The Collector’s Encyclopaedia · Decorations · Party awards
NSDAP Party Badge and Golden Party Badge: History, Grades and Collector’s Guide
| Membership badge | Enamelled round badge, 2.4 cm, often marked “RZM” |
|---|---|
| Golden Party Badge | Ordered in October 1933 for members with numbers 1–100,000 and uninterrupted membership |
| Honorary awards | The Golden Party Badge could also be given for exceptional merit |
| Typical paperwork | Membership book or card; award documents for the Golden Party Badge |
| In the collection | 1 piece currently available (see below) |
The round party badge was worn by members of the NSDAP; its gold-wreathed version was one of the regime’s most prestigious honours. Both are among the most sensitive items in German militaria, and in several countries their display is restricted by law.
What Was the NSDAP Party Badge and Golden Party Badge?
The ordinary membership badge was an enamelled round badge with the swastika and the inscription of the party. Museum Berlin-Karlshorst holds an example marked “RZM M 1/34”. The RZM (Reichszeugmeisterei) controlled the manufacture of party items.
The Golden Party Badge was ordered by Hitler in October 1933, to be awarded on 9 November 1933 to members with numbers 1 to 100,000 who had belonged to the party without interruption. Those numbers dated from the refounding of the party on 27 February 1925. The Reich Treasurer of the party made the awards, and the badge could also be given for exceptional merit. It was worn in a large and a small size.
Who Awarded It, and Which Documents Go With It?
Membership is documented in the party book or card; see party membership book. Golden Party Badges were often engraved with the member’s number, which can be checked against the record.
What Should Collectors Watch For?
- Golden Party Badges are heavily faked; a number on the reverse must be checked.
- RZM marks help but are also copied.
- Legal restrictions on displaying Nazi symbols apply in Germany, Austria and elsewhere.
Legal note. In Germany the 1957 Orders and Decorations Act allows Second World War awards to be worn only without National Socialist emblems, which is why “1957 pattern” versions without the swastika exist. The public display of Nazi symbols is restricted in Germany, Austria and several other countries. Owning, buying and selling original decorations as historical objects is treated differently from country to country, so check the law where you live and where you ship.
Collector’s Note
A party badge is not a military award; it is a sign of political allegiance. I describe it as exactly that.
Related Entries and Pieces
Pieces in the Collection
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who received the Golden Party Badge?
Members with numbers 1–100,000 and uninterrupted membership, and others for exceptional merit.
What does RZM mean?
Reichszeugmeisterei, the party office that controlled the manufacture of party items.
When was the Golden Party Badge introduced?
Hitler ordered it in October 1933, for award on 9 November 1933.
Historical Responsibility Notice: this entry documents historical figures and artefacts of the National Socialist period for collecting, preservation, education and research. It does not endorse or glorify any ideology, and it is written in memory of the victims of the regime.
References & Further Reading
- Deutsches Historisches Museum, Abzeichen: Goldenes Parteiabzeichen der NSDAP, 1933–1945 (inv. O 54/661).
- Museum Berlin-Karlshorst, Parteiabzeichen der NSDAP (inv. 210485), museum-digital.
- Federal Republic of Germany (1957, as amended) Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen (OrdenG), §§ 6 and 15, Bundesministerium der Justiz / gesetze-im-internet.de.