of issue.

Edited July 24, 2004 by Raz

[Nick]

I am sure I remember seeing a photo of Himmler wearing the 1st Class anyone confirm if he got one ?

I am sure I also read somewhere that the olympic medals were prohibited to be worn by party members at parades and party rallies ?

As far as your examples go Raz excellent photo's and really nice awards, it is nice to see them without damage to the enamel.

[Raz]

Yes I'm sure Himmler did get a 1st class decoration as well as did most other highranking SS.

[Guest Atilla Jones]

I recall the first appearance of the Rudolf Souval reproductions 40 years ago, (Of course I was very, very young, barely out of short trousers ). They were pretty good, and must have gained a pretty convincing patina by now, that goes for a lot of that Austrian produced stuff. Of course the tell-tale 'U' shaped retainer on the combat badges is a giveaway, but the more obscure items, e.g. the Mussert Cross could fool the less aware collector flame

[Nick]

Yes I have seen two slight variants of the Mussert Cross, if I recal they have slightly different ring mountings. Can anyone expand on the differences, between originals and the souval copies ? I will try and dig out some photo's.

[J Temple-West]

I am sure I remember seeing a photo of Himmler wearing the 1st Class anyone confirm if he got one ?

Here's a picture of H.H... His (one of many) ribbon bars shows the Olympic award.

When the 1st class was worn on a ribbon bar a national eagle was attached to distinguish it from the 2nd class..

[Nick]

Cheers John

That unregualtion medal bar always makes me smile. But who was going to point that out to him ?

Nick

[Guest Rick Research]

And the Medal. I've seen documents for these up to ranks equivalent to Colonel, so apparently some actual merit in the organizing area was required, since I have seen the 2nd Class as low as equivalent of a second Lieutenant.

[Guest Rick Research]

The award document for a Medal to a civil servant of "senior major" (had such a thing existed) equivalence. Amtsrat Heinrich Drews was in the Prussian Ministry of State and labored mere blocks behind the Brandenburg Gate in what became East Berlin.

[Gerd Becker]

Here's a picture of H.H... His (one of many) ribbon bars shows the Olympic award.

When the 1st class was worn on a ribbon bar a national eagle was attached to distinguish it from the 2nd class..

←

John, are you sure about that? Wasn?t on the second class a national eagle as well? If so, how would you distinguish it from a 1st class?

best,

Gerd

[J Temple-West]

Hi Gerd,

You could be right..It would make sense that 1st & 2nd would have attachments to distinguish them from the 'Erinnerungsmedaille'...

Thinking about it, and what would make much more sense, is that what we see on the 'H.H' bar is the 2nd class (with attachment), the 1st class was not represented on ribbon bars due to it being a high, neck worn, order and the 'Erinnerungsmedaille' without attachment.. That would fit.

Hopefully, when Raz returns from his trip he'll be able to throw some light on to the subject..

J.

John, are you sure about that? Wasn?t on the second class a national eagle as well? If so, how would you distinguish it from a 1st class?

best,

Gerd

←

Edited May 15, 2005 by J Temple-West

[Guest Rick Research]

Per regulations, a gilt national eagle on the Olympics ribbon designates a second class. I have SEEN (internet) bars with miniatures of the decoration which purport to be "Kleindekoration" form 1st Class, but cannot confirm that, and have never had one in my paws for inspection. There are a lot of fraud and fantasy items out there for the exotic stuff, and the odds of turning same up should be balanced by the actual numbers that were awarded.

Here is a Second Class on an as-yet-unidentified bar for an ancient W?rttemberg army officer.

Be EXTREMELY wary of "upgraded" ruined original awards Hollywood-ized. I have seen perhaps half a dozen REAL bars like this in 30 years.

[James Clark]

Heydrich also wore a ribbon bar with a metal eagle on the Olympia Ehrenzeichen ribbon. He had it in third place, after police and NSDAP service awards.

As for having 1st Class awards shown on ribbon bars, I've seen DRK 1st Class awards cased complete with single ribbon bar with the little enamel Kleindekoration.

Interestingly, Heydrich's bar also has the same Volkspflege mini that Himmler has. Himmler's is before his Olympia Ehrenzeichen but Heydrich's comes much lower down the order.

[James Clark]

Finally, there was clearly some lack of clarity about where even the Olympia Erinnerungsmedaille belonged in a group - compare this full size group:

[attachmentid=2164]

[James Clark]

.... with this ribbon bar

[attachmentid=2165]

[Jason]

hmmmm - here's mine at the end of the bar

cheers Jason

[Jason]

I've also got a little button mounted lapel group (unscanned, sorry guys) with a KVK2X, Ost medal, a long service ribbon and the Olympic medal

cheers Jason

[J Temple-West]

2nd class/police bar.

[J Temple-West]

+..

[Simon F]

Here is an award document to a guy who later became a Stuka Pilot with STG77, you can see the caligraphy on Ricks is far better than the typing on the doc issued to a damned Gefreiten

Edited May 24, 2005 by devonrex2003

[Nick]

Very nice stuff guys...... especially that police bar John.... jumping

[Raz]

I 2nd that, some great items posted here.

[notned]

And i'll third that!

WOW! there are some nice bars here! and not to forget the awesome documents!

Thanks for sharing guys!

Cheers

Paul

[Nan Su]

Hi John,

Sorry, I some was puzzled. Friend of mine assisted to consult the medal which Himmler obtained, as follows:

- Blut Orden (9 novembre 1933)(3)

-N?rnberger Parteiabzeichen 1929,

- SA Sportabzeichen in Bronze,

- DRL Sportabzeichen in Bronze,

- Deutsche Olympia Ehrenzeichen 1. kl,

- Cavaliere di Gran Croce dell?Ordine della Corona d?Italia,

- Cavaliere di Gran Croce dell?Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e. Lazzaro,

- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13 M?rz 1938,

- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1 Oktober 1938 mit Spange ?Prager Burg?,

- Grosskreuz d. Spanischen Ordens von Joch u. dem Pfeilen (Yoke et Arrows)(1939),

- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den Heimkehr des Memellandes (20 mars 1939),

- Westwall,

- Goldenes HJ Ehrenzeichen mit Eichenlaub,

- Grosskreuz Finnische Orden des Freiheitskreuz mit Schwertern (30 juillet1942),

- Grosskreuz Finnische Orden von d. weissen Rose Finnlands (1942),

- Gemeinsames Flugzeugf?hrer und Beobachterabzeichen in Gold mit Brillanten (1942),

- Grosskreuz Slowakische Orden d. Prinz Pribina (mars 1943),

- Dienstauszeichnung d. NSDAP in Silber,

- SS Dienstauszeichnung 12 jahr,

- Die Oberste Stufe des Deutschen Orden mit Schwertern (mai 1944),ne le re?u jamais.

"- Deutsche Olympia Ehrenzeichen 1. Kl," How explains? Requests your help.

Thanks!

[J Temple-West]

Hi Nan Su,

If you're asking why Himmler would have been entitled to the "Deutsche Olympia Ehrenzeichen 1. Kl", the answer is that he was the head of the 'SS' and Police which would have handled security for the Olympic Games.

If this is not the answer you?re looking for, let me know?