Hufeland Medal (GDR)
The Hufeland Medal , named after the German doctor Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland (1762-1836), was a state award of the GDR and was donated on November 13, 1958, initially only in one level (in silver ). After the extension of the award conditions on December 20, 1972, the medal could now also be awarded in bronze or gold . They were awarded for special merits, exemplary initiatives in socialist competition and the fulfillment of the prescribed tasks in the health and social services of the GDR. Furthermore, for many years of meritorious work in these areas as well as in administration and in the middle medical professions. It was only awarded annually on December 11, Robert Koch's birthday and Health Care Day in the GDR. However, the number of awards was limited. So could the medal of
- I. level in gold: 50 times (bonus 1000 marks)
- II. Level in silver: 200 times (premium 500 marks) and the
- III. Level in bronze: 300 times (bonus 300 marks)
be awarded.
Appearance and wearing style
The medal with a diameter of 30 mm is either gold-plated, silver-plated or made of bronze, depending on the grade awarded. On her obverse it shows the portrait of Hufeland, who, when viewed from the observer, looks slightly to the right and the inscription: CHRISTOPH-WILHELM (above) HUFELAND (below). The reverse of the medal shows the GDR's national coat of arms in the center with the inscription: GERMAN DEMOKRATISCHE (above) REPUBLIK (below). The inscription itself is enclosed by two open laurel branches that are crossed at the bottom and bent upwards. The Hufeland medal was not worn as usual on the left, but on the right upper side of the chest on a 25 × 13 mm blue clasp. In the original variant, a 3 mm wide black, red and gold border could be seen on both sides of this tape. From 1961 to 1971, a 2.5 mm wide, centrally woven, golden central stripe indicated the highest awarded grade. The ribbon underwent a final change in 1972. While the basic and the border colors remained the same, the band of the bronze medal showed a 2.5 mm wide red central stripe, the silver one a white central stripe of the same width and the gold level, as since 1961, a gold one.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Bartel, Karpinski: Awards of the German Democratic Republic. Military Publishing House of the GDR 1979, p. 158.