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Today I added the East German Civil Defence Medal of Merit and the Decoration of the German Police – which spent most of its life as a breast badge, only becoming a medal in 1964. This award was known as the Grim Reaper as its design was reminiscent of Death bearing a large sickle!
More East German medals of merit – for the Ministry of the Interior, the Fighting Groups of the Working Class, and the Customs Administration. Life made easy as many of these medals had alreay been contributed (chiefly by David Devine, also by Lukasz Gaszewski) so all I needed to do was tidy them up a bit!
Back to East Germany, and added the Medal for Exemplary Border Service and the Brotherhood in Arms Medal, both quite significant to East Germany’s distinctive history. The Medal for Exemplary Border Service was predominently awarded for those acting to keep people from leaving East Germany (and indeed some recipients were, after the reunification of Germany, prosecuted for the very acts that earned them their medal), while the Brotherhood in Arms Medal was awarded to those who participated in Warsaw Pact exercises.
Three more East German medals this afternoon. All three are sort of ‘lifetime achievement’ awards, being the Medal for Merit in Fire Protection, the Medal for Excellent Service in the Militarised Organisations of the Ministry of the Interior, and the Medal for Excellent Service in the Fighting Groups of the Working Class.
Images have come from Greg Collins, David Devine, and Lukasz Gaszewski – thanks, guys!
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