Rescue Medal (Berlin)
The Rescue Medal of the State of Berlin was donated on May 29, 1953 by the House of Representatives under its then President Otto Suhr and has since been state recognition for a successful rescue from danger at the risk of one's own life. The publication was carried out by the Governing Mayor Walther Schreiber .
Structure of the state award
The state of Berlin follows the federal trend with the so - called three - stage honoring of rescue acts and accordingly distinguishes between:
- the rescue medal on the ribbon,
- the non-wearable commemorative badge for rescue from danger and the
- public commendation.
Recognition requirements
Rescue medal on ribbon
The Rescue Medal on Ribbon is only awarded to those people who have rescued people from mortal danger under particularly difficult circumstances, at considerable risk to their own lives, or who have averted a threat from the general public and who have shown a special measure of courage and willingness to make sacrifices .
Commemorative medal
On the other hand, the commemorative medal for rescue from danger is awarded if the rescuer himself only found himself in less serious mortal danger during the underlying rescue act or if the rescue act was not crowned with success.
Public commendation
A public commendation is given, however, if the requirements for the rescue medal or the commemorative medal are not met, but the behavior of the rescuer justifies recognition.
In addition, the savior must be worthy of recognition. This also applies in the event of a rescue attempt. Berlin has regulated that the rescue or commemorative medal can only be awarded once to one and the same person, whereby the awarding of the rescue medal explicitly excludes the later award of the commemorative medal. Likewise, the rescuer will not be recognized if this person has been honored with a rescue or commemorative medal from another federal state for the underlying rescue act. This exception is intended to prevent a rescuer from being honored twice for the same rescue act.
Award-worthy group of people
The rescue medal or the commemorative medal is awarded:
- a) regardless of the location of the rescue act, if the rescuer has his normal place of residence in the state of Berlin,
- b) Regardless of the rescuer's place of residence or habitual abode for rescue acts in the state of Berlin.
With this regulation, rescue acts can be recognized nationwide by a rescuer from Berlin and, in general, all rescue acts in the state of Berlin, regardless of the rescuer's origin.
Award exclusions / exceptions
The rescue or commemorative medal is not awarded to persons who have been entrusted with protecting the lives of others for official or professional reasons and who were active during the rescue act as part of their official or professional duties. However, this principle can be deviated from if during the rescue act the average performance of duties was significantly exceeded .
Award procedure
The rescue or commemorative medal is awarded by the Senate , with a certificate signed by the governing mayor being presented at the award ceremony . The award certificate and the award are carried out by a member of the responsible district office on behalf of the Senate. The same applies to the approval of a cash reward. The public commendation, on the other hand, is given by the police chief of the state of Berlin or by the relevant district office. Both rescue and commemorative medals become the property of the borrower when they are awarded. After his death, the decorations remain in memory of his bereaved.
Exchange and replacement of old decorations
Previously awarded awards for rescuing people from mortal danger, in particular the Rescue Medal (1933), can be exchanged for the badge of honor of the new issue upon request. In addition, if it can be proven that the rescue or commemorative medal has been lost, a replacement can be provided.
Shape, composition and way of wearing
Rescue medal
The rescue medal on the ribbon is silver-plated and has a diameter of 25 mm. On its front, the state coat of arms of Berlin can be seen raised in the middle, which rests on two crossed oak leaves. The medal is framed by a punctiform border with a small ridge. The back is also framed in dots , but also contains a left-turning oak leaf wreath with the central five-line inscription: FOR / VICTIM READY / USE / DES OWN / LIFE . The rescue medal is worn on an orange-colored, broad ribbon, with a narrow white stripe running through it on both sides, on the left side of the chest. It is based on its original pattern, the Prussian Rescue Medal from 1833 .
Commemorative medal for rescue from danger
The commemorative medal is of the same quality, size and appearance. However, it is not intended to be worn and therefore does not have a holding device (eyelets, etc.).
See also
Web links
- Rescue medal of the state of Berlin . Statutes on the private website Ordensmuseum.de.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Law on State Recognition for Rescue Acts of May 28, 1953, Section 1
- ↑ Law on State Recognition for Rescue Acts of May 28, 1953, Section 1 Paragraph 2
- ↑ Law on State Recognition for Rescue Acts of May 28, 1953, Section 2 Paragraph 1
- ↑ Law on State Recognition for Rescue Acts of May 28, 1953, Section 2 Paragraph 2
- ↑ Law on State Recognition for Rescue Acts of May 28, 1953, Section 2 Paragraph 3
- ↑ Law on State Recognition for Rescue Acts of May 28, 1953, Section 3 Paragraph 1
- ↑ Law on State Recognition for Rescue Acts of May 28, 1953, Section 5
- ↑ Law on State Recognition for Rescue Acts of May 28, 1953, Section 6