Condition: Excellent
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Product Description: This is a stunning example of the rare 1925 Gau Honor Badge. This striking design was used as an honor award by several Gau districts and as a result it is sometimes called the “General Gau Badge.” This enameled version is earlier and more desirable than the Gau Munich badge that used a similar design. The black enameled swastika on this Gau Honor Badge contrasts sharply with the silver wreath. The enamel is clean, with the only loss being a tiny chip at the end of one arm. The swastika bears the year 1925, this was intended for issue to long-time NSDAP members who had played important roles in the early Kampfzeit days of the Nazi Party. The metal retains its original finish and has only slight age toning. The construction and hardware setup on this one are textbook, with a doubled wire pin and tight rivets. There are no repairs, the pin and catch are functional. The badge was made by Wachtler and Länge and has their maker mark on the reverse. This early Gau Honor Badge is a really attractive example of a very hard to find political award.
Historical Description: The Nazi Party was organized geographically into districts. Below the national “Reich” level were the “Gau” districts, there were the Nazi era administrative equivalent of traditional German states. The leadership of each Gau was authorized to award special badges to recognize a variety of achievements in the political realm. The exact requirements for each award were determined by the leader of each Gau, and could range from outstanding service to the local political organization, to long service to the Party or participation in important historic events during the Party’s time of struggle before 1933. Some Gau badges were issued in several grades to recognize different levels of experience or achievement. These badges were worn on military and civilian uniforms and were a mark of honor for the Nazi political elite. Twelve different Gau Honor Badges were designed for the 33 (later 43) Gau districts of Nazi Germany. They were carefully designed with impressive designs to denote the high levels of achievement for which they were awarded, and the quality of these badges is generally extremely high. These wewre awarded in limited numbers, and as a result, none of the Gau Honor Badge types are commonly encountered today.
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