Orders, decorations, and medals of East Germany

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After the establishment of the German Democratic Republic the new country prohibited the wearing of all pre-1945 German awards and created a new system of various decorations that was inspired by those of the USSR.

After German reunification, wearing of East German awards was forbidden.

1 Titles
- 1.1 Hero of the German Democratic Republic
- 1.2 Hero of Labor
2 Order and Medals

[edit] Titles

[edit] Hero of the German Democratic Republic

Medal obverse

Hero of the German Democratic Republic (German: Held der DDR) was the highest title in East Germany. It was created in 1975 and was intended both for soldiers and civilians. Those who received the title enjoyed many benefits like free public transport. A yearly ratio was intended that limited up to 10 title assignments. It was awarded for "extraordinary achievements and earnings/services the hero acts for the GDR, for their development and all-round stabilization, for which international acknowledgment and authority achieved as well as for its safe military protection".

Recipients of the Held der DDR also automatically qualified for the Karl Marx Order. The decoration was supposed to be returned to the state upon the recipient's death. In all 9 awards to 7 people were made:

Heinz Hoffmann - 28 November 1975 & 28 November 1980.
Friedrich Dickel - 1 December 1975.
Erich Mielke - 1 December 1975 & 28 December 1983.
Leonid Brezhnev - 13 December 1976.
Sigmund Jähn - 21 September 1978.
Valery Bykovsky - 21 September 1978.
Willi Stoph - 9 July 1984.

[edit] Hero of Labor

Medal obverse

The Hero of Labor (German: Held der Arbeit) was awarded for "particularly outstanding, innovative activity, in particular in the fields of industry and agriculture, which traffic or the trade rendered or by scientific discoveries or technical inventions special services around the structure and the victory of socialism and by this activity the national economy and thus growth and the reputation of the German Democratic Republic promoted". In addition, the recipient would get receive a 10,000 East German Mark award.

[edit] Order and Medals

Order/Medal	Name (English/German)	Date of creation	Description
	Karl Marx Order Karl Marx Orden	May 5, 1953
	Medal of Merit of the National People's Army Verdienstmedaille der Nationalen Volksarmee	June 1, 1956
	Order of Merit for the Fatherland Vaterlandischer Verdienstorden	21 May 1954	Awarded for special services to the state and to society
	Banner of Labor Banner der Arbeit	August 4, 1954
	National Prize of East Germany Nationalpreis der DDR	1949
	Star of Friendship of Nations Stern der Völkerfreundschaft	August 20, 1959
	Hans Beimler Medal Hans Beimler Medaille	May 17, 1956
	Blücher Order Blücher Orden	October 13, 1965