The Awards and decorations of the German Armed Forces are decorations awarded by the German

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 ...

, the German government, and other organizations to the German military and allied forces. Modern era German military awards have been presented since the establishment of 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 ...

in 1949.

History

The history of modern German Armed Forces awards may be divided into three distinct eras, namely post-World War II, Cold War era, and modern day.

Post World War II

Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1997-041-03, Johannes Steinhoff

At the end of the

Second World War 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the wear of all

Nazi era 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 ...

decorations was prohibited. When Germany divided in two,

East Germany 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 German reunification, its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In t ...

continued to ban such awards. However, from 1957 West German regulations permitted the wear of many wartime awards in

uniform, 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.1957 GERMAN IRON CROSS 1st CLASS
/ref>

Neck decoration A necklet is a type of decoration which is designed to be worn and displayed around a person's neck, rather than hung (draped) from the chest as is the standard practice for displaying most decorations. In the Middle Ages most order's insignias ...

s and pin-back badges were now worn in Bundeswehr uniform on the ribbon bar. Those decorations that did not have a ribbon were displayed by a small replica of the award on a field grey ribbon. Nazi political awards, those directly associated with the SA or SS, as well as occupation service medals relating to the expansion of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, continued to be forbidden and could not be worn.

Cold War Era

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

During the 1960s, West Germany became a key

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...

member, serving as a major base for forward deployed United States and allied forces along the border with the

Eastern Bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...

. During this time, the West German government began to introduce new military awards and decorations, most of them for non-combat meritorious service. Chief among these was the

Order of Merit The Order of Merit (french: link=no, Ordre du Mérite) is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by ...

, the principal order of Germany. Civil relief medals were also introduced into the German armed forces, beginning in 1962 with the first in series of Flood Relief Medals. By the 1970s, German personnel were also eligible to receive foreign awards, most notable

awards and decorations of the United States military The United States Armed Forces awards and decorations are primarily the medals, service ribbons, and specific Military badges of the United States, badges which recognize military service and personal accomplishments while a member of the U.S. A ...

. During the 1980s, the NATO Medal and

United Nations Medal A United Nations Medal is an international decoration awarded by the United Nations (UN) to the various world countries members for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, an ...

were also frequently awarded to German personnel.

Modern Day Awards

In the modern German armed forces, several combat service medals exist to reflect German deployment in overseas missions in the

War on Terror The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...

and NATO-United Nations Peacekeeping ventures. German personnel are also eligible to receive and wear civil service medals, sports and fitness awards, and certain marksmanship awards. The

reunification of Germany German reunification (german: link=no, Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) was the process of re-establishing Germany as a united and fully sovereign state, which took place between 2 May 1989 and 15 March 1991. The day of 3 October 1990 when the Ge ...

saw new regulations concerning the status of East German awards introduced into the German military. These regulations typically stipulated that awards associated with the Communist regime were prohibited from display, but did recognize the status and continued wear of certain non-political service medals.

List of German Awards

Decorations awarded by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany

* German Order of Merit * Eichendorff-Plakette * Grubenwehr-Ehrenzeichen (Mine rescue service badge of honor) * Pro-Musica-Plakette * Silbermedaille für den Behindertensport (Silver medal for the disabled sports) *

Silbernes Lorbeerblatt Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), the highest sports award in Germany, was endowed on 23 June 1950 by the German President Theodor Heuss. It is awarded to athletes and teams of exemplary character that have won medals at Olympic and ...

* Sportplakette des Bundespräsidenten (Sports plaque of the Federal President) *

Zelter-Plakette The Zelter-Plakette (Zelter Plaque) is a German national award for choirs, founded in 1956 by President Theodor Heuss. History The plaque was designed by the Cologne sculptor Heribert Calleen. The opening words of the decree of 7 August 1956 t ...

Decorations awarded by the Federal Minister of Defence

Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour The Bundeswehr Cross of Honour for Valour (german: Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit) is the highest military decoration of the Bundeswehr. It is the highest class of the Bundeswehr Cross of Honour. The decoration is the first combat va ...

Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr The Decorations of Honour of the Bundeswehr (german: Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr) are a series of military decorations of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. These honours and awards were introduced in 1980 on the ...

