German Sports Badges 1913-1945

[stuart c]

Hi Rick,sorry about the photos its the first time I have tried to post any,do you have any advice on making them more forum friendly,I notice that yours appear almost immediatly,and very good they are too.The badge is actually very matte and without any toning,its just not a very good picture. (that will teach me to use the daughters desk lamp as a light source !.I would have liked to have taken it in daylight,but the sun is not something that we see much of in England at this time of the year. )

[Rick Research]

Stuart--then iy sounds like you have got yourself a REAL buy!

Tech I have no clue--I just use homestead.com which is easy enough even for me.

BTW We don't have any better climate over here in NEW England either.

Claudio: why anybody fakes badges that can actually be bought (like Stuart's) CHEAPER for ORIGINALS is beyond me! I suspect the amount of hand work needed to cut these out and their low cost should make fakes obvious... for awhile anyway.

[stuart c]

Since this thread started last year I have been keeping an eye out for DRL badges without swastika on EBAY without any luck,how come we seem to see so few,even though this badge was awarded almost twice as many times as the DRA ?

[Rick Research]

Brought up out of the back pages for David

[stuart c]

Does anyone have a picture of a DRL without swastka they could post ?Do they have the letters cut out in the same way as the DRA and DRL with swastka.I have seen a few lately on EBAY that do not have the centers of the letters cut out,is this right or wrong ?

[Rick Research]

Many of them didn't-- they also are not maker marked when that way, like "cheap" second copies bought as spares at the time of the '36 Olympics "rush."

Frank just made (in an unrelated thread, now I can't find it--maybe in Association Members Only forum, an EXCELLENT clear way to tell those circa 1936 doubles from sloppy quality M1957 wearing replacements.

[Mike H]

Great thread ...

The search function is a wonderful thing. I found this discussion after I got interested in the DRL badges and started learning again.

I have a DRL in bronze (with hakenkreuz) and it has no maker marks on the back. Is it bad? I can post some photos if that will help later.

Just wanted to check on that detail first.

Mike

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Mike,

No, it is not neccessarily bad without a maker. Does it have cutouts in between the letters DRL? Even if it doesn´t, it could very well be real. Post the pics if you can!

Cheers, Frank H.

[Mike H]

DRL Shot #1

Here is one view ...

[Mike H]

And another ...

Frank,

Thanks for looking at these.

Mike

[Mike H]

Comments ...

No comments? Anyone? Frank?

Mike

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Mike,

Looks ok to me, mint condition. It has the typical hinge/pin/catch of maker Christian Lauer/Nürnberg.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Frank Heukemes]

Sorry Mike, make that Wernstein/Jena, I wasn´t thinking right

Cheers, Frank H.

[Richard]

From the book "Schlag Nach" (1938) it states that the DRL (Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen) or German Reichs Sportbadge could be acquired by any German of Aryan descent who has reached the end of his/her 18th year. To receive the award one had to fulfill one exercise out of each of 5 groups given. It states the award was given in 3 classes - bronze, silver and gold (Never a mention of the one for handicapped or war wounded ones. This was not apparently considered a class but just an award that handicapped individuals could obtain by fulfilling certain criteria.). Bronze was awarded to those between 18 to 32 years of age, silver to those between 32 to 40 years and gold to those over 40. To receive the gold, it was required to first receive the silver. This made little sense to me as that would mean you would have to at least complete the requirements in two different years even if you were over 40 so that you could obtain your silver first and then the gold.

One could complete the requirements for the bronze and if you completed the required exercises for each year for the next 8 years, you could receive the silver. Once you obtained the silver, you could complete the required exercises for the next 7 years and could receive the gold.

Simply put, if you completed the requirements, the age group you were in determined the grade of badge you received. In addition, if you received the bronze at 18 years of age and continued to qualify by completing the required exercises each year for 8 years thereafter, you could qualify for a silver by your 26th year. You could then continue with the required exercises each year and receive the gold after 7 years at age 33.

You had your pick of exercises in each group. Two referees had to witness the completion of the exercises.

Considering that it would take about 16 years of exercise for you to receive all three awards if you were under age 32 when you started, I think it is a bargain to set my lazy *ss at my computer and be able to purchase these on the internet instead!
Richard V

[Rick Research]

The full regulations are to be found in the serial numbered, recipient photo award booklets given on first successful completion of a class. Repeat awardees usually opted for the cheaper single sheet renewal award paper after that.

If you want to see the real award regulations, rather than the horribly mangled, blended, incorrect ones found in every English language medals "reference" book, these award booklets are plentiful and fairly cheap. Same goes for the SA Spots badges, for which see that thread in here.