Military Merit Medal of the German Democratic Republic

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The Military Merit Medal of the German Democratic Republic.

The Military Merit Medal of the German Democratic Republic was a state award of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), which was donated in 1982 by the Council of Ministers of the GDR by its chairman Willi Stoph . The award was made for special merits in strengthening friendly relations and the further development of cooperation between the National People's Army and the armies or armed forces of other countries. The term brother states was dispensed with in the foundation statutes. The medal itself, which was also awarded with a certificate by the Minister of National Defense, was not intended for members of the NVA, but only for members of other state armed forces.

Appearance and wearing style

The bronze-colored medal is round and has a diameter of 35 mm. On her obverse it shows the bronze state coat of arms of the GDR in the middle, which is enclosed by two open oak leaves that are braided at the bottom and curved upwards. Below are two crossed sabers in the middle. The reverse of the medal, on the other hand, showed the three-line inscription in the middle: MILITARY / MERIT / MEDAL . Underneath on the central edge of the medal the inscription: GDR , which is flanked on both sides by a short laurel branch bent upwards on both sides. According to the statutes of the other country, the medal was worn on a light gray ribbon. A 3 mm wide black, red and gold central stripe is woven into this band on the left and right 3 mm from the hem. The interim clasp is of the same quality, but shows the 10 mm diameter bronze miniature of the GDR's national coat of arms in the center.

Individual evidence

  1. Taschenlexikon Orders and Medals - State Awards of the GDR, 2nd edition VEB Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig 1983, author Günter Tautz, page 109/110