Awards and badges of the DRK der DDR

[seb16trs]

Vielen danke! This is really interesting.



Saddly I'm hampered by being non-german speaking, but beyond that point, I can't figure where one can find such precise informations about DDR badges...


Can I ask where did you find your sources? (for example the detail about the Hufeland medal after 1987...)

[HPL2008]

Saddly I'm hampered by being non-german speaking, but beyond that point, I can't figure where one can find such precise informations about DDR badges...


Can I ask where did you find your sources? (for example the detail about the Hufeland medal after 1987...)

Certainly, but I'm afraid all the sources are in German language:

My main go-to reference for the identification and dating of these badges and awards is the DDR Spezialkatalog Band VIII: Auszeichnungen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes der DDR (Verlag Frank Bartel, 2007) by Frank Bartel. This book was also the source of the information on the award of the Hufeland-Medaille to blood donors. It's quite readily available (for example, it is currently on offer on Amazon.de and eBay.de) and should be useful to you even if you don't speak German, as all the items are pictured in full color and clearly captioned (also, as it is intended as a collectors' catalog, the text is brief and concise to begin with).

Some additional information comes from the book Auszeichnungen der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (Militärverlag der DDR, 1979), also by Frank Bartel.

A few other bits (particularly on the mountain rescue service) are from the chronicle Geschichte der Bergrettung im Osterzgebirge 1909 - 1989 - 80 Jahre by the DRK-Kreiskomitee Dippoldiswalde (see post # 12).

I also frequently use the BI-Taschenlexikon Orden und Medaillen. Staatliche Auszeichnungen der DDR (VEB Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig 1983) by Günter Tautz (although not so much for this thread, where I only looked up the usual purpose of the Hufeland-Medaille as background info.) It's very useful for information on orders and medals, though.

Completely outside the scope of this particular thread, but a great reference for military badges is Militärische Abzeichen der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (Militärverlag der DDR, 1988) by Klaus Feder, Jürgen Wagner & Ralf Swoboda.

(Note that all except the Spezialkatalog are period publications from the GDR.)

The rest is some supplementary online research through scattered internet resources.

[seb16trs]

Thank you very much for your comprehensive answer. I do know well all of those books; the Bartel series are exhaustive and extremly usefull references.


This is really my lack of german language which prevented me from understanding in their full meaning these books

[HPL2008]

Just in and presented as an addendum to post # 9, here is the first model of the "Junger Rettungsschwimmer" ["Young Lifeguard"] cloth badge worn until 1972, when it was replaced by the second model seen in the third picture. It's a heavily worn and quite faded piece:

[HPL2008]

This is the Abzeichen "Vorbeugen und Retten" ["Prevent and Rescue" Badge]. Instituted in 1972 and issued until the end of the GDR, it was awarded in three grades (I, II and III) and came in a printed cloth version only.

Unfortunately, I don't have any details on criteria etc., but as far as I know, it was part of the swimming training undertaken at schools.

Note the poor accuracy of the print:

[HPL2008]

Another new addition are these badges for the"Rettungsschein DDR" ["GDR Lifesaving Certificate"].

These badges are in Frank Bartel's catalog on awards of the DRK of the GDR, where he remarks that he included them because they came from stocks of the DRK (so I will include them in this thread, too). However, it was not known at the time of writing by whom or by what organisation they were actually instituted and what the award criteria were. Thus, the DRK connection is a bit unclear.

In any case, they appear to have been an equivalent to the West German Lifesaving Badges as awarded by the DLRG and the Wasserwacht of the West German DRK.

So, here is the metal badge (also known to exist as a stickpin and a screwback badge) and cloth versions in woven and embroidered form. The latter also exist with a red letter "B" in the lower part, apparently indicating a higher qualification level:

[HPL2008]

I have already shown the silver and gold grade of the Ehrennadel [Honor Pin] of the Bergrettungsdienst/Bergunfalldienst [Mountain Rescue Service/Mountain Accident Service] in post # 13. Here are two variations of the bronze grade now.

The Ehrennadel can be found both in a variant where only the wreath is in the color of the grade (left) and one where the entire pin is in that color (right).

[HPL2008]

But this one is an even nicer addition: The first model of the full-size qualification badge (with skies and rope for winter- and rock training).

Note the elaborate, multi-piece construction (compared to the simplified one-piece second model shown in post # 11). These badges can be found with a screwback attachment (as seen here) or a pin assembly and both with and without award numbers.

On the very earliest badges, the (two-digit) award numbers have been directly struck onto the badge. These are very rare. The commonly seen later ones (like this) have a glued-on metal plaque with the number. (in this case # 490). It is estimated that a total of some 3,000 of these badges (in the various qualification levels) were manufactured:

[Ralph P]

HPL2008 - What I like about the badge in your latest post was what appears the time it took to put the badge together, especially seeing the wire looped around the badge.

Thanks for showing the badge which I have not seen before, it is great to see this badge.

[HPL2008]

My pleasure! I like it a lot, too; in fact I think it is one of the most attractive DRK badges (east or west).

Unfortunately, it was a too intricate for its own good. The BRD/BUD chronicle seen in post # 12 tells us:

"1980. Wegen des hohen manuellen Aufwands bei der Herstellung des bisherigen Dienstabzeichens wird ein neues, geprägtes Dienstabzeichen im Format 34 mm x 34 mm eingeführt."
["1980. Due to the high manual effort involved in manufacturing the previous duty badge, a new stamped duty badge measuring 34 mm x 34 mm is introduced."]

(That's the one seen in post # 11.)

[Ralph P]

HPL2008 - thanks for the additional insight from the booklet in post 12.

[HPL2008]

Just in is this day badge for the 1. Bezirks-Spartakiade der Sanitätseinheiten [1st District Competition of the Medical Units] held at Leipzig in 1960:

[Ralph P]

HPL2008 - Interesting Red Cross badge you recently added to your collection.

Are there older badges like these?

[HPL2008]

Are there older badges like these?

Not to my knowledge (but I may be mistaken and will gladly stand corrected there).

Tinnies in this exact design can be found for various places and dates, for example for Berlin and Potsdam 1961 (both also identified as being their first Bezirks-Spartakiade der Sanitätseinheiten), but Leipzig 1960 is the oldest one that I am personally aware of.

[Ralph P]

. Thanks for your post.