Got my silver SA Sportsabzeichen through today

**Duff** · 05-06-2014, 07:05 PM

Nice Glenn! You got all the DRA's... Just picked up a gold - still need the Silber.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 05-06-2014 07:05 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Sveimhugi** · 05-06-2014, 07:10 PM

I like these ones aswell! Nice collection

**HPL2008** · 05-06-2014, 07:25 PM

by Duff

From what I know - the "Defense" moniker was added because Hitler included "military drills" in the requirements to obtain the badge.. I believe in 1939 (but I would have to check that date). Type 1 SA Sports = 1934-35, Type 2 SA Sports = 35-39'.... Anything after 39' was a "defense badge."

1939 is right.

While military sports/drill had always been part of the tests for the badge, the SA-Sportabzeichen [SA Sports Badge] was officially re-designated as - or, in the terminology actually used at the time, "elevated" to be - the SA-Wehrabzeichen [SA Defense Badge] by a Führer decree of 19th January 1939. Apart from the lowering of the minimum age from 18 to 17 years, qualification criteria for the SA-Wehrabzeichen remained unchanged from those for the SA-Sportabzeichen.

The significance of the name/status change was that qualifying and re-qualifying for the badge now became the basis for all pre- and post-military defense training. According to the decree...:

"Every German man who has completed the 17th year of his life and who meets the preconditions for the honorable service under arms has the moral obligation to qualify for the SA-Wehrabzeichen in preparation for his military service.

The age groups of the Hitler Youth are to be prepared for attaining the SA-Wehrabzeichen after completing the 16th year of age.

In order to maintain their mental and physical capabilities, soldiers who are honorably discharged from active military service and who are fit for service are to be taken into Wehrmannschaften affiliated to the SA, in which they are to undergo their post-military training on the basis of the SA-Wehrabzeichen unless they are detailed to other organizations of the Party (SS, NSKK, NSFK) for special training "

Preparation courses and tests for the badge were the sole responsibility of the SA, but every German male could qualify for the SA-Wehrabzeichen, whether he was a member of the SA or not.

Note that the decree spoke of a "moral obligation" (not a legal/compulsory one) to attain the badge. Sure enough, while huge numbers of the badge were awarded, the recipients were still only the minority of the overall adult German male population.