Medal of Merit of the fighting groups of the working class
The medal of merit of the fighting groups of the working class was a state award of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), which was donated on September 25, 1961 and expanded in 1978 by two more to three levels, bronze , silver and gold . It was awarded to honor the faithful fulfillment of duties and to recognize exemplary achievements in the ranks of the GDR's combat groups. Until 1972 it was only awarded to individuals, from 1973 it was then also possible to award it to collectives and entire units of the combat groups . On May 1 or October 7, the medal could be awarded by the Minister of the Interior and the Chief of the German People's Police . The medal was accompanied by a certificate and a bonus for individual persons.
Appearance and wearing style
The bronze-colored, silver-plated or gold-plated medal with a diameter of 32 mm shows the Brandenburg Gate on its obverse , seen from the east, in a stylized form. In front of it, in the lower right corner, a member of the combat groups and a member of the National People's Army of the GDR, each holding an automatic assault rifle with a round magazine. To the left of this are the state flag of the GDR and the red flag of the working class. The inscription FOR OUTSTANDING was applied to the upper border, with a branch of laurel on the left and right. In the lower border was the inscription COMBAT AND OPERATION READY . The reverse of the medal, on the other hand, showed the early state coat of arms of the GDR in the middle , surrounded by a pearl circle and four laurel branches, which started in the horizontal central radius end and pointed up and down in the edge zone. The medal was worn on a pentagonal pentagonal clasp with a red ribbon, in the middle of which a black, red and gold 6.5 mm wide strip was woven on the upper left side of the chest. A stripe in the color corresponding to the level of the medal was drawn in on the right and left edge of the ribbon. The interim clasp corresponded in size to the medal clasp and had a rectangular shape. Until 1978 there was also a second, dark red enamelled or lacquered interim clasp, which showed the emblem of the combat groups (arm with rifle and flag).
Medal of Merit of the Combat Groups in bronze
Merit medal of the combat groups in silver (unfortunately started)
Gold medal of merit of the combat groups
literature
- Collective of authors: "Handbuch Militärisches Grundwissen", combat group edition, Military Publishing House of the GDR, 1975, appendix
Individual evidence
- ↑ Awards of the German Democratic Republic Bartel / Karpinski, Military Publishing House of the GDR 1979, page 161