Origins of the DDR National Emblem

[Roy Queen]

Don't stone me if this sounds like I've missed a piece of knowledge DDR historians would consider elementary knowledge, but when was the hammer/compass logo adopted as the national emblem of the DDR? My wife told me my DDR collection reminded her of the emblem of the freemasons!

[AR-11]

With law from the 26th September, 1955 the state emblem was determined with hammer, circle and ear wreath, as a state flag, however, farther "only" black- red-gold. Now with law from the 1st October, 1959 the States-emblem was inserted in the state flag.

Look here, but it´s German:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsch...ische_Republik
Best regards, AR-11

[Mike G.]

Thank you asking this very overlooked question Roy. It is interesting that we as collectors make a point of knowing when the staatswappen officially appeared on certain items of specific memorabilia, but no one I believe has actually ever before asked the question when did the former East German government actually make it official. Like you, I have found it confusing. Particularly since it didn't appear on the National Flag until sometime in 1959. Yet, there were small badges and such upon which this unique emblem was already showing up as early as 1949 (maybe even earlier?).

Thank you Dirk for shedding some much needed light on this aspect of our collecting interests. It is interesting that the implementation of the Staatswappen on actual official government and military articles seems to have been a slow and gradual process, and not an immediate transition as one might have imagined. Its almost as if the general public accepted it first, and then as its use and reference in public became more widespread, the East German Government suddenly awakened one morning to the realization that they indeed did in fact have a National "Emblem".

[Roy Queen]

Thanks for the information, guys, I appreciate it. Actually, if I were to guess why the DDR national emblem was chosen, I would have thought that it may have been in use prior to the Third Reich by the German Communist Party, but that is just a guess.

[Dag]

Thanks for the information, guys, I appreciate it. Actually, if I were to guess why the DDR national emblem was chosen, I would have thought that it may have been in use prior to the Third Reich by the German Communist Party, but that is just a guess.

Roy and all,

To my knowledge it was not used by the KPD. It was designed to represent the unity of the classes in the GDR. The hammer for the workers, the (wheat) wreath for the farmers and the callipers (not sure about the translation) represented the intellectuals.

Dag

[Ralph P]

Thanks all for a very informative thread and Dag very good point you make that should not be overlooked. Thanks...

[Mikhealc]

DDR Staatswappen

Hello All,

I think the KPD used a clenched fist symbol for many of the Party's activities. At least the RFB used it. I have always thought there must have been some debate or discussion about what kind of symbol the DDR would take and I get that sense because if you get old East German coins from the 40's and 50's you will see various types of symbols being tried. The symbols always represent farmers, workers, and advanced technology (e.g. the compass). Look at these two coins.

[Mikhealc]

2nd pic

And this coin.

[Mike G.]

Michael C.

Thanks for posting those two coins and the symbolic images on each. They in my opinion, clearly represent that the adaptation of the symbol that was finally adopted by East Germany in a national sense for representation of their country on their National Flag was one of gradual transition over time.

It would be interesting to identify, collect and post the differences for the symbols over the years from 46 to 59. Its obvious there was a clear objective by the East German Government to utilize a symbol that would serve to project as their central party strength an Agricultural, Industrial and Scientific base upon which their Socialist (Communist) government was structured. There seems to be a constant and consistent theme focused around the use of the hammer, wheat and some symbol representing the scientific culture, from 46 to 59. The changes are interesting, as well as how the symbol finally decided upon, came to be formalized.

Thanks again for your informative post Michael

[Roy Queen]

Very nice coins! On the coin dated 1949, I've never seen an emblem like that used before.

[Mike G.]

Hi Roy,

All of the early East German "Metal" currency had the emblem that is depicted on the 1949 dated coin posted by Michael C. This old currency is now very rare, and not often encountered in the "Collecting" arena.