German WW2 GDAO Member's Badge
A rather hard to find member's badge from GDAO (Gesamtverband Deutscher Arbeitsopfer ). English United Association of German Work Victims.
Roughly 27 x 20 mm.
Made of buntmetal.
Maker marked Rud. Grunk Berlin on the back.
Excellent condition, look a lot better in hand, the silver finish is very nice, unfortunately hard to make a good photo.
The organisation concerned with the welfare of workers who became victims of industrial accidents or injuries was founded at an unknown date prior to the nationalsocialist rise to political power in 1933. It was named Nationalsozialistischer Reichsverband der Deutschen Arbeitsopfer (National Socialist Association for Work Victims), NSAO. In 1933, the name was changed to Gesamtverband Arbeitsopfer (United Association of Work Victims), GAO, and then to Gesamtverband Deutscher Arbeitsopfer (United Association of German Work Victims), GDAO. The final name change occured possibly during the war years when the organisation was renamed Deutsche Arbeitsopfer-Versorgung (German Work Victims Welfare), DAOV.
The emblem for the organisation stayed the same throughout all the name changes, except that the organisation's abbreviation letters would change. The emblem features an upright hammer with a swastika superimposed over its shaft, with oak leaves at its base, all superimposed on a cogwheel. At the bottom, a field was superimposed over the cogwheel and oak leaves featuring the organisation's abbreviation.
