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Awards and decorations of Nazi Germany were military, political and civilian decorations that were bestowed between 1923 and 1945, first by the
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...
and later the state of
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
. The first awards began in the 1920s, before the Nazis had come to national power in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
, with the political decorations worn on Party uniforms, along with any awards they may have earned during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
or before. After 1933, the state began issuing a variety of civilian decorations, which could be bestowed upon any citizen of Germany. Thus, some awards (such as Sports Badges) were bestowed on Nazi Party members, members of the German military, and regular civilians. Many standard awards of the German state, such as life-saving medals, were redesigned to incorporate the Nazi symbol, the
swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. I ...
. A number of military awards were established pre-war, including
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
long service decorations, followed by awards for participation in the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...
and for the annexation of Austria and the
Sudetenland The Sudetenland ( , ; Czech and sk, Sudety) is the historical German name for the northern, southern, and western areas of former Czechoslovakia which were inhabited primarily by Sudeten Germans. These German speakers had predominated in the ...
, with the greatest number established after the start of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
in 1939. Regulations of award also permitted the simultaneous wear of military, civilian, and political decorations on any military or
para-military A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...
uniform of Nazi Germany. Nazi awards and decorations were discontinued after the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, with display of the swastika banned. In 1957 the
Federal Republic of Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between ...
permitted qualifying veterans to wear many Nazi-era awards in
Bundeswehr The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
uniform. including most World War II valor and campaign awards, provided the swastika symbol was removed. This led to the re-design of many awards with, for example, the swastika being replaced by
three-leafed oakleaf cluster
on the Iron Cross and by the date ''1939'' on the War Merit Cross. In addition, new military awards were created for post war service by both the West German and
East German East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
governments.


Orders and decorations


State orders


War decorations: pre 1939


War decorations: 1939–1945

These awards were bestowed by the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
and
Waffen-SS The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...
between 1939 and 1945, during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.


Military service decorations


Military long service medals


Arm shields


Campaign cuff titles


Military and paramilitary badges


Army/ war badges


Naval war badges


badges & other awards

The Luftwaffe maintained two non-portable awards, the " Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe" () and the "Luftwaffe Honor Plate" (). Recipients of both awards automatically received the Luftwaffe
Honour Roll Clasp __NOTOC__ The Honour Roll Clasp (german: Ehrenblattspange) was a decoration of Nazi Germany during World War II. There were different versions for the Army ('' Heer''), Air Force ('' Luftwaffe'') and Navy ('' Kriegsmarine''). History The Honour ...
in January 1944.


Foreign volunteer awards


Order of precedence

Within the Wehrmacht, wartime awards (german: Kriegsorden) took precedence over peacetime decorations. # Grand Cross of the Iron Cross # Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (and higher) # Golden Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross # Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross # Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross # German Cross # Honour Roll Clasp # ''Führer'' Commendation Certificate # Honor Goblet & Plate of the ''Luftwaffe'' # Iron Cross 1st Class # War Merit Cross 1st Class # Iron Cross 2nd Class # Combat Clasp # Numbered war badges # Wound Badge # Tank Destruction Badge # Unnumbered war badges # Campaign shields & cuff titles # War Merit Cross 2nd Class # ''Ostvolk'' Decoration # Eastern Front Medal # War Merit Medal # Cross of Honor (1914–1918) # Spanish Cross # Qualification badges # Long-service awards # Commemorative medals # West Wall Medal # Foreign decorations


See also

*
Political decorations of the Nazi Party Political decorations of the Nazi Party were medals and awards issued by the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) between 1920 and 1945. Political awards were authorized for wear on any paramilitary uniform of Nazi Germany, as well as ...


Notes


References

;Citations ;Bibliography * * * * * *


External links


WW2 German Medals and Awards Guide
{{Decorations by country, state=collapsed