DDR Liga für Völkerfreudenschaft (League of Peoples’ Friendship)

[Gordon Craig]

Liga für Völkerfreudenschaft (League of Peoples’ Friendship)

On June 7, 1952 all existing friendship societies in the GDR were placed under an umbrella organization called the Gesellschaft für Kulturellen Verbindung mit dem Ausland (Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries). Examples of some of the societies that were brought under the Society were “The Society for Soviet-German Friendship”,(founded in 1948) and “The Helmut von Gerlach Society for Cultural, Economic and Political Relations with the new Poland”. From it emerged the League for Peoples' Friendship on December 15, 1961. In 1986 there were 48 Friendship Societies in the League. Its task was to participate in the establishment and maintenance of international relations with the DDR.

The League produced a few badges and awards. First up is the membership badge and the League Journal.

[Gordon Craig]

My interested started in the League after I purchased one of their cased awards with its accompanying document. The Ehrennadel Für Verdienste um die Freudenschaft der Völker in silver. The award comes in silver and gold grades. Bartel #3683 and #3684 - 23 mm in diametre(1965-1967) bronze.

Edited September 30, 2014 by Gordon Craig

[Gordon Craig]

Bartel # 3683b 32 mm (1967-87 is where my badge fits in. Made of bronze and either gold or silver coloured. In 1988 and 1989 it was made from iron and either bronze plated or nickle plated. Bartel ©.

The 32 mm badge.

[Gordon Craig]

The other award given out by the League was the Medaille für Verdienste um die Freudenschaft der Völker. This award came in one class only. It was made of bronze and was gold coloured. Bartel #3682 - awarded from 1974 to 1989. The wording on the back of both the Ehrennadel and the Medaille was the same. The pictures of the back of these wards comes from the DHM in Berlin.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Gordon Craig

[Humberto Corado]

Thanks Gordon for show this awards! did not know them.

if I am correct, the silver ehrennadel was issued in two versions? silver with blue enamel as the sample at the right and also in just silver finish like the one awarded with the document? is the same for the gold grade?

thanks

Humberto

[Gordon Craig]

Humberto,

Sorry for taking so long to respond to your post. You are correct that both the gold and silver ehrennadel came in two versions. Enameled versions issued in 1965-1967 and without enamel after these dates.

Regards,

Gordon