Awards and decorations of the German Armed Forces
Encyclopedia
The Awards and decorations of the German Armed Forces are decorations awarded by the German Bundeswehr
, the German government, and other organizations to the German military and allied forces. Modern era German military awards have been presented since the end of World War II and the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany
in 1949.
At the end of the Second World War
, Nazi Germany
had amassed an extensive area of award and decorations both for military service, political service in the Nazi Party, and various other service medals and badges associated with the Nazi Germany expansion and activities.
Denazification
edicts promptly declared the wear and display of former Nazi decorations as strictly prohibited. As Germany split apart into East and West Germany
, each of these new countries issued directives concerning the status of former awards and decorations of Nazi Germany. Within East Germany, these awards were all but abolished with a new era of German Communist
decorations created to take their place. However, in West Germany, by 1948 laws had been passed permitting the display of certain combat and military service medals from World War II, but also prohibiting continued display of Nazi political awards
, awards directly associated with the SA
or SS, as well as occupation service medals
directly associated with the expansion of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
Formal regulations
issued in the mid 1950s had thereafter permitted the continued display of certain Wehrmacht
decorations in ribbon form; the extensive use of neck order
s and badges that had been prevalent under Nazi Germany was phased out in favor of the more common ribbon bar
system used in western militaries.
. During this time period, the West German government began to slowly introduce new military awards and decorations, most of them for non-combat meritorious service.
Chief among these was the Order of Merit, considered the highest civilian decorations of Germany. Civil relief medals were also introduced into the German armed forces, beginning in 1962 with the first in series of Flood Relief Medals
.
By the 1970s, German personnel were also eligible to receive foreign awards, most notable awards and decorations of the United States military
. During the 1980s, the NATO Medal
and United Nations Medal
were also frequently awarded to German personnel.
and other NATO-United Nations Peacekeeping ventures. German personnel are also eligible to receive and display civil service medals, sports and fitness awards, and certain marksmanship awards.
The reunification of Germany
also saw new regulations concerning the status of East German awards introduced into the modern German military. These regulations typically stipulated that awards associated with the Communist regime were prohibited from display, but did recognize the status and continued wear of certain non-political service medals.
Some awards are awarded to German soldiers as a ribbon but are currently not permitted to be worn on uniforms of the German Armed Forces. Examples include:
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, the German government, and other organizations to the German military and allied forces. Modern era German military awards have been presented since the end of World War II and the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1949.
History
The history of German Armed Forces awards may be divided into three distinct eras, mainly Post-Word War II decorations, Cold War era decorations, and modern day awards and medals.Post World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
had amassed an extensive area of award and decorations both for military service, political service in the Nazi Party, and various other service medals and badges associated with the Nazi Germany expansion and activities.
Denazification
Denazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
edicts promptly declared the wear and display of former Nazi decorations as strictly prohibited. As Germany split apart into East and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, each of these new countries issued directives concerning the status of former awards and decorations of Nazi Germany. Within East Germany, these awards were all but abolished with a new era of German Communist
Orders, decorations, and medals of East Germany
After the establishment of the German Democratic Republic the new country prohibited the wearing of all pre-1945 German awards and created a new system of various decorations that was inspired by those of the USSR....
decorations created to take their place. However, in West Germany, by 1948 laws had been passed permitting the display of certain combat and military service medals from World War II, but also prohibiting continued display of Nazi political awards
Political decorations of the Nazi Party
Political decorations of the Nazi Party were medals and awards issued by the National Socialist German Workers Party between1920 and 1945. Political awards were authorized for wear on any paramilitary uniform of Nazi Germany, as well as civilian attire, but were generally frowned upon for display ...