* Combat Action Medal of the Bundeswehr * German Armed Forces Deployment Medal

Decorations awarded by the Federal Minister of Interior

* Decoration of the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief * Afghanistan-Spange Einsatzmedaille_Fluthilfe_2002_Ribbon

Decorations awarded by the Federal Ministers of Interior and Defence

German Flood Service Medal (2002) The German Flood Service Medal 2002 (German: Einsatzmedaille Fluthilfe 2002) is a decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. The decoration was awarded to all German military members, foreign armed service members, civilian rescue forces and ...

– Service in the 2002 German Floods *

German Flood Service Medal (2013) The German Flood Service Medal 2013 (german: Einsatzmedaille Fluthilfe 2013) is a military and civil award of Germany. Established 2 July 2013 by joint decree of the Federal Minister of the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich and Federal Minister of De ...

– Service in the 2013 European floods

Authorized Second World War Decorations

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...

, (including the

Knight's Cross Knight's Cross ( German language ''Ritterkreuz'') refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that often denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield. Most frequently the term Knight's Cross is used to refer to the Knight's ...

) *

War Merit Cross The War Merit Cross (german: Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was a state decoration of Nazi Germany during World War II. By the end of the conflict it was issued in four degrees and had an equivalent civil award. A " de-Nazified" version of the War Meri ...

, (including the Knight's Cross) *

German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...

Wound Badge The Wound Badge (german: Verwundetenabzeichen) was a German military decoration first promulgated by Wilhelm II, German Emperor on 3 March 1918, which was first awarded to soldiers of the German Army who were wounded during World War I. Between ...

* Wehrmacht Qualification Badges (ribbon format) * Wehrmacht Combat Clasps (ribbon format) *

Tank Destruction Badge The Tank Destruction Badge () was a World War II German military decoration awarded to individuals of the Wehrmacht who had single-handedly destroyed an enemy tank or an armored combat vehicle using a hand-held weapon. Anti-tank units were inelig ...

(ribbon format) * Campaign shields * Campaign cuff titles *

Eastern Front Medal The Eastern Medal (german: Ostmedaille), officially the Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal (german: Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42, links=no), was a military award of the ''Wehrmacht'' which was created by ordinance of Adolf Hi ...

Wehrmacht Long Service Award The Wehrmacht Long Service Award () was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a number of years in military service. History On 16 March, 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered the institution of a service awar ...

s * Eastern People's Medal *

German Olympic Decoration The German Olympic Decoration (german: Deutsche Olympia-Ehrenzeichen or Deutsches Olympiaehrenzeichen) was a civil decoration of Nazi Germany awarded to administrators of the IV Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Games of th ...

Sports Decorations

* German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency *

German Sports Badge The German Sports Badge (German: ''Deutsches Sportabzeichen'' (DSA)) is a decoration of the German Olympic Sports Federation DOSB. The German Sports Badge test is carried out primarily in Germany, and in other countries abroad. History The Ger ...

* German rescue swimming badge * Cross for the Four Day Marches (Netherlands)

Qualification insignia

BW_Tätigkeitsabzeichen_Militärluftfahrzeugführer

* German Pilot Badge *

Parachutist Badge A parachutist badge (or parachutist brevet) is a military badge awarded by the armed forces of many states to soldiers who have received parachute training and completed the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the ...

* Commando Badge * German Naval Qualification Badges * Air Force Protection Badge * German Marksmanship Lanyards

Foreign awards

* NATO Medal * Serge Lazareff Prize *

United Nations Special Service Medal The United Nations Special Service Medal (UNSSM) is presented to personnel with 90 days of service with a United Nations mission not covered by a specific United Nations Medal. United Nations Headquarters service is not eligible. Eligibility T ...

* United Nations Medal for Service with United Nations Peace Forces (UNPF) * Awards and decorations of allied countries, including the USA and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

References

Modern German Medals
* Dietrich Maerz/Bernd Hartmann, "Awards of the Heer, Vol. I", 2012, {{Decorations by country Military awards and decorations of Germany (Bundeswehr) German military-related lists