Artur Becker Medal.

[Taz]

This FDJ medal was awarded from 1960 in Gold, Silver and bronze for outstanding achievements in the socialist youth federation since 1960.
Artur Becker joined the Free Socialist Youth as a young man in 1919, 1920 the Communist Youth Federation and 1922 the Communist party of Germany (KPD).
During the time of the occupation of the Ruhr district he was involved in active resistance.
Since 1926 he was an active politician, first as director/conductor of the communist youth at Niederrhein (1926 to 1928), starting from 1928 as a member of the executive committee the communist youth-international, from September 1930 to 31. March 1933 as (the youngest) a member of the German Reichstag (for the constituency Duesseldorf west) and 1931 to 1932 as a chairman of the central committee of the communist youth federation of Germany.
With the pursuit of the political opponents by the National Socialists he was forced to emigrate and fled to Moscow. Later he organized the fight for the Spanish republic. Starting from August 1937 he participated in armed fights, starting from spring 1938 as Politkommissar of the Thälmann battalion of the international brigades.
On 1st April 1938 he was seriously wounded and taken into franquistische captivity.
In accordance with the legend started in the the 1960s by the the GDR he was shot in Burgos after several weeks of interogation on
16th May 1938. However no proof could be presented for this statement.
Today's research is inclined to accept that Artur Becker died due to the suffered stomach wound shortly after his capture.

[Taz]

After the fall of national socialism Artur Becker recieved comprehensive honours in the GDR.
Roads and schools were named after him, and the youth organization Free German Youth awarded the Artur Becker medal in gold, silver and bronze for outstanding achievements in the socialist youth federation from 1960 on.
After the end of the GDR, Artur Becker designated objects and roads were renamed to a large extent. The Artur Becker road in Berlin Friedrichshain received back its old name, Kniprodestraße in November 1995.
In the Saxonian city Delitzsch (near Leipzig) the Artur Becker middle school still exists (as of: School year 2004/2005). Also in Fürstenwalde another road is still named after him. Likewise the former GST Taucherausbildungsschiff ''Artur Becker''.
In 1990 the ''Artur Becker'' was given to the working group of the Hanseatic city Greifswald. In 1992 the city donated the ship to the local diving school, Tauchsportclub Greifswald e.V.


As is often the case with GDR awards, earlier versions of this medal had a metal suspension.

[Taz]

Also to be found on the NVA style pentagonal suspension.

[edwil777]

Here is a awarded group of Artur Becker medals of the earlier kind awarded to "Peter Feiler".

It was the highest honor the FDJ bestowed,however apparently as time would go on, the medal would begin to be awarded more frequently starting around 1971-1972 About the same time the ribbon changed.

[edwil777]

Here are the documents