, awards directly associated with the SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
or SS, as well as occupation service medals
German Occupation Medals
The German Occupation Medals were a series of awards, also known as the "Flower War medals", created to commemorate the annexation of Austria, Czechoslovakia and the Memelland by Nazi Germany in the interwar period...
directly associated with the expansion of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
Formal regulations
Ordensgesetz
The Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen , often shortened to Ordensgesetz , is a federal law of Germany detailing the treatment and handling procedures for civilian and military decorations. The law was put into effect on July 26, 1957 and fulfilled two primary purposes...
issued in the mid 1950s had thereafter permitted the continued display of certain Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
decorations in ribbon form; the extensive use of neck order
Neck order
A neck order is a type of decoration which is designed to be worn and displayed around a person's neck, rather than hung from the chest as is the standard practice for displaying most decorations....
s and badges that had been prevalent under Nazi Germany was phased out in favor of the more common ribbon bar
Ribbon bar
Ribbon bars are small decorations that are worn by military, police, and fire service personnel or by civilians. Ribbon bars are mainly used when wearing either full decoration, or when wearing medals is considered inappropriate or impractical. Each military force has its own rules on what ribbons...
system used in western militaries.
Cold War Era
During the 1960s, West Germany became closely associated with NATO, serving as a major base for forward deployed United States and allied forces along the border with the Eastern BlocEastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
. During this time period, the West German government began to slowly introduce new military awards and decorations, most of them for non-combat meritorious service.
Chief among these was the Order of Merit, considered the highest civilian decorations of Germany. Civil relief medals were also introduced into the German armed forces, beginning in 1962 with the first in series of Flood Relief Medals
North Sea flood of 1962
The North Sea flood of 1962 was a natural disaster affecting mainly the coastal regions of Germany and in particular the city of Hamburg in the night from 16 February to 17 February 1962...
.
By the 1970s, German personnel were also eligible to receive foreign awards, most notable awards and decorations of the United States military
Awards and decorations of the United States military
Awards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...
. During the 1980s, the NATO Medal
NATO Medal
The NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization . It is manufactured by Eekelers - Centini, International, of Hemiksem, Belgium...
and United Nations Medal
United Nations Medal
The term United Nations Medal refers to one of several international decorations which are issued by the United Nations to the various militaries of the world for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and disaster relief...
were also frequently awarded to German personnel.
Modern Day Awards
In the modern day German armed forces, several combat service medals exist due to German participation in overseas deployed missions in the War on TerrorWar on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
and other NATO-United Nations Peacekeeping ventures. German personnel are also eligible to receive and display civil service medals, sports and fitness awards, and certain marksmanship awards.
The reunification of Germany
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
also saw new regulations concerning the status of East German awards introduced into the modern German military. These regulations typically stipulated that awards associated with the Communist regime were prohibited from display, but did recognize the status and continued wear of certain non-political service medals.
Index of German Awards
Federal Civil Decorations
- German Order of Merit
Decorations of the Bundeswehr
- Badge of Honour of the BundeswehrBadge of Honour of the BundeswehrThe Badge of Honour of the German Armed Forces is a series of military decorations of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany...
- Combat Action Medal of the BundeswehrCombat Action Medal of the BundeswehrThe Combat Action Medal of the Bundeswehr is a military decoration awarded by the German Bundeswehr. The medal is awarded for active participation in combat actions or for the suffering from terrorist attacks...
- German Armed Forces Service MedalGerman Armed Forces Service MedalThe German Armed Forces Service Medal is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany....
Authorized Second World War Decorations
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross of the War Merit CrossWar Merit CrossThe War Merit Cross was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel...
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
- War Merit CrossWar Merit CrossThe War Merit Cross was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel...
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
- Wehrmacht Qualification Badges (Ribbon Format)
- Wehrmacht Combat Clasps (Ribbon Format)
- Tank Destruction BadgeTank Destruction BadgeThe Tank Destruction Badge was an award given to individuals of the Wehrmacht who destroyed an enemy tank single-handedly by an hand-held weapon. Anti-tank units were not eligible for this award...
(Ribbon Format) - Wehrmacht Long Service AwardWehrmacht Long Service AwardThe Wehrmacht Long Service Award was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a given years of military service...
s - Eastern Front MedalEastern Front MedalThe Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...
