BACKGROUND: On January 30^TH 1938 Hitler instituted a series of Long Service Awards to recognize loyal long service in the police. The award was originally issued in three classes with the first class award for twenty-five years service, the second class award for eighteen years service and the third class award for eight years service. Allegedly another class of the award was introduced in August 1944 to recognize forty years loyal service and consisted of a golden metal cypher with "40" encompassed by an oak-leaf wreath to be affixed to the ribbon of the twenty-five year service award.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: First class, die struck alloy construction award with a fire gilted finish for twenty-five years service. The award is in the form of a Pattée style cross with a central, vertically oval, centerpiece. The obverse centerpiece features an embossed oak-leaf wreath encompassing a national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a canted, wreathed swastika on a smooth background field. The eagle’s wings extended beyond the oak-leaf wreath onto the horizontal arms of the cross. The reverse centerpiece has embossed block Latin script, "Für Treue Dienst in der Polizei", (For Loyal Service in the Police), also on a smooth background field. The arms of the cross have a slightly textured background field with a smooth, raised, outer border edging. The fire gilted finish is retained over 95% and is still quite clean and bright. The ribbon suspension ring and medal loop are both intact. The award has no visible manufacturer’s markings. The award comes complete with a roughly, 1 3/8" wide, 11" long, piece of original, horizontally ribbed, cornflower blue, moire rayon ribbon with a machine embroidered, wreathed, police eagle in golden yellow cotton threads. The ribbon is in overall very good, clean condition with fold creases and appears it was never inserted through the ribbon suspension ring. The award comes housed in an original roughly, 3 7/8" x 1 7/8" x 5/8" pressed cardboard and wooden construction issue case with a simulated, grained, green leather covering. The case has a fold back top lid with a staggered, magnetic bar hinge to the reverse and a spring activated, magnetic push button locking clip to the obverse. The case has an impressed, gilt washed numeral, "25", encompassed by an open top, oak-leave wreath to the center of the top lid. The interior of the case has a pale grey flock lining to the bottom with a raised bar with a central cut-out to secure the award in place and the interior top lid is lined in white satin. The case is in overall very good condition with minor chafe wear to the exterior and light age toning to the interior linings.

GRADE ****                                 PRICE $330.00