The German Order

In 1942 the Fuehrer Hitler discusses a matter that had evidently been on his mind for some time: the creation of a decoration "adequately rewarding cases of exceptional merit and unique exploits." This remark, recorded in the English translation of Hitler's table talk (Hitler'S Secret Conversations, published by Farrar, Strauss, & Young, Inc. in 1953, p. 394) is continued by a brief eulogy to Fritz Todt, after which the Fuehrer says:

"The order which I created on the death of Minister Todt, and which, posthumously, he is the first recipient, is designed to reward the most outstanding services that a man can render to the Reich. To avoid too wide a distribution, I have decided that recipients shall be grouped into a Chapter......which shall have a Senate, with powers to decide admissions and exclusions and limitation of the numbers of Members to the Chapter."

In all probability Hitler was discussing his proposed German Order, which he did indeed create in 1942 to reward extraordinary services to the Nazi Party. It was one of the rarest of all Nazi decorations, and the highest decoration the Third Reich could bestow.Only a Party member could recieve it.

The designer of the German Order is believed to be Adolf Hitler himself, although others such as Benno von Arent and Richard Klein may also have contributed. Since neither of the latter artists were noted for the delicacy of their designs, my guess is that this Order was indeed designed by Hitler...the better examples of his little waters show, for example, a delicate workmanship in drawing and painting. Nevertheless, the Fuehrer did issue an order though the Party Chancellory Designing Department to manufacture the decoration.

The German Order consists of a black enammelled cross with the smaller version of the Golden Partei-Ehrenzeichen, enamelled in the national colors, in its center. The Hoheitsadler are in gold, are of the drop-winged military type, except for a spread-winged National eagle which joins the decoration to the cravat. The reverse of the cross bears the Fuehrer's signature, in Germanic script, on a black enamell background.

The German Order was nicknamed "Totenorden" (death-medal) because the first six of its ten recipients were awarded it posthumously.It is interesting to note that none of the most prominent Nazi leaders, such as' Goering or Goebbles, received this decoration from their Fuehrer: and that the last three recipients received it shortly brfore Hitler's death on April 30, 1945.

The recipients were:

1. DR. FRITZ TODT', builder highways, killed in a plane '1942

2. REINHARDT HEYDRICH, Protector of BohemiaMoravia, assassinated by Czech partizans June 9, 1942

3. HUHNLEIN, leader of the NSKK, died June 22, 1942

4. VIKTOR LutZE, S.A. Chief of Staff, killed in an auto crash, May 8, 1943

5. JOSEF BURCKEL, Gauleiter, suicide, Oct.3, 1944

6. RUDOLF SCHMUNIN', General of the Infantry, died of wounds received on July 20, 1944 and Oct. 7, 1944

7. KONSTANTIN HIERL, Reichsarbeitsfuehrer on his 70th birthday, Feb. 24, 1945

8. KARL HANKE, Gauleiter of Silesia, Apr. 12 1945

9. KARL HOLZ, Gauleiter of Franconia, Apr. 19, 1945

10. ARTHUR AXMANN, Reichjungenfuehrer, Apr. 25, 1945

I have been told that as many as 50 Orders were manufactured for everyone actually awarded, and that the extras were sold secretly to museums and possibly to collectors (if this is true, I wonder why more of these Orders haven't appeared long before this.) I also doubt very much if my Order is one of those. Post-war Austrian re-strikes (from the original dies); at the time I acquired it I had never heard any tack among collectors or dealers about either phonies or re-strikes. I feel quite sure that my piece is indeed a product of the Third Reich at the time of its existance.

But probably my piece is an "extra"----its sword is noticably bent. Other than that, the workmanship is fine throughout. There are no markings on the reverse, and no seamlines along the edges as if two parts were soddered together. The reverse, is of fine quality on both of my pieces. But since I have never seen another German Order, either a genuine one or a re-strike, I have nothing to compare my pieces with. The cross is about 2 inches in diameter.

Karen Kuykendall: "The German Order","Der Haken Kreuz", c. 1969