by Hans Runge

German awards (= Auszeichnungen) (orders (= Orden), decorations (= Ehrenzeichen) & medals (= Medaillen)) also worn by their ribbons in a button-hole of the tunic of the military (army) uniform in order of their precedence are the following (1):

Military awards in order of precedence

(second button-hole)

1. Iron Cross 2nd class 1939 ribbon with the Honour Roll Clasp (2) (Band des Eisernes Kreuzes 1939 2. Klasse mit der Ehrenblatt-Spange ; aka EK II 1939 + EBS) of Heer & Waffen-SS (awarded up to 4,556 times), instituted 30.01.1944 ; see execution-decree of Heerespersonalamt (AHM 1944, 5. edit., p. 45ff., no. 83 and 86).

Major Friedrich Bader

(Courtesy of Anton)

2. The royal Prussian Iron Cross 2nd class 1914 (Eisernes Kreuz 1914 2. Klasse; aka EK II 1914) on combatants ribbon (schwarz-weißes Band) with Repetition Clasp 1939 (2) (Wiederholungsspange 1939), instit. 01.09.1939 (awarded up to 150,000 times) ; see art. 5 of instituting regulation (RGBl. 02.09.1939, I, no. 159, p. 1573).

3. The royal Prussian Iron Cross 2nd class 1914 (EK II 1914) on home fronts ribbon (weiß-schwarzes Band) with Repetition Clasp 1939 (2) (Wiederholungsspange 1939), inst. 01.09.1939 (awarded few times, number is included in no. 2) ; see art. 5 of instit. regulation (RGBl. 02.09.1939, I, no. 159, p. 157 (3).

4. Iron Cross 2nd class 1939 (EK II 1939), inst. 01.09.1939 (awarded approximately 3,052,000 times (3)) ; see art. 4 paragr. 2 of instit. regulation (RGBl. 02.09.1939, I, no. 159, p. 157 (3).

Gefreiter with Iron Cross 2nd Class Ribbon

(Courtesy of Josef Fregosi)

5. The royal Prussian Iron Cross 2nd class 1914 (EK II 1914) on combatants ribbon (schwarz-weisses Band), 05.08.1914 (awarded 5,196,000 times) ; see no. 2 of the royal statute (?).

6. The royal Prussian Iron Cross 2nd class 1914 (EK II 1914) on home front ribbon (weiss-schwarzes Band), 05.08.1914 (awarded 13,000 times) ; see no. 2 of the royal statute (? and Armee-VOBl. no. 14, 27.03.1915, p. ?).

7a. War Merit Cross 2nd class with swords (8) (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern; aka KVK II m.S.), 18.10.1939 (awarded 6,134,000 times) ; see art. 5 paragr. 1 of instit. regulation (RGBl. 24.10.1939, I, no. 209, p. 2069).

8. Medal for the Winter Battle in the East 1941-42, aka East Medal (Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941-42, aka Ostmedaille), 26.05.1942 (awarded some 2,986,000 times (4)) ; see art. 1 of instit. regulation (RGBl. 06.06.1942, I, no. 61, p. 375).

SS-Oberführer Jürgen Wagner

(Courtesy of Hans Runge)

9. Baltic Cross (5) (Baltenkreuz), summer 1919 (confirmed 15.05.1934) (awarded 21,839 times) ; see complementary law art. 5, paragr. 1b) (RGBl. 16.05.1934, I, no. 52, p. 379).

Heer awards for the eastern people in order of precedence

(second button-hole)

10. Bravery Award for the Eastern People 2nd class (6) in gold, in silver or in bronze (8)  (Tapferkeitsauszeichnung für Angehörige der Ostvölker 2. Klasse in Gold, in Silber oder in Bronze), 14.07.1942 (awarded ? times) ; see execution-decree of OKW (AHM 1942, 19. edit., p. 339, no. 667).

11. Merit Award for the Eastern People 2nd class (6) in gold, in silver or in bronze (Verdienstauszeichnung für Angehörige der Ostvölker 2. Klasse in Gold, in Silber oder in Bronze), 14.07.1942 (awarded ? times) ; see execution-decree of OKW (AHM 1942, 19. edit., p. 339, no. 667).