- West Wall MedalWest Wall MedalThe West Wall Medal was a military decoration of Nazi Germany. It was instituted on 2 August 1939 and was given to those who designed and built the fortifications on Germany's western borders, known as the West Wall or, in English, the Siegfried Line, and to the troops who served there prior to...
Flood Service Awards
- German Flood Service Medal (1962) - Service in the North Sea flood of 1962North Sea flood of 1962The North Sea flood of 1962 was a natural disaster affecting mainly the coastal regions of Germany and in particular the city of Hamburg in the night from 16 February to 17 February 1962...
. - German Flood Service Medal (1997) - Service in the 1997 Oder Flood1997 Oder FloodThe 1997 Central European flood or the 1997 Oder Flood of the Oder River and its tributaries in July 1997 affected Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic, taking lives of 105-115 people and causing material damages estimated at $4.5 billion...
- German Flood Service Medal (2002)German Armed Forces Flood Service MedalThe German Flood Service Medal 2002 is a decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany.The decoration was awarded to all German military members, foreign armed service members, civilian rescue forces and civilians, who had collaborated with the flood disaster relief efforts in Germany in the...
- Service in the 2002 German Flood
Sports Decorations
- German Sports BadgeGerman Sports BadgeThe German Sports Badge is a decoration of the German Olympic Sports Federation DOSB, of the Federal Republic of Germany...
- German rescue swimming badgeGerman rescue swimming badgeThe German rescue swimming badge is awarded by the Wasserwacht of the German Red Cross and the DLRG for proficiency in rescue swimming skills...
- Four Days March MedalInternational Four Days Marches NijmegenThe International Four Day Marches Nijmegen is the largest marching event in the world. It is organised every year in Nijmegen in mid-July as a means of promoting sport and exercise. Participants walk 30, 40 or 50 kilometers daily, and, on completion, receive a royally approved medal...
Qualification insignia
- German Pilot Badge
- Parachutist BadgeParachutist Badge (Germany)The German Armed Forces Parachutist Badge is the badge awarded to and worn by qualified parachutists of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany...
- Commando Badge
- German Naval Qualification Badges
- German Marksmanship LanyardsGerman Armed Forces Badge of MarksmanshipThe German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany....
Foreign awards
- NATO MedalNATO MedalThe NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization . It is manufactured by Eekelers - Centini, International, of Hemiksem, Belgium...
- United Nations MedalUnited Nations MedalThe term United Nations Medal refers to one of several international decorations which are issued by the United Nations to the various militaries of the world for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and disaster relief...
- United Nations Medal for Special Service
- United Nations Medal for Service with United Nations Peace Forces (UNPF)
- Awards and decorations of the United States militaryAwards and decorations of the United States militaryAwards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...
- Military awards and decorations of FranceMilitary awards and decorations of France-National orders:-Ministry orders:-Other civilian distinctions:-Military medals:-19th century:-1900-1914:-1st World War :-Between the two wars :-Second World War :-After 1945:-Ministry Orders:...
Frequent violations of wear
- European Police Achievement BadgeEuropean Police Achievement BadgeThe European Police Achievement Badge is a decoration offered by the European police sports association Union Sportive des Polices d'Europe . It is awarded for proficiency in marksmanship, swimming, and running...
- Blood Donation Badge of Honor
- Marksmanship RibbonMarksmanship RibbonA Marksmanship Ribbon is an award of the United States Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard that is issued to service members who pass a weapons qualification course and achieve an above-average score.-Navy:...
of the United States Air Force, Navy or Coast Guard - Wearing the German Armed Forces Badge for Military ProficiencyGerman Armed Forces Badge for Military ProficiencyThe German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany....
as a ribbon (wear of the badge is permitted). - Wearing the Presidential Champions AwardPresidential Champions AwardThe President's Challenge is a program by President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports . The program encourages all Americans to make being active part of their everyday lives...
in German ribbon format.