GPB low number

[Br. James]

Thanks very much, Stephen. There are four persons included on the Gau Thüringen list, dated 31.12.1937, as GPB recipients with NSDAP Membership Numbers above 100,000, and none of those four names appears on the Patzwall list as Honorary GPB recipients...unlike Pg. Alfred Fuchs -- #5773545, just as you have shown us his badge -- who is included on Patzwall's list of Honorary GPB recipients.

Obviously mistakes happen, even made by Germans (of which heritage I claim!) so I presume that Klaus Patzwall's list is not conclusive and that these four persons were simply missed by him when he prepared his book on the subject. But at this time, given that the Gau Thüringen list includes these four persons and that their names do not appear on the Patzwall honorary list, I think the jury is still out on this question!

Cheers, my friend, and countless thanks for your efforts for all of us!

Br. James

[sjl]

I don't think Pazwall is definitive either. I've found a couple of names not on his list too.

Some people were also stripped of the GPB for bad behaviour.

And sorry for the error, the number is 5,7 million, not 3,7xx,xxx in the badge shown.

[colin davie]

I have found Hoffmann's book and am enjoying the re-read, first thing I have noticed... he mentions on page 41 "I had joined the Nazi Party in April 1920, with Membership Card 427" ...
I thought it has been stated the old membership numbering system started at 500?
C

[der-hase-fee]

I have found Hoffmann's book and am enjoying the re-read, first thing I have noticed... he mentions on page 41 "I had joined the Nazi Party in April 1920, with Membership Card 427" ...
I thought it has been stated the old membership numbering system started at 500?
C

In Traudl Junge's memoirs you'd find #425.

[sjl]

Heinrich Hoffmann is listed as no. 925 in the original DAP/NSDAP membership list joining 6/4/1920.

[JoeW]

I find it difficult to reconcile the listing of Thuringen party members with numbers greater than 100,000 in the December 1937 book as A.H. badge recipients when the awarding of those badges did not commence until the following year. Or was it 1939?

And Fuchs received his A.H. badges in a set as he was propoosed by his Gauleiter or equivalent party chief. If he wanted the odd badge with his number, he would have had to requestnit later. Probably because he did not want to loose the coveted A.H. award. Stephen, have you found any info on Fuchs?

[sjl]

The first Honour Gold Party Badges were awarded in Nov.-Dec. 1934 to Frau Lieselotte Bechstein (original NSDAP number 94, but lapsed) and Herr J.F. Lehmann (NSDAP no. 1,011,952).

1939 is just one of the largest award years and most commonly found dates..

[JoeW]

I am aware of the documentation of those early presentations you mention, but does it clearly indicate these were of the same class as those badges created by Hitler's order and firt awarded to prestigious military and political personages? i admit I am relying on my sometimes faulty memory. I must review the GPB files when I return home.

Stephen, did you locate any additional info on Fuchs?

[Br. James]

Thanks, Colin -- I hope you do find the reference in Hoffmann's autobiography. Very interesting!

Cheers,

Br. James

[colin davie]

Still trying to find time to re-read this book, gone are the days I had time to read 1 or 2 books a week seem to get busier as I get older, meant to be the other way around.
C

[JoeW]

Thanks very much, Stephen. There are four persons included on the Gau Thüringen list, dated 31.12.1937, as GPB recipients with NSDAP Membership Numbers above 100,000, and none of those four names appears on the Patzwall list as Honorary GPB recipients...unlike Pg. Alfred Fuchs -- #5773545, just as you have shown us his badge -- who is included on Patzwall's list of Honorary GPB recipients.

Obviously mistakes happen, even made by Germans (of which heritage I claim!) so I presume that Klaus Patzwall's list is not conclusive and that these four persons were simply missed by him when he prepared his book on the subject. But at this time, given that the Gau Thüringen list includes these four persons and that their names do not appear on the Patzwall honorary list, I think the jury is still out on this question!

Cheers, my friend, and countless thanks for your efforts for all of us!

Br. James

Br. James, you might check your Patzwall list again. I only found three names with party numbers over 100 000 in the Thüringen list, but all were listed in the Patzwall list which was compiled from material in the National Archives. Not only did he list those from Thüringen, but he also included two from Gau Westfalen-Süd.

So Stephen, I did pull my Golden Party Badge file and discovered my error. Mea Culpa. Of course the early Ehrenhaber presentations to his supporters and financial contributors like Frau and Fraulein Bechstein, the Eichhorn couple and Lehman were in the early years of 1934/35 and 1936. You mention in your website that you ".... have seen a few dated awards that do not appear in his index (Patzwall's)." Are you referring to the early dated examples of 1934/35-1937? If not, have you seen any of these early dated examples of the Goldene Ehrenzeichen?

It is interesting that the early correspondence concerning this Ehrenzeichen does not particularly mention the design other than it being the Goldene Parteiabzeichen.

[sjl]

Thanks for checking Joe. I'll have to look in my files to see if I have them written down somewhere.

I do recall that the early awards were dated and engraved on the reverse. I think there's no separate description of the honor version because there was no difference in the design except the back.

Stephen

[Br. James]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for your note. My reference was to 'Die Träger des Goldenen Ehrenzeichens der NSDAP. im Gau Thüringen' in "Dienstrangliste der Politischen Leiter des Gaues Thüringen der NSDAP.", edition date unknown. About 20 years ago a fellow collector sent me a photocopy of a page from this publication which contained these listings:

Ernst Bickel, GPB #128945
Paul Bickel, GPB #128979
Friedrich Bierwerth, GPB #161554
Arthur Behnert, 224569

None of these four names appear in the Patzwall reference work to the Honorary GPB.

Cheers,

Br. James

[all1knew]

Heinrich Hoffmann is listed as no. 925 in the original DAP/NSDAP membership list joining 6/4/1920.

I don't believe that is correct:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=624190

William Kramer

[der-hase-fee]

I don't believe that is correct:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=624190

William Kramer

GBP, so membership started AFTER 25th Feb. 1925, while Hoffmann's dated back to BEFORE. They also started a new roster.