Original Items: Only One Grouping Available. Instituted in 1864 by Aaron Silverman of the Charité hospital of Berlin, the German Red Cross was a voluntary civil assistance organization officially acknowledged by the Geneva Convention in 1929.

General Curt W. von Pfuel was the Chairman of the Central Committee of the German National Red Cross during World War I.

One of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles prevented the DRK from having any involvement in military matters. As a result, during the Weimar Republic, under the leadership of Joachim von Winterfeldt-Mencken, the DRK became a national organization focusing on social welfare.

This lovely grouping consists of the following:
- Red Cross DRK Helper Badge: This is a very nice Early Pattern Third Reich period enameled DRK (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz) German Red Cross Helferin (Helper) badge pin. The obverse has a white medallion and a red cross in the center, with a black border inscribed Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Helferin. "Helferin" means helper nurse or volunteer to the Red Cross, a badge for women. The reverse is unmarked with a working horizontal pin back and catch.

- German Social Welfare Medal: This Social Welfare Medal is in excellent condition and very attractive. It’s a desirable early strike, cleanly executed in silver-plated bronze. Most of the original silver plating is unfortunately gone, with wear to the high points on both sides as well as some minor handling marks here and there. The silver plating that is retained has a pleasant, old patina that is nicely matching on the obverse and reverse. This example of the Social Welfare Medal is complete with its original suspension ring, and red and white suspension ribbon. The ribbon is clean, with no damage, and only minor, typical age toning. This Social Welfare Medal is a one-look original example, uncleaned, with lots of eye appeal.

On May 1, 1939, Adolf H introduced a new series of social welfare awards to reward contributions to the German civil population. The official introduction of this series of awards stated that they were to be awarded for achievements in the areas of social welfare, the winter relief organization, care of sick and wounded