Scharnhorst Order.

[charlet]

I'm not aware of reproductions for these pieces, their price is too high for repros. So certainly Stasi didn't destroyed all stocks. I remember of the reportage and camera filming the west germans arriving in Strausberg, a table desk full of these pieces!!! thoussands of euros!

the scharnhorst order, awarded since 1967, so not an historical curiosity like the previous ones.

[Taz]

This Order was instituted on 17th February 1966 in one class and named after the Prussian General Gerhard von Scharnhorst.
The first awards of the Scharnhorst Order were rendered on 1st March 1966 by the First Secretary of the SED, Walter Ulbricht. Armeegeneral Dr. h.c., Dipl.-Mil. Heinz Hoffmann was the first recipient of the new order.
Further awardings were made on 1st March "Tag der Nationalen Volksarmee"

General Gerhard von Scharnhorst

A Hannoverian by birth, Gerhard von Scharnhorst served with his country's army until 1801.
Sought out by the Prussians for his abilities at military theories, Scharnhorst rose up the ranks and in 1806 was chief-of-staff to the Duke of Brunswick.
He was wounded during the Prussian humiliating defeat at Auerstadt
Appointed to the task of recreating Prussia as a military force, Scharnhorst followed the path of creating a people's army through the formation of landwehr units.
He changed the army's organisation, tactics and also ended the class system that barred all but the nobility from becoming an officer.
One of his biggest successes was to introduce a secret system that kept Prussia to a French-imposed limit of soldiers by fully training troops and then releasing them so more could be trained.
By the time hostilities broke out in 1813 Prussia could field almost 35,000 more than the official limit of 75,000 men.
Scharnhorst went on campaign with Field Marshal Blucher and was wounded at Lutzen
The wound became infected and he died, just over a month later, in Prague.

Awarded for extraordinary merits in strengthening the defense forces of the GDR, troop leadership, for the protection of the GDR, for development of military science and technology as well as in the consolidation of the military coalition of the socialistic brother armies.
It could be awarded to Associations, units, facilities or individuals of the national people army, border troops the or other armed organs or civilians.
Awarded by the chairman of the national defense commitee together with the award book and 5000 marks premiuim.
Worn on the left upper breast side the suspension is 4 cm x 5,2 cm and the order 4,3 cm diameter.
First made of gilted Silver and then since 1973 of gilted bronze with blue and white enamel. It has a plain, flat reverse.

Eddie.

[EricFG]

A very nice award. A shame the actual quality of the medal is crap; imagine if it was done with the same loving care as the early Soviet awards like a 1st class Suvorov or Ushakov!
Still, it was nice the DDR went back in time to honor Scharnhorst (and Blücher). The BRD seemed to think German history started in 1946 (for obvious reasons)

[new world]

It's amazing that communist DDR introduced an award in honor of old Royal general.

William

[Soviet]

Originally Posted by new world

It's amazing that communist DDR introduced an award in honor of old Royal general.

William

Didn't they do the same in the Soviet Union. ;)