East German DDR "Ready for the Defense of the Homeland" badge + mini
Gold version!
This was a non-state award of the Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ), the mass youth organization in the DDR.
Alternate Name: It is also famously known as the Ernst Thälmann Medal, honoring the former chairman of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD).Establishment
The badge was instituted in 1951 and was initially intended as a one-time award.
Design Elements:Features a figure in a dynamic pose holding a rifle.
The base contains the German inscription: "BEREIT ZUR VERTEIDIGUNG DER HEIMAT" ( "Ready for the Defense of the Homeland")
Includes a small flag at the top in the colors of the DDR (black, red, and gold).
Also included is the miniature.
All in excellent condition.
