Medaille fur Treue Dienste in der Nationalen Volksarmee early bronze 5 yrs type 1

[Watchdog]

Here is another interesting variation;

An early 5 year Treue Dienste type 1 (1956 - 59)

The type 1 does not have the Staatswappen (State emblem) on the obverse and has a serial number on the reverse. The Staatswappen was introduced in 1959 the same year that the practice of stamping the serial number on the medal was discontinued.

Only the bronze (5yr) type 1 exists with a serial number and no Staatswappen.

(The silver (10yr) grade was first manufactured in 1959 although instituted in 1956, after the discontinuation of the serial numbering so the type 1 10 yr exists with no Staatswappen and no serial number but has the 900 silver content mark stamped into the rim of the medallion).

The document shown here is 1957 dated but the serial number on the document does not match the medal. I don't know how significant that is as these medals have tended to be issued "en masse" during parades so maybe they did not pay that much mind to ensuring matching sets or maybe the two numbers are not related as many documents appear with no serial number entered. Anybody have the answer?

You will also notice the the illustration of the medal shows the earlier KVP Treuedienste ribbon on the NVA medal. I stand to be corrected here because I am not certain but I believe this medal was originally intended to retain the earlier ribbon (?).

All comment and opinion is welcome as ever.



Regards

Mark

[Blitzvogel]

I lean towards the numbers being not related. The medal has a six-digit number while the urkunde has a five-digit number.

Of course, they could've just chosen not to include the zero at the beginning of the number in the urkunde. In the case of the numbers meaning the same thing, it might also be that one of the previous owners of these items (a collector) just put the two together even though the person knew he did not have a matching set.

-Joel

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I would think that the document numbers were intended to match the medal numbers, otherwise there would have been no point in having a space on the document to fill in the number by hand. The Germans were quite thorough, and I feel that they would have made sure that the numbers of medal and document matched up. As for documents where the number has not been filled in, this possibly relates to when numbers were no longer applied to medals, but the documents were still used. It is only a wild guess, but it might not be too far off the mark.

Cheers,
Steve

[Watchdog]

I would think that the document numbers were intended to match the medal numbers, otherwise there would have been no point in having a space on the document to fill in the number by hand. The Germans were quite thorough, and I feel that they would have made sure that the numbers of medal and document matched up. As for documents where the number has not been filled in, this possibly relates to when numbers were no longer applied to medals, but the documents were still used. It is only a wild guess, but it might not be too far off the mark.

Cheers,
Steve

Thanks Steve I think you are quite right and truthfully that matches my own opinion. I was hoping to draw out a member from the former DDR who knows exactly what the protocol was, I am sure he or she is here somerwhere

Regards

Mark

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Send Torsten Belger a pm or an email, I'm sure he could help to clarify.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Re - medal numbers and Urkunde without numbers. Another source has suggested that sometimes the Urkunde did not have the medal numbers written in purely because of oversight, or perhaps in some cases the certificate was issued BEFORE the medal was ready for the recipient?

Cheers,
Steve

[Watchdog]

Re - medal numbers and Urkunde without numbers. Another source has suggested that sometimes the Urkunde did not have the medal numbers written in purely because of oversight, or perhaps in some cases the certificate was issued BEFORE the medal was ready for the recipient?

Cheers,
Steve

It does kind of make sense when you consider that in the British forces awards are documented and the recipient is often wearing the ribbon from the official award date but before the medal itself is presented.

Regards

Mark