Nazi Party Membership Badges

National Socialist German Worker's Party Badge (Abzeichen der National-Socialistischen Deutschen Arbeiter Partei)

Over the years there has been a flood of material published about the now infamous Nazi party. Based upon the ideals promulgated by Richard Wagner, Dietrich Eckhart and H.S. Chamberlain, the N.S.D.A.P. became a hurricane that was to sweep the Germanic Lands.

The National Socialist party was born in the post World War I years of late 1918 or early 1919. One little-known fact points to the movement itself being started in Austria as an alternative to their peculiar political situation, and not as an answer to the entire Deutsche Republik. This was to be the political party for the working people, and not for the bureaucracy.

Party member 555, a painter from Vienna, would emerge as the driving force that would catapult the Nazis into newspaper headlines around the world. His name was Adolf Hitler. N.S.D.A.P. hierarchy, in order to promulgate party ideals, decided upon the official decoration to be an attractive enamel/silver badge measuring only 23mm across. The central theme of this party decoration was a centered black enamel swastika. This "hakenkruez" was surrounded by a white (or off-white) enamel field 14.5mm in diameter inside the badge. A doughnut-shaped ring of transparent maroonred enamel then surrounded this. Inside this red circle were the words "National-Sozialistische D.A.P." The swastika, white field, lettering, and outer rim were all trimmed in silver.

In the early years this party badge was produced in a fairly high content silver/nickel metal, though it never carried an actual silver content stamp such as "800", In the late '30s thc basic metal base was changed to a higher content of nickel alloyed with a small percentage of zinc, and only a small amount of real silver. These badges were silver plated on the highlights. About 1942 the base metal was again switched to copper/nickel with a silver plate overlay. In the later stages of the war 1944-45, the badges were solid zinc with painted surfaces where enamel used to be.

In all there were over 2,500,000 N .S.D.A.P. badges produccd from 1921 to 1945. The badges were given to actual members upon their entry into the party.

Generally the device was produced in one form only: as a spring pin/ catch back badge. Throughout the course of events however other variants showed up such as a round dome postbacked badge for lapel buttonholes. Some badges were even mounted as stickpins, though this was done privately by jewelers rather than an official variation. There was also a half size badge that could be purchased as a private acquisition item only. It was meant to be worn on civilian dress rather than as a military accouterment, but if worn on a political uniform it was to be worn on the black tie. Military regulations stated no political decorations, at least "unofficial" badges, were to be worn on military uniforms. Official party decorations like the Golden Party Badge could be worn on a military tunic.

After assuming the title of Reich Chancellor in 1933 one of the first actions of Adolf Hitler was to establish many new party and state decorations and badges. This had been spelled out in Mein Kampf as a means of giving the people back their pride and self-worth. On October 13th of that year Der Fuehrer signed into law a decree bringing the Golden Party Badge into existence. This official N.S.D.A.P. decoration was to be presented to all qualifying party members with membership numbers of 100,000 or less. The official dates regulating time frame of this award were anyone who joined between Feb. 27. 1925 and Oct. 13. 1933. One of the decree's stipulations, however, stated that service had to be uninterrupted, and this disqualified many members. Party membership had hit 100,000 by September 1930 and was over 700,000 by 1933. In all only 22,282 of this service longevity award were presented.

The decoration itself was virtually a carbon copy of the standard party badge. It had the addition of a golden oakleaf wreath surrounding the basic design.

There were also two types of the Golden Party Badge presented during the history of the Third Reich. Both were identical on the obverse but had slightly different reverses. On the first type, the long service version, the reverse bore the typical spring pin/catch as seen on many small enameled badges. The patent pending code "Ges. Gesch." was found to be stamped on the pin base plate in many examples in lieu of the maker's hallmark. Original badges are marked one way or the other, possibly both. The member's party number can be found stamped on the reverse, usually on the bottom part of the back. On the Type II, awarded on the 30th of January each year until the end of the war for exemplary service, the solid vertical semi-wide, flat pin and catch (as found on some combat badges) was utilized instead of the spring pin/catch. Directly below the pin's base at the top usually could be found Ges. Gesch. followed by the initials "A.H." and the date of presentation inscribed below this. On some examples the A.H. is replaced with a facsimile of Hitler's signature. It is believed that these were given to very high and important friends of Hitler, due to the fact he retained the honor of presenting these awards personally. Armaments Minister Albert Speer was the recipient of such a badge from Hitler.

Both types of the Golden Party Badge were produced in two sizes: 30.5mm and 25mm. The larger version was intended to be worn on military and political uniforms, and to be placed on the left breast pocket. It ranked above all other badges and decorations except the HJ Golden Badge of Honor with Oakleaves. The smaller 25mm version was designed and specified for civilian clothing on jacket lapels, or the upper left breast area of a woman's blouse should she not be wearing a jacket. Each decoration was presented in a small black leatherette case along with an official award document.

J.R. Cone: "One People, One Reich - Enameled Organizational Badges of Germany 1918-1945" MCN Press, 1983