Orders, decorations, and medals of Nazi Germany
Awards and decorations of Nazi Germany were military, political, and civilian decorations that were bestowed between 1923 and 1945, first by the Nazi Party and later the state of Nazi Germany.
The first awards began in the 1920s, before the Nazis had come to national power in Germany, with the political decorations worn on Party uniforms, along with any awards they may have earned during the First World War or before.
After 1933, the state began issuing a variety of civilian decorations, which could be bestowed upon any citizen of Germany. Thus, some awards were bestowed on Nazi Party members, members of the German military, and regular civilians. Many standard awards of the German state, such as life-saving medals, were redesigned to incorporate the Nazi symbol, the swastika.
A number of military awards were established pre-war, including Wehrmacht long service decorations, followed by awards for participation in the Spanish Civil War and for the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland, with the greatest number established after the start of World War II in 1939. Regulations of award also permitted the simultaneous wear of military, civilian, and political decorations on any military or paramilitary uniform of Nazi Germany.
Nazi awards and decorations were discontinued after the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, with display of the swastika banned. In 1957 the Federal Republic of Germany permitted qualifying veterans to wear many Nazi-era awards on the Bundeswehr uniform, including most World War II valor and campaign awards, provided the swastika symbol was removed. This led to the re-design of many awards with, for example, the swastika being replaced by a three-leafed oakleaf cluster on the Iron Cross and by the date 1939 on the War Merit Cross.
Orders and decorations
War decorations: 1939–1945
These awards were bestowed by the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS between 1939 and 1945, during World War II.| Badge and ribbon | Name | Creation date – cessation date | Description | Number awarded |
| Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross Stern zum Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | A higher class of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross. A prototype was made, but the decoration was never formally instituted or awarded. | 0 | |
| Grand Cross of the Iron Cross Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded to victorious generals/field marshals of German forces and her allies. Hermann Göring, received the Grand Cross on 19 July 1940, the only recipient of World War II. | 1 | |
| Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten | 29 December 1944 – 8 May 1945 | To be awarded after World War II to Germany's 12 greatest war heroes. Actually awarded only once, to Hans-Ulrich Rudel for continuous outstanding achievements and heroism | 1 | |
| Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten | 28 September 1941 – 8 May 1945 | For continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops after being awarded all preceding classes of the Knight's Cross/Iron Cross | 27 | |
| Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern | 28 September 1941 – 8 May 1945 | For continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops after being awarded all preceding classes of the Knight's Cross/Iron Cross | 160 | |
| Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub | 3 June 1940 – 8 May 1945 | For continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops after being awarded all preceding classes of the Knight's Cross/Iron Cross | 890 | |
| Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded for outstanding bravery in the face of the enemy and for brilliant service in command of troops. A requirement was the possession of the 1st and 2nd class of the Iron Cross. | 7,318 | |
| Golden Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross Goldenes Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuz | 13 October 1944 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded with and without swords. For outstanding contributions to the war effort | 2 | |
| Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuz | 19 August 1940 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded with and without swords. For meritorious contributions to the war effort after being awarded all preceding classes of the War Merit Cross | ||
| German Cross in Gold with Diamonds Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold mit Brillanten | October 1942 – 8 May 1945 | To be awarded for continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops. No awards were ever made. | 0 | |
| German Cross in Gold Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold | 28 September 1941 – 8 May 1945 | For continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops | 24,204 | |
| German Cross in Silver Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes in Silber | 28 September 1941 – 8 May 1945 | For significant performances in aiding the military war effort | 1,115 | |
| Honour Roll Clasp Ehrenblattspange | 30 January 1944 – 8 May 1945 | Different designs for the army, navy and air force Awarded to those who appeared on the Honour Roll for distinction in combat | 4,556 | |
| Iron Cross (1st Class) Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | For continuous bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops after being awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class | ||
| Iron Cross Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | For bravery before the enemy or excellence in commanding troops | ||
| 1939 Clasp to the Iron Cross Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz | 1 September 1939 – 8 May 1945 | An award of the Iron Cross, 1st or 2nd class for those who had already received the decoration in World War I | 100,000+ | |
| War Merit Cross Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse | 18 October 1939 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded with and without swords. For meritorious contributions to the war effort after being awarded the War Merit Cross, 2nd class | with swords without swords | |
| War Merit Cross Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse | 18 October 1939 – 8 May 1945 | Awarded with and without swords. For meritorious contributions to the war effort | with swords without swords | |
| War Merit Medal Kriegsverdienstmedaille | 19 August 1940 – 8 May 1945 | For lower-level civilian contributions to the war effort |
Arm shields
| Narvik Shield, 1940 | Crimea Shield, 1941–1942 | Cholm Shield, 1942 | Demyansk Shield, 1942 | Kuban Shield, 1943 | Warsaw Shield, 1944 | Lapland Shield, 1944–1945 |
Campaign cuff titles
| Crete Cuff Title, 1942 | Africa Cuff Title, 1941–1943 | Metz 1944 Cuff Title, 1944 | Courland Cuff Title, 1944–1945 |
Military and paramilitary badges
Naval war badges
badges & other awards
The Luftwaffe maintained two non-portable awards, the "Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe" and the "Luftwaffe Honour Plate". Recipients of both awards automatically received the Luftwaffe Honour Roll Clasp in January 1944.| Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe | Honour Roll Clasp | |
Order of precedence
Within the Wehrmacht, wartime awards took precedence over peacetime decorations.- Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Golden Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross
- German Cross
- Honour Roll Clasp
- Führer Commendation Certificate
- Honour Goblet & Plate of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross 1st Class
- War Merit Cross 1st Class
- Iron Cross 2nd Class
- Combat Clasp
- Numbered war badges
- Wound Badge
- Tank Destruction Badge
- Unnumbered war badges
- Campaign shields & cuff titles
- War Merit Cross 2nd Class
- Ostvolk Decoration
- Eastern Front Medal
- War Merit Medal
- Cross of Honour
- Spanish Cross
- Qualification badges
- Long-service awards
- Commemorative medals
- West Wall Medal
- Foreign decorations