(Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung)

Date Instituted

16 March 1936

Requirements

Silver Medal
* Having been a member of the Wehrmacht for 4 years


Gold Medal
* Having been a member of the Wehrmacht for 12 years


Silver Cross
* Having been a member of the Wehrmacht for 18 years


Gold Cross
* Having been a member of the Wehrmacht for 25 years

Number Awarded

?

Award Documents

Generalmajor Lothar Pfetten

Ribbon worn on the ribbon bar

This example is for the Luftwaffe as seen by the special Luftwaffe eagle.

Known makers/markings

L/13, L/15

Estimated price (2009)

1st Class - €250
2nd Class - €140
3rd Class - €85
4th Class - €45


Generalmajor Wolfgang von Gronau wearing the 12 years Gold Medal on his ribbon bar

(Courtesy of Shawn Bohannon)

Feldwebel with two Long service medals on his ribbon bar

(Courtesy of Josef Fregosi)

Oberleutnant Theodor Tolsdorff with with long service ribbons

(Courtesy of Peter Wijnberger Noordwijk)

Comments

The text on the obverse of the medal reads "Treue dienste in der Wehrmacht".

Only two of these awards could be worn at the same time:
4 years - Silver Medal
12 years - Gold Medal + Silver Medal
18 years - Silver Cross + Silver Medal
25 years - Gold Cross + Gold Medal
40 years - Gold Cross + Gold Medal + Oakleaves

It is allowed to wear the last achieved Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht) together with one other long service award (= SS-Dienstauszeichnung, PolizeiDA, RAD-DA, Treudienst- Ehrenzeichen, Luftschutz-Ez, FeuerwehrEz, ZollgrenzschutzEz, GrubenwehrEz) (see: § 10 para. 2 general execution regulation from 30 January 1938 (RGBl. 1938, I, p. 63f)). Comment: The ZollgrenzschutzEz is in a special decree, because it was not instituted in 1938.

It was designed by Professor Richard Klein.

Photo courtesy of Rusfront, Hans Lundin & The Ruptured Duck

Sources used

Christopher Ailsby - World War 2 German medals and political awards
John R. Angolia - For Führer and Fatherland: Military awards of the Third Reich
David Littlejohn - Orders, decorations, medals and badges of the Third Reich
Detlev Niemann - Price Guide Germany 1871-1945 (2009)