Original Items: Only One Available. This is a lovely German WWII HJ National Youth Organization Gold Ehrenzeichen (Honor Badge), with partial maker markings visible on the reverse. The badge is very similar in design to the membership badge, but is definitely a step above in terms of appearance, larger in side with much wider borders around the edge. The honor badge was intended to be awarded those in the HJ and BDM who had been members prior to the first National Youth Day Rally at Potsdam in October of 1932, and had five years of uninterrupted service. The five year stipulation was expanded to include membership in other NSDAP organizations, and the badge could also have been awarded for meritorious service, regardless of time served.

Like the membership badge, it is constructed out of a die stamped magnetic steel base, however it is gilt instead of silver washed. It contains white, black, and translucent red enamel work. The rhomboid diamond shaped obverse depicts the HJ emblem, which consists of a black mobile swas (hook cross) above a gilt square diamond which is surrounded by alternating white and red translucent pebbled quadrants and is all surrounded by a wide gold border. The reverse has a soldered on pin assembly, and we can see traces of what looks like an RZM circle and "M" and a "0", but the rest is unclear. The pin measures approximately 29mm tall by 22mm wide.

The gilt finish is very well retained on both the front and rear, with just a bit of wear through on the front, while the reverse shows some areas of plating loss and subsequent oxidation. The enamel work has no major cracking or scratches, making this a great pin, only the second example that we have ever been able to offer!

AH believed German youth to be the future of his 3rd Reich. The German National Socialist Youth Organization, and often abbreviated as HJ in German, was the youth organization of the NSDAP Party in Germany. Its origins dated back to 1922 and it received the name HJ, Bund deutscher Arbeiterjugend ("HJ, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. From 1933 until 1945, it was the sole official youth organization in Germany and was partially a paramilitary organization; it was composed of the HJ proper for male youths aged 14 to 18, the German Youngsters in the HJ (Deutsches Jungvolk in der HJ or "DJ", also "DJV") for younger boys aged 10 to 14, and the League of German Girls (Bund Deutsche Mädel or "BDM").

Of Note: In late 1934 items manufactured for the NSDAP and other organizations, including membership pins, came under the quality control of the RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster) and as a result were marked with the RZM logo when appropriate. The registry was was based at the Brown house in Munich and NSDAP party headquarters in Berlin. The RZM ensured that the manufacturers of military items were consistent in design, quality of materials and other characteristics of the items. It also defined standards of design, manufacturing and quality and published an authoritative color chart for textiles. The M1 in the code stands for Metal Badges, with Fritz Zimmermann of Stuttgart being contractor number 72.