DDR 20th Anniversary of Foundation of GDR Medal

[Megan]

Ehrenmedaille 20 Jahre DDR

Instituted 1969 and awarded to meritorious (or at least, high-ranking!) members of the SED to mark the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the state.

[Picture credit: Greg Collins]

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

Does anybody know if this medal had a service ribbon as well?

[Greg Collins]

Lukasz,

The presentation case (not plastic but dark blue leatherette covered, velvet lined with inscription on the inner lid) has a recess for the medal but no provision for a ribbon bar. I have never seen it on a ribbon bar but, then again, I haven't seen all ribbon bars. I would like to get a good, close look at Erich Mielke's ribbons- the answer to your question may well be there.

Edited February 20, 2011 by Greg Collins

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

Greg,

Interesting. No room for service ribbon in a box is a good hint. I can't remember I have ever seen such a ribbon. I believe it is one of those few without a ribbon like that.

[Paul R]

It the ribbon made of a velvet like material?

[Greg Collins]

Yes... either velvet or, possibly, velour.

[Gordon Craig]

Greg,

I don't think the Mielke received this award. Here is a list titled "Major Decoration" if he had received it ti would have been listed here.

Major Decorations:

Title of Honor Hero of the German Democratic Republic (two awards: 1 Dec 1975 and 28 Dec 1982)

Title of Honor Hero of Labor (three awards: 5 Oct 1964, 24 Dec 1967 and Dec 1982)

Karl Marx Order (six awards: 28 Dec 1957, 20 Nov 1973, 28 Dec 1977, June 1982, Dec 1982 and 1987)

Honor Clasp to the Fatherlands Merit Order in Gold (4 Oct 1969)

Fatherlands Merit Order in Gold (7 Oct 1954)

Scharnhorst Order (three awards)

Order of the Banner of Labor in Gold (8 May 1960)

Title of Honor Hero of the Soviet Union and Gold Star Medal USSR (25 Apr 1987)

Order of Lenin USSR (four awards: 20 Nov 1973, Dec 1982, ? and 25 Apr 1987)

Order of the October Revolution USSR (8 Feb 1975)

Order of the Red Banner USSR (four awards: 23 Oct 1958, 3 Feb 1968, 28 Dec 1977 and 8 Feb 1980)

Title of Honor Distinguished Employee of the State Security (7 Feb 1970)

Title of Honor Distinguished Jurist of the German Democratic Republic (8 Dec 1980)

Order of Merit, Commanders Cross with Star Poland (Mar 1982)

Merit Medal of the National Peoples Army in Gold (1957)

Merit Medal of the Customs Administration in Gold (1967)

Merit Medal of the German Reichsbahn in Gold (1967)

Medal for Merit in the Administration of Justice (2 Sep 1965)

Medal for Fighters against Fascism, 1933-1945

Hans Beimler Medal (for service in the Spanish Civil War)

Ernst Moritz Arndt Medal of the National Council of the National Front

Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Socialist Training in the Pioneer Organization Ernst Thälmann (1967)

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Medal of the German Gymnastics and Sports Association (DTSB)

Ernst Grube Medal of the DTSB

Medal for Faithful Service in the Barracked Peoples Police

Medal for Faithful Service in the National Peoples Army in Bronze (1957)

Medal for Exemplary Border Service (1957)

Decoration of the German Peoples Police (22 Feb 1950)

Commemorative Medal 30 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 USSR (1975)

Golden Honor Pin of Dynamo

Golden Honor Pin of the Democratic Sport Movement (1957)

Golden Honor Pin of the DTSB (1967)

Golden Honor Pin of the German Football Association (1967)

Golden Honor Pin for Special Achievement in the Huntsmanship of the German Democratic Republic (1967)

I have never seen this ribbon on a ribbon bar either. In Klaus and Uwe Feder's book "Auszeichungen und Abzeichen der SED" they list this award but they don't indicate that there was in interimspange. Would you post pictures of the back of the award and the interimspange please.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited March 8, 2011 by Gordon Craig

[Greg Collins]

Gordon,

I would have figured that, as Mielke was the sweetheart of the SED for so long, he would have had it for sure... maybe it's just not considered a high enough award to list. As I already pointed out, the award did not come cased with an interimspange; Megan already posted a rear view of my medal in post #1 in this thread.

[speedytop]

Hi,

there are some official and inofficial decorations without an "Interimsspange", e.g. "Verdienter Aktivist".

The regulations say in such a case: "Die Medaillenspange ist zugleich Interimsspange" (the medal bar is likewise the "Interimsspange").

Uwe