BACKGROUND: On January 30TH 1938 Adolf Hitler introduced a series of four long service medals for award to loyal, long serving members of the SS-Verfügungstruppen, (SS-Special Purpose Troops), the SS-Totenkopfverbände, (SS-Death’s Head Units) and the SS-Junkerschulen, (SS-Officer Candidates Schools). Eligible service time for bestowal of one of the awards was counted from the reforming of the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), on February 24TH 1925 and time served between 1925 and 1933, during the Kampfzeit, (Time of Struggle), and military service time were counted as double. The four classes consisted of the first class award for twenty-five years service, the second class for twelve years service, the third class for eight years service and the fourth class for four years service. Only EM’s and NCO’s were eligible for the fourth class award while all ranks were eligible for the other three classes. Authorization for rendering the awards came directly from SS-Reichführer Heinrich Himmler’s office. Of Note: Personnel serving with the Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), and the SS-SD, SS-Sicherheitsdienst und Sicherheitspolizei, (SS-Security Service and Security Police), were not eligible for the SS long service awards and long serving personnel were awarded the NSDAP’s Faithful Service Decoration if eligible. Also Of Note: The SS Long Service Awards were the first awards to utilize a swastika alone and not in conjunction with the national eagle. This example is the third class award for eight years service.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly 38mm, diameter, die struck bronze alloy construction, third class award with a bronze wash, features a raised outer lip with central, embossed, SS runes encircled by an embossed oak-leaf wreath which is superimposed over a large, embossed, static swastika on a subtly textured background field to the obverse. The reverse has the embossed, block Latin script with SS runes, "Für Treue Dienste in der SS", (For Loyal Service in the SS), superimposed over a large numeral "8", also on a subtly textured background field. The medal ring and the correct, tear drop shaped, suspension loop are both intact and the medal. Comes with a piece of original moire cornflower blue rayon ribbon. Unmarked. Nice clean example.