Awards and Decorations of Nazi Germany
Between
1933 and
1945, the Nation State of
Nazi Germany created and bestowed a new era of military decorations which have since become synonomous with the entity known as the
Third Reich. The
Awards and Decorations of Nazi Germany have been a subject of historical study, layman curiousity, as well as professional militaria collecting.
Of the hundred of Nazi military and civil awards, the following is a list of those which were most commonly bestowed.
Military Decorations
Military Service Decorations
- Golden Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross (Awarded with and without Swords)\n* Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross (Awarded with and without Swords)\n* War Merit Cross (Awarded with and without Swords)\n* War Merit Medal\n* Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords and Diamonds\n* Spanish Cross in Gold, Silver, and Bronze (Awarded with and without Swords)\n* Spanish Cross for Next of Kin of Fallen\n* Military Long Service Award (Awarded for Army, Navy, and Air Force)\n: Awarded in grades of 4,12,18,25,and 40 Years of Service\n* Waffen-SS Long Service Award\n: Awarded in grades of 4,12,18,and 25 Years of Service\n* Cross of Honor (1914-1918)\n* Anschluss Medal\n* Sudentenland Medal (Upgradeable to include Prague Castle Bar)\n* Memel Medal\n* Eastern Front Medal\n* Blue Division Medal\n* West Wall Medal\n* Ostvolk Decoration 1st Class (Awarded in Gold and Silver with and without Swords)\n* Ostvolk Decoration 2nd Class (Awarded in Gold, Silver, and Bronze with and without Swords)
Arm Shields and Cuffbands
- Narvik Shield\n* Cholm Shield\n* Crimea Shield\n* Demjansk Shield\n* Kuban Shield\n* Lappland Shield\n* Crete Cuffband\n* Africa Cuffband\n* Kurland Cuffband
Wound Badges
- Wound Badge of 20 July 1944\n* Spanish Wound Badge (Awarded in Gold, Silver, and Black)\n* 1939 Wound Badge (Awarded in Gold, Silver, and Black)
War Badges
- Infantry Assault Badge (Silver and Bronze)\n* Close Combat Badge (Gold, Silver, and Bronze)\n* Army Paratrooper Badge\n* Tank Battle Badge (Silver and Bronze)\n* Tank Destruction Badge (Gold and Silver)\n* General Assault Badge\n* Army Anti-Aircraft Badge\n* Anti-Partisan Guerrilla Warfare Badge\n* Ballon Observer's Badge\n* Sniper's Badge\n* Front Line Driver's Badge (Gold, Silver, and Bronze)\n* Condor Legion Tank Badge\n* Commemorative Tank Badge of the Great War
Naval War Badges
- U-Boat Badge\n* Destroyer Badge\n* Minesweeper Badge\n* Blockade Breaker Badge\n* Auxiliary Cruiser Badge\n* High Seas Fleet Badge\n* E-Boat Badge\n* Coastal Artillery Defense Badge\n* U-Boat Combat Clasp (Gold and Silver)
All Naval War Badges could be upgraded to include Diamonds
Luftwaffe Badges
- Combined Pilot/Observer Badge with Diamonds\n* Combined Pilot/Observer Badge\n* Pilot's Badge\n* Aircrew Badge\n* Observer Badge\n* Glider Pilot Badge\n* Radio Operator Badge\n* Air Gunner Badge\n* Luftwaffe Paratrooper Badge\n* Anti-Aircraft Flak Battle Badge\n* Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge
Luftwaffe Flying Clasps
Luftwaffe Flying Clasps were awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold with upgrade possible to include diamonds. Pennants suspended from the clasp indicated the number of missions obtained in a given type of aircraft. Flying Clasps were issued for missions completed in the following Luftwaffe aircraft
- Day Fighters\n* Night Fighters\n* Long Range Day Fighters\n* Air to Ground Support Fighters\n* Bombers\n* Reconnaissance\n* Transport and Glider\n* Retired Aircrew Badge
Political Decorations
- The German Order (Awarded with and without Swords)\n* The Blood Order\n* Golden Nazi Party Badge\n* Coburg Badge\n* 1929 Nuremburg Party Day Badge\n* Brunswick Rally Badge\n* Frontbann Badge\n* Danzig Cross 1st Class\n* Danzig Cross 2nd Class\n* NSDAP Service Ribbon\n: Awarded for 10, 15, and 25 years of service\n* Honor Chevron of the Old Guard\n* Steel Helmet Veterans Memorial Badge
Gau Decorations
The leaders of Nazi policial districts (known as the Gauleiter) were empowered to bestow Gau Badges for a variety of services rendered to the local political organization. Such Gau Badges were issued in Silver and Gold with some issuances in Bronze. Very rarely were Gau Badges issued in Gold with Diamonds. The following is a list of the Nazi Gau badges.
- Standard Gau Badge\n* Munich Gau Badge\n* Berlin Gau Badge\n* Thuringia Gau Badge\n* East Hannover Gau Badge \n* East Prussia Gau Badge\n* Baden Gau Badge\n* Essen Gau Badge\n* Danzig Gau Badge\n* Wartheland Gau Badge\n* Sudentenland Gau Badge
S.S. and Police Decorations
- Germanic Proficiency Runes (Silver and Bronze)\n* S.S. Chevron for Former Police\n* S.S. Membership Runes for Order Police\n* Police Service Ribbon\n: Awarded for 8, 18, and 25 years of service
Hitler Youth Decorations
- Golden Hitler Youth Badge with Oakleaves\n* Golden Hitler Youth Badge\n* Hitler Youth Badge for Distinguished Foreigners\n* Hitler Youth Leader's Sports Badge\n* Hitler Youth Skier Badge\n* Hitler Youth Marksmanship Badge\n* Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge
German Youth Decorations
- German Young League Marksmanship Badge\n* German Young League Proficiency Badge\n* German Maiden League (BDM) Proficiency Badge\n* German Young Maiden (JM) Proficiency Badge\n* National Youth Sports Badge
\nDiplomatic Awards
- Order of the German Eagle
