Ordensgesetz
Encyclopedia
The Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen (literally "Law regarding Titles, Medals and Decorations"), often shortened to Ordensgesetz (literally "Medal Law"), 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. First, it stipulated how medals and military decorations from before 1945 should be handled (including those from the days of the Weimar Republic
, which had been influenced by laws in 1933 and 1937 under the government of Nazi Germany
). Second, it was intended to describe treatment and procedures for medals in the (then newly created) Federal Republic of Germany
.
The original law also committed the German federal government to pay out the Ehrensold (literally "honorary soldier's pay", a type of pension
or honorarium
) included in certain awards from World War I
and before. On February 19, 2006 this portion of the law was nullified.
, particularly § 86a, which forbids distribution or public display of Nazi symbolism
without historical or academic cause.
Awards from before the Nazi's rise to power in 1933 may be worn so long as they are only worn in their original form. Along with other circumstantial stipulations, medals from 1933 to 1945 may only be worn if National Socialist
symbols are removed (swastika
s, SS runes, etc.). Medals awarded to members of civil services (e.g. fire departments or search and rescue crews) have no further limitations. Military commendations conferred by a previously allied state may only be worn through expressed consent, regardless the time they were awarded.
Medals specifically permitted for display by the law include:
Section 6 paragraph 2 specifically reiterates that medals with National Socialist emblems may not be worn. They may not be produced, offered, inventoried, sold or used in commerce in any form. Accompanying the law, the German Ministry of the Interior released a supplement depicting the altered forms of awards from the period covered by 1934 to 1945.
for medals worn by soldiers. Medals are worn on the left upper breast with the following precedence from right to left:
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...
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. First, it stipulated how medals and military decorations from before 1945 should be handled (including those from the days of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
, which had been influenced by laws in 1933 and 1937 under the government of 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...
). Second, it was intended to describe treatment and procedures for medals in the (then newly created) Federal Republic of 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....
.
Basic Conventions
In general the law elucidates the following conventions:- The German federal government and stateStates of GermanyGermany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
governments can confer titles, medals and military decorations (hereafter referred to simply as medals). - The President of GermanyPresident of GermanyThe President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
can personally create or officially recognize existing medals such as from civil service or sports (the law specifically mentions the Olympic Games, both the 1936 Winter Games1936 Winter OlympicsThe 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
and Summer Games1936 Summer OlympicsThe 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
had been held in Germany). - Convicted criminals' medals can be revoked.
- German citizens may only assume foreign medals through the expressed consent of the President of Germany.
- Medals or titles may only be borne by the specific person who received them; insignias or emblems generally remain the property of the beneficiaries.
- Wearing fake medals or Nazi symbolsNazi symbolismThe twentieth century German Nazi Party was notable for its extensive use of graphic symbolism, most notably the Hakenkreuz , which it used as its principal symbol, and, in the form of the swastika flag, became the state flag of Nazi Germany....
, or wearing real medals without being the entitled person will be considered a breach of the law and punished with a fine.
The original law also committed the German federal government to pay out the Ehrensold (literally "honorary soldier's pay", a type of pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
or honorarium
Honorarium
An honorarium is an ex gratia payment made to a person for their services in a volunteer capacity or for services for which fees are not traditionally required. This is used by groups such as schools or sporting clubs to pay coaches for their costs...
) included in certain awards from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and before. On February 19, 2006 this portion of the law was nullified.
Previously Conferred Medals
The law outlines numerous stipulations and rulings on regulations for previously conferred medals and military decorations. In practice the law conforms to German criminal codeStrafgesetzbuch
Strafgesetzbuch is the German name for Penal Code and is abbreviated to StGB.- History :In Germany the Strafgesetzbuch goes back to the Penal Code of the German Empire passed in the year 1871 which was largely identical to the Penal Code of the North German Confederation.This Reichsstrafgesetzbuch ...
, particularly § 86a, which forbids distribution or public display of Nazi symbolism
Nazi symbolism
The twentieth century German Nazi Party was notable for its extensive use of graphic symbolism, most notably the Hakenkreuz , which it used as its principal symbol, and, in the form of the swastika flag, became the state flag of Nazi Germany....
without historical or academic cause.
Awards from before the Nazi's rise to power in 1933 may be worn so long as they are only worn in their original form. Along with other circumstantial stipulations, medals from 1933 to 1945 may only be worn if National Socialist
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
symbols are removed (swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
s, SS runes, etc.). Medals awarded to members of civil services (e.g. fire departments or search and rescue crews) have no further limitations. Military commendations conferred by a previously allied state may only be worn through expressed consent, regardless the time they were awarded.
Medals specifically permitted for display by the law include:
- The 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....
(and its varying grades) - The Silesian Eagle (an award from the Weimar Republic for the FreikorpsFreikorpsFreikorps are German volunteer military or paramilitary units. The term was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards. Between World War I and World War II the term was also used for the paramilitary organizations that arose during...
) - The Baltenkreuz (an award from the Weimar Republic for combat in the Baltic states)
- The 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...
- The Luftschutzabzeichen (air defense badge)
- The Panzer BadgePanzer BadgeThe Panzer Badge was a German medal awarded to armour troops during World War II. It was introduced during World War II in December 1939 .- History :The Tank Combat Badge, or Panzer Badge, first existed in the German Army during World War I, and was later...
- The Infantry Assault BadgeInfantry Assault BadgeThe Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...
- The Close Combat ClaspClose Combat ClaspThe Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket...
- The General Assault BadgeGeneral Assault BadgeThe General Assault Badge was awarded to personnel of the German Wehrmacht who were not in infantry or tank units during World War II.Instituted on 1 June 1940, the General Assault Badge was awarded to assault engineers as well as to those troops who supported infantry and armor units in combat...
Section 6 paragraph 2 specifically reiterates that medals with National Socialist emblems may not be worn. They may not be produced, offered, inventoried, sold or used in commerce in any form. Accompanying the law, the German Ministry of the Interior released a supplement depicting the altered forms of awards from the period covered by 1934 to 1945.
Order of precedence
Section 12 of the law enumerates the order of precedenceOrder of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
for medals worn by soldiers. Medals are worn on the left upper breast with the following precedence from right to left:
- Verdienstorden (Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany)
- Rettungsmedaille am Bande (originally a Prussian award for saving the life of another soldier)
- Eisernes Kreuz 1914 (Iron cross awarded during the First World WarWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
) - Eisernes Kreuz 1939 (Iron cross awarded during the Second World WarWorld War IIWorld 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...
) - Other medals awarded for service in the First World War in the order of their conferment
- Ehrenkreuz (Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
from 1934 awarded for participating in the First World War) - Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1939 (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...
, a civilian analogue to the Iron Cross occasionally issued to military personnel) - Other medals awarded for service in the Second World War in the order of their conferment
- Further German awards in the order of their conferment
- Officially authorized awards in the order of their conferment
- Foreign awards in the order of their respective precedence
External links
- http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/ordeng/ Full text of the Ordensgesetz [In German]