Ehrenzeichen des Reichsgaues Wartheland

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GregSingh
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Joined: 21 Jun 2012, 02:11
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Ehrenzeichen des Reichsgaues Wartheland

#1

Post by GregSingh » 04 Jul 2014, 10:13

Full name: Gauehrenzeichen des Reichsgaues Wartheland für Verdienste im Volkstumskampf

From the post from War Relics Forum:
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"The Ehrenzeichen des Reichsgaues Wartheland was created on the initiative of the infamous Gauleiter Greiser who personally sought out Hitler to gain permission for the institution of this badge.
Initially, the badge was primarily intended for the ethnic German citizens of the formerly Prussian province of Posen (Poznań) - which had become a part of Poland under the Treaty of Versailles - and meant as an award for those who had "fought for the rights of the German population" in said area during the period from the end of WW1 up to 1939.
It was also awarded for post-1939 work in establishing and "building up" the new Warthegau.
Exact award numbers are unknown, but the badge was awarded sparsely.
In a speech on the day of the first award ceremony (24 October 1942) Greiser stressed that "this decoration must truly be awarded exclusively to such men and women who have gained the most particularly high merits in the active struggle for our national character". ["Deshalb darf dieses Ehrenzeichen auch wirklich nur an solche Männer und Frauen verliehen werden, die sich ganz besonders hohe Verdienste im aktiven Volkstumskampf erworben haben."]

Three award ceremonies for the badge are known:
24 October 1942 - 156 awards made, including Greiser who already wore the badge at the ceremony and General Walter Petzel, who was awarded the badge by Greiser. Of the remaining 154 awards, 14 were posthumous awards to killed Volkstumskämpfer, 28 were for ethnic German activists from the Polish period, 12 were for German settlers and the rest for other Volkstumskämpfer.
24 October 1943 - Unknown number of awards made. The recipients included Himmler and Bormann as the first awardees from outside the Warthegau as well as Korvettenkapitän Lüth.
5 November 1944 - Unknown number of awards made."
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Award ceremonies were part of the "Tag der Freiheit" (in Warthegau) celebrations, which took several days.
"Tag der Freiheit" was on the 26th of October.

Here are the lists from 24 October 1942 I found in local newspapers from that time:

Liste 1 (die für ihr Deutschum Gefallenen) - Gefallene Volkstumskämpfer (14):

Studienrätin Dr. Bochnik, Posen
Lehrer Breyer, Deutscheneck, Kreis Warthbrücken
Landwirt v. Gersdorff, Gersdorf, Kreis Schmiegel
Bauer Huß, Langgoslin, Kreis Posen
Beamter Kadach, Litzmannstadt
Geschäftsführer Lange, Neutomischel, Kreis Grätz
Schriftsteller Dr. Lück, Posen
Kreisleiter und Landrat Dr. Müller-Hoppenworth, Eichenbrück
Landrat a. D. Naumann, Naumanannsfelde, Kreis Schubin
Student Pirscher, Posen
Lehrer Raymann, Raymannsruh, Kreis Wreschen
Landwirt v. Romberg, Moja-Wola, Kreis Ostrowo
Aerztin Dr. Spitzer, Rogasen, Kreis Obornik
Bauer Sültemeyer sen., Herrenhofen, Kreis Schroda

Liste 2a (Volksdeutsche) - Deutsche Aktivisten aus polnischer Zeit (28):

Gauamtsleiter und Landesbauernführer Dr. Kohnert, Posen
Apotheker Weiß, Posen
Rektor Adelt, Posen
Bauer Aubert, Siedleczko, Kreis Eichenbrück
Landwirt Bardt, Bardtensee, Kreis Birnbaum
Bauer Bartel, Bartelshof, Kreis Dietfurt
Landwirt v. Beyme, Kammern, Kreis Schroda
Senator a. D. Landwirt Busse, Wahlburg, Kreis Dietfurt
Schlosser Cremer, Lissa
Angestellter Droß, Hohensalza
Landwirt Fenner, Eichenstätt, Kreis Gostingen
Landwirt Fischer v. Mollard, Eichstätten, Kreis Jarotschin
Dipl. Kaufmann Gottschalk, Posen
Landwirt Hempel, Hempelhof, Kreis Hohensalza
Ziegeleibesitzer Hentschel, Schmiegel
Landwirt Frhr. v. Massenbach, Kuhnfelde, Kreis Samter
Kreisleiter Mees, Litzmannstadt
Dr. Milbradt, Posen
Bauer Milbradt, Seehorst, Kreis Mogilno
Musiker Polzuch, Posen
Landwirt v. Saenger, Hilarhof, Kreis Jarotschin
Dipl. Ing. Schmidt, Posen
Verlagsleiter Dr. Scholz, Posen
Kaufmann Schulz, Wollstein
Hauptreferent Stahlke, Posen
Gauamtsleiter und Landwirt Uhle, Uhlenhof, Kreis Obornik
SS-Obersturmführer Wolff, Litzmannstadt
Uhrmacher Zoeger, Posen

More lists will follow soon......

GregSingh
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Posts: 3877
Joined: 21 Jun 2012, 02:11
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Ehrenzeichen des Reichsgaues Wartheland

#2

Post by GregSingh » 11 Jul 2014, 13:24

More from 24 October 1942:
Liste 2b (Umsiedler) - German settlers - 12 names
Liste 2b - Umsiedler - 24Okt42.jpg
Liste 2b (Umsiedler) 24 October 1942


GregSingh
Member
Posts: 3877
Joined: 21 Jun 2012, 02:11
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Ehrenzeichen des Reichsgaues Wartheland

#3

Post by GregSingh » 18 Jul 2014, 02:44

Remaining names from 24 October 1942.
Liste 3 (Volkstumskämpfer):
Liste 3 - 24Okt42.jpg
Liste 3 (Volkstumskämpfer) 24 October 1942

JG1944
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Posts: 2
Joined: 19 Jul 2014, 17:41

Re: Ehrenzeichen des Reichsgaues Wartheland

#4

Post by JG1944 » 20 Jul 2014, 01:05

Thank you for the list. I am compiling first names of the recipients as we speak and will post a update soon. Of course however, there will still be many I can't put a first name to but it's a start!

Chris

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