Hello, everyone:
I have a nice pair of GPBs in my collection, and I suppose it's about time I get the facts straight about a few questions I have--specifically whether GPBs were always issued in pairs (large and small), even though the particular recipient may have had no reason to wear the military type. I have previously assumed too much, and therefore need to finally get the facts straight. I have also not previously found the answers in any of the research I have done myself.
1. Were GPBs only issued to members with an official government and/or military position in which they would have cause, on some occasions, to wear a military-style tunic? (This would explain why they would always be issued in pairs, including each size.)
2. If the above is true, then this would suggest that no regular civilian NSDAP members received GPBs. Is that correct? I also thought that certain distinguished civilian members could also receive GPBs. After all, the only issue criteria I am aware of is that the recipient be among the first 100,000 members of the NSDAP. Such a basic criteria would seem to necessarily include civilian members.
3. If regular civilians could receive GPBs, then this would eliminate a reason for such members to have the military type GPB, since there would never be a reason to wear it, due to the fact that they never wore a military-style tunic. So, if regular civilian NSDAP members could receive a GPB, did they also receive the large type, as a set, even though they would never need the large one? That really doesn't make much sense, but it conflicts with two possibilities here. If they were always issued in matching sets, what was the reason for that, if they were sometimes issued to worthy civilian NSDAP members? I can't imagine that outstanding civilian members were never issued a GPB. I have seen period photos of older women wearing the small, civilian type. With no bias at all, I just can't imagine such older women being in positions, at that time, to wear a military-style tunic. So, for example, why would such members recieve a large version of the badge? It would be inappropriate for their status, and totally unnecessary. If such civilian members only received the small civilian version, then this would mean that there are GPBs out there which never had a matching larger type. I am dwelling on this point, mainly because there is always such an emphasis on having a complete, serialized set of GPBs, and there is NEVER any mention of the possibility that a single, civilian size badge may be all that ever existed. A single GPB is typically considered to be without its match.
4. Finally, were there any special priveleges received by the recipients of GPBs, beyond what non-GPB wearing, regular members may have had? I know that they were nicknamed the "Golden Pheasants", and I have heard that they were afforded certain "priveleges in society". Again, I'm just curious about what those priveleges may have been.
Thanks in advance to anyone who may know the answers to all or any of the questions above.
Chris
I have a nice pair of GPBs in my collection, and I suppose it's about time I get the facts straight about a few questions I have--specifically whether GPBs were always issued in pairs (large and small), even though the particular recipient may have had no reason to wear the military type. I have previously assumed too much, and therefore need to finally get the facts straight. I have also not previously found the answers in any of the research I have done myself.
1. Were GPBs only issued to members with an official government and/or military position in which they would have cause, on some occasions, to wear a military-style tunic? (This would explain why they would always be issued in pairs, including each size.)
2. If the above is true, then this would suggest that no regular civilian NSDAP members received GPBs. Is that correct? I also thought that certain distinguished civilian members could also receive GPBs. After all, the only issue criteria I am aware of is that the recipient be among the first 100,000 members of the NSDAP. Such a basic criteria would seem to necessarily include civilian members.
3. If regular civilians could receive GPBs, then this would eliminate a reason for such members to have the military type GPB, since there would never be a reason to wear it, due to the fact that they never wore a military-style tunic. So, if regular civilian NSDAP members could receive a GPB, did they also receive the large type, as a set, even though they would never need the large one? That really doesn't make much sense, but it conflicts with two possibilities here. If they were always issued in matching sets, what was the reason for that, if they were sometimes issued to worthy civilian NSDAP members? I can't imagine that outstanding civilian members were never issued a GPB. I have seen period photos of older women wearing the small, civilian type. With no bias at all, I just can't imagine such older women being in positions, at that time, to wear a military-style tunic. So, for example, why would such members recieve a large version of the badge? It would be inappropriate for their status, and totally unnecessary. If such civilian members only received the small civilian version, then this would mean that there are GPBs out there which never had a matching larger type. I am dwelling on this point, mainly because there is always such an emphasis on having a complete, serialized set of GPBs, and there is NEVER any mention of the possibility that a single, civilian size badge may be all that ever existed. A single GPB is typically considered to be without its match.
4. Finally, were there any special priveleges received by the recipients of GPBs, beyond what non-GPB wearing, regular members may have had? I know that they were nicknamed the "Golden Pheasants", and I have heard that they were afforded certain "priveleges in society". Again, I'm just curious about what those priveleges may have been.
Thanks in advance to anyone who may know the answers to all or any of the questions above.
Chris
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