SS 8 year service medal miniature.
Excellent condition. Very nice details.
Bronze washed buntmetal.
Diameter roughly 16 mm.
These are hard to find, much harder than the full size.
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HISTORY:
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 on February 24TH 1925 and time served between 1925 and 1933, 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 fourth class award for four years service.
