Medal for excellent performance
The medal for excellent performance was a state award of the GDR , which was initially donated as a non- state award in 1953 at the beginning of the 5th annual plan. It was recognized as a state award on November 1, 1953. It was awarded to workers who had shown excellent performance in the field of administrative work and who had distinguished themselves in the implementation of the socialist style of work. Also for excellent work in the introduction of new working methods which had led to an improvement and which showed good work discipline. With the award of the medal, the entrusted received a certificate and a bonus. The awards continued until 1969 and were then discontinued. The successor to this medal was the Activist of Socialist Work award in the same year .
Appearance and wearing style
First form
The first form of the medal, which was awarded in 1951 and 1952, was made of bronzed aluminum and had a diameter of 31 mm. She showed the symbol of the five-year plan in the middle of her obverse , a 5 in front of a hammer and seven ears of corn in the background, which are arranged in rays. A compass is placed over the 5 starting from the stomach. The reverse of the medal, on the other hand, showed a stylized handshake in the middle, which was the symbol of the FDGB surrounded by the inscription: PEACE AND PROSPERITY (above) and FROM YOUR OWN POWER below. The medal was worn on a 21 × 25 clasp made of aluminum or sheet iron which was covered with an orange ribbon on the upper left side of the chest. On top of it was a 4 mm wide gold metal clasp with the embossed year 1951 or 1952 .
Second form
The symbolism of the second form of the medal, which was awarded from 1952 to 1955, has remained almost the same, it has only been adapted to the now reduced diameter of the medal to 29.5 mm. The 5 on the obverse of the coin was painted red from that date, the hammer designed black. This medal was also worn on a 24 × 18 mm clasp, which was enamelled in orange-yellow and whose base was grained on the upper left side of the chest. In addition, a horizontal 5 mm wide bar was also punched in the middle of the clasp on which the dates of the award: 1952 , 1953 , 1954 and 1955 can be read.
Third form
The version from 1956 to 1959, also known as the Third Form, remained almost unchanged, but was now anodized in gold. While the obverse of the medal remained the same, the inscription on the reverse changed significantly. It read: IN / SOCIALIST / WAY TO LIVE, / REQUIRED TO / SOCIALIST / WAY / TO WORK This version was also worn on the upper left side of the chest, whereby the clasp resembled that of the second form. The grain size fluctuated from fine to coarse due to production and showed the corresponding year of the award on the horizontal center bar: 1956 , 1957 , 1958 and 1959 can be read.
Fourth form
The fourth form from 1960 to 1969 again differs from the third form. The reason for this was the introduction of the seven-year plan, to which the layout of the medal had to be adapted. Instead of the 5 , a red 7 was now visible, on which a circle rested in the lower part of the number. The spread-apart ends of the compasses were held together by a gear wheel painted black. Instead of the previously used radial ears of corn, two ears of corn pointing upwards in a semicircle now enclosed the number. The reverse of the medal showed the changed inscription: AS / HOW WE TODAY / WORK / WE WILL / TOMORROW / LIFE. . This medal was also worn on the upper left side of the chest, but from 1963 on a lemon-yellow clasp. The horizontal bar again showed the year of the award: 1960 , 1961 , 1962 , 1963 , 1964 , 1965 and 1966 . From 1967 to 1969 (cessation of the award) there was a middle bar, but no year.
Otherwise, the interim clasp was the same as the carrying clasp in all versions.
Individual evidence
- ^ Awards of the German Democratic Republic Bartel / Karpinski, Military Publishing House of the GDR 1979, page 148/149