Blood donation badge (GDR)

The blood donation badge was an award of the German Red Cross in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), which was initially donated in three stages, bronze , silver and gold . The award for free blood donation took place

• in gold for 15 donations
• in silver for 10 donations and
• in bronze for five donations.

The first form of the blood donation badge has the shape of an 18 mm high shield, the upper edge of which is wavy like an open book. On its underside, two crossed broad oak leaves are placed, which cover the lower edge of the badge and thus make it misshapen. The badge is enamelled in white in the middle and shows in its upper half the red Geneva cross with the semicircular inscription: GERMAN RED CROSS ABOVE the Geneva cross BLUTSPENDER can be read horizontally . The number of donations, 5 , 10 or 15, can be read between the two lower crossing points of the oak leaves . The lettering, oak leaves and the frame of the badge are kept in the colors of the awarded level. There are also badges known to have the word GDR added.

In 1972 a second form of the badge was introduced. The badge, worn on a long pin, has the shape of a drop of blood with the tip pointing upwards. It is no longer enamelled or lacquered, but just kept simple gold, silver or bronze. The Geneva cross is embossed in its center. At a later point in time, however, these variants were again enamelled or painted and coated with plastic. As a special level , a blood donor badge was also donated for 20 blood donations, which is 35 mm high and was worn on a clasp. This special stage also shows a stylized drop of blood, which, however, is painted white on the inside and shows the outlines of two upper bodies of people, the left body of which is depicted as a donor in red, its right counterpart only as an outline, as it is white itself. A small Geneva cross can be seen between the two heads, under which the word: BLOOD DISPENSER . The round underside of the drop is surrounded by a semicircular tape on which the words GERMAN ROTES KREUZ DDR can be read. Two laurel branches can be seen under the writing, the center of which is held together by a small square. Both the writing tape and the laurel branches are golden. The carrying clasp with a golden edge is enamelled in white and shows the symbol of the DRK in the middle, the Geneva Cross enclosed by the red ribbon DEUTSCHES ROTES KREUZ above and GDR below.

Picture gallery

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  Blood donation badge (GDR) needle

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  Special level blood donation badge of the GDR

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  Blood donation badge (GDR) needle - blood drop email

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  Blood donation badge (GDR) needle - blood drop paint

Individual evidence

1. ^ Awards of the German Democratic Republic Bartel / Karpinski, Military Publishing House of the GDR 1979, page 195