Young activist
The honorary title of young activist was a state award of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), which was awarded in the form of a medal from 1949 by the FDJ or FDGB leadership. Forerunner was the badge activist of the brick campaign . The medal must not be confused with the honorary title of Outstanding Young Activist and the title of Activist of Socialist Work .
Appearance and wearing style
1. Form
The badge of the young activists from 1949 to 1952 in the first form has the shape of a rhombus and was purely an award of the FDJ. It was 22.5 mm high and 20.5 mm wide. It shows a pink hand on a white background in front of a red factory with two smoking chimneys. In 1949 the badge was changed slightly. It now showed a pink hand on a blue background. The third version, which was awarded until 1952 and was also realized in 1949, showed a red hand in front of a blue background. The badge, however, was 26 mm high and 23.5 mm wide. What they all have in common is the symbolism of two crossed laurel branches that cross at the lower corner of the rhombus, as well as a compass, the upper part of which can be seen in the upper tip of the rhombus. The back was kept smooth and empty and showed a horizontally soldered brooch pin. The first form in its various designs is unique on today's collectors' market and is accordingly highly traded. In 1952, the award was discontinued and temporarily replaced by the medal “For outstanding performance in the five-year plan” .
2. shape
In 1959 the young activist badge was renewed as the sole FDJ award and was awarded in this form until 1967. It now showed a rhombus again, was 23 mm wide and 20 mm high. Its center was enamelled blue and showed two smoking chimneys with the inscription JUNGAKTIVIST . The rhombus is framed by two laurel branches crossed at the bottom, which show the FDJ symbol and the sign of the seven-year plan with a red enamelled 7 on the upper left edge . The back was kept smooth and empty and showed a horizontally soldered brooch pin.
3. Shape
The shape of the gold-plated medal, also a creation of the FDJ, awarded from 1967 to 1976, with a diameter of 30 mm shows the FDJ symbol on its obverse , in front of which a compass is depicted. Its compass tips rest on a symbolized gear. This gear then turns into a branch on both sides. The reverse of the medal, on the other hand, shows the four-line inscription SOCIALISTIC / WORKING / LERNEN / LIFEN . The medal was worn on the upper left side of the chest of the entrant on a blue enameled, gold-framed clasp with the gold inscription JUNGAKTIVIST
4. Shape
The last form of the medal, which was awarded jointly by the FDGB and the FDJ from 1977 to 1989, has a diameter of 31.5 mm, is made of non-ferrous metal, is also gold and shows a portrait of a man with a hard hat and a helmet in the center of its obverse standing in front of it young woman with headscarf. Industrial plants and agricultural production plants can be seen in the background. The embossed inscription JUNGAKTIVIST can be read in a semicircle under the portrait. The reverse, on the other hand, shows the six-line inscription FOR / OUTSTANDING / PERFORMANCE / IN / SOCIALIST / COMPETITION. The medal was worn on the upper left side of the chest on an enamelled mint-green, gold-framed and plastic-coated clasp, which shows a red enameled hem on its edges. In the middle of the clasp, the symbols of the FDJ and FDGB can also be seen in gold .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Awards of the German Democratic Republic Bartel / Karpinski, Military Publishing House of the GDR 1979, page 189