THE GAU MUNICH BADGE

[DanCz]

Is there anyone out there who will please provide me with any information about the 1933 Gau Munich badge. Some have said that it is the forunner of the "Blood Order" - but it appears to be more commonly available and relatively inexpensive in comparison.

I would like to know for example why, when and on whom it was bestowed. In fact, any info would be greatly appreciated.

Incidentally, I have for the first time recentlyseen excellant quality fakes of this badge in England - so please beware !!

[Marcus]

Welcome to the forum.

/Marcus

[Ken Jasper]

Reportedly it was instituted in 1933 and was awarded to those who participated in the unsuccessful putsch on 9 November 1923. It was superceeded by the Blood Order in 1934,. The award apparently never received official recognition as a national award. It was worn on the left breast. Reproductions have been around for years.

[WAR LORD]

This is an award in its own right. Those how had the award and then recieved the Blood Order could no longer wear the Munchen Gau Badge.

[Matt Gibbs]

The Munich Gau Badge was instituted by Adlof Wagner for survivors of the 1923 Munich Putsch. It was made by Deschler and Sohne and comprises of a bronze wreath with a swastika with the motto Und Ihr habt doch gesiegt - ie The victory is yours. The badge is one that has indeed been faked a lot. It was replaced by the Blood Order in 1934. The reverse of the Blood order medal has the same motto wording on the reverse.

[WAR LORD]

This asward was not for the 1923 9th Nov. There are awards that took place that were for people who were not bourn at the time. This is an award in its own right.

[Ken Jasper]

Warlord,

I Have never heard nor read that the Gau Munich Badge wasn't associated with 9 November 1923. What is the source of your information?

[WAR LORD]

I have the personal documents of an Austrian who went with the Austrian Legion in 1935 to Munchen, here he was awarded the badge in about 1935. I have a photo of him and others wearing the badge. He was at the time about 20, thus he could not have been envolved in the 9 Nov 1923 on two counts, age and country.

[Ken Jasper]

Warlord,

Most interesting. Could post pictures? Of course, Austria was not part of the Third Reich in 1935 and perhaps the NSDAP officisls in Munich awarded these Austrians with the badge for their pro-Nazi efforts and were just using up existing stocks of the badge rather that minting a new one for the Austrian Legion. I still believe that, for Germans, the badge was for participating in the 9 November 1923 putsch.

The Austrian Legion members were probably given the badge for merit just as some Austrians also received the second pattern of the Blood Order after the Anschluss even though they hadn't participated in the 9 November 1923 putsch. .

[Matt Gibbs]

The Munich Gau badge was for members of the Gau Munich NSDAP who were veterans of the organisation and had been on the date of the Putsch. All the documentation/books I have seen relates to veterans who were present in order to qualify. HOWEVER, members of the Austrian wing of the NSDAP later qualified for the Blood Order second version by virtue of expansion of the qualifications of the award by the NSDAP in order to honour members of Austria who had been veteran memebrs in the struggle. Some holders of the Blood Order thought this was a watering down of the Old Guard status.
Regards

[Philharmonic W]

Hello there,
There were two Gau awards. One an award, the other a badge. Both were political and related to the Nazi Party, issued by various Gauleiters of the Nazi political districts to recognize loyal service or to commemorate an event.
These were not National awards/badges.
These were dated 1923 and 1925 but issued up until as late as mid 1944. I have no date for cessation of the award.
For example, Kurt Meyer received his Knight's Cross on 18 May 1941 as SS-Sturmbannführer. He was subsequently awarded the Gau award for his efforts.
The Gau award can sometimes be confused with the Gau badge.
The Gau Award was a circle of Oakleaves surmounted by the Hakenkreuz (Swastika) with the date of either 1923, or 1925 centrally located on the Hakenkreuz.
The Gau Badge was a smaller item, about the same size as the NSDAP Badge. It was a circular wreath of Oakleaves with the Hakenkreuz centred inside the wreath and the date of 1923 centred on the Hakenkreuz.
There were strict rules regarding the wearing of both items, particularly the Gau award (the larger of the two). As an example, the Gau award could not be worn if the bearer was wearing a Gold Part Badge at the same time. Rules for the wearing and display of medals and awards can be found if you look carefully. I have some details for this if you are interested.
I would like to chat with the initial poster - Matt Gibbs - he refers to the Gau Badge. This sounds legitimate but the badge was in no way close to the Blood Order Medal. The Medal was unique in itself but then diminished by a change in qualifications that resulted in the Gau Badge as one example of those changes.
I do not present as an expert, far from it, but I love discussing these topics.
Stay well everyone.
Philharmonic

[matthew4108]

Talking about confusion. There was no such thing as Gau Munchen award. In fact there was no such thing as Gau Munchen. The badge as discussed in the opening posts of this thread is a simple tinnie that was given out during the ceremonies of the anniversary of Hitler's Putsch in 1933 (not 1923 as claimed above).

The badge with dates 1923 and 1925 (for most part, there are those undated as well) are what's commonly referred to as Gau General badges and are in fact Honor Awards of the Party from various Gaue. Those were individually awarded are rather scarce. They were not given out as Festabzeichen like the one mentioned previously.They were NOT issued to commemorate an event either.

[matthew4108]

Picture of the first badge discussed. Sample of the other (1923/25 Honor award) can be seen in my avatar.

[HPL2008]

For the benefit of non-German speakers: The caption specifically identifies it as an event badge [Festabzeichen], i.e. a tinnie (as Matthew said).

[Philharmonic W]

Matthew is spot on, well said Sir.