NSDAP awards in order of precedence

(button-hole of right pocket flap)

0. Decoration of Honour for the 9th of November 1923; aka Blood-Order (Ehrenzeichen des 9. November 1923; Blutorden), ??.11.1933 (awarded up to 4,025 times) ; see decree (Heeres-VBl., 76. edt., Bl. 27, 28.12.1940, p. 505).

SS-Hauptsturmführer Alois Martin Schwarzhuber

(Courtesy of A.T. Schwarzhuber)

SS awards in order of precedence

(button-hole of left pocket flap)

14. SS Faithful Service Award 4th, 3rd, 2nd, & 1st grade (SS Dienstauszeichnung 4., 3., 2. & 1. Stufe), 21.10.1938 ; see (RGBl. 21.10.1938, I, no. 181, p.1539).

Civilian/military awards in order of precedence

(second button-hole)

7b) War Merit Cross 2nd class without swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse ohne Schwerter), 18.10.1939 (awarded 1,592,000 times) ; see art. 5 paragr. 1 of instit. regulation (RGBl. 24.10.1939, I, no. 209, p. 2069).

12. War Merit Medal (7) (Kriegsverdienstmedaille; aka KVM), 19.08.1940 (awarded solely about 4,156,000 times) ; see art. 5 paragr. 4 of inst. regulation (RGBl. 28.08.1940, I, no. 154, p. 1178).

13. Medal for Lifesaving (Rettungsmedaille am Bande), 22.06.1933 (awarded ? times) ; see decree (Heeres-VBl., ?. edt. ).

Footnotes

1. It was allowed to wear up to two ribbons of war awards (e.g. EBS, EK 2, KVK 2, OstM, BaltK, KVM) in the second button-hole as well as additionally the ribbon of the Medal for Lifesaving (Band der Lebensrettungsmedaille) in the second button-hole and in addition the Blood-Order (Blutorden der NSDAP) ribbon in accordance to the instructions in the button-hole of the right pocket-flap. This means it was allowed to wear up to four ribbons in button-holes of one tunic.
2. It was forbidden to wear no. 1 and no. 2 or 3 at the same time in the second button-hole of one tunic.
3. The EK II 1939 was also presented to axis troops from Romania, Hungary, Italy, Croatia (many in German uniforms: 369., 373. and 392. Inf.Div.), Slovakia, Bulgaria and Japan as well as axis allied troops from Spain (all in German uniforms: e.g. 250. Inf.Div.) and Finland. And of course to the foreign volunteers in the Waffen-SS, so you could not find all these ribbons in button-holes of German citizens.
4. The East Medal was also presented to axis troops from Romania, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Croatia (369., 373. & 392. Inf.Div.) as well as axis allied troops from Spain (250. Inf.Div.) and Finland. And of course to the foreign volunteers in the Waffen-SS, so you could not find all these ribbons in button-holes of German citizens.
5. The Baltic National Committee (Baltischer Nationalausschuss) of German people living in the Balticum instituted this commemorative campaign award (a pin decoration) for all volunteer militia men of the Baltische Landeswehr and volunteer German soldiers of the Baltikumarmee, who had been fighting without a reprimand against the Red Army during three months in March - October 1919 in the Balticum.
6. Each grade of the 2nd class of the decoration was if the occasion arose also issued one time as an additional commemorative sign to German soldiers in these units. Germans did not get no. 11 awarded if they already had the same version of no. 10. German soldiers did not wear this ribbon in the button-hole.
7. The KVM was automatically available to all KVK recipients by regulation since July 1944. But the soldiers, who accepted the KVM, lost their right to get the planned „World War II Commemorative Medal“, so almost non did take it.
8. It was forbidden to wear the swords on the ribbon in the button-hole. The swords were only worn on the award Clasp (Ordenschnalle) and the ribbon bar (Feldschnalle (= soldiers)/Bandschnalle (= civilians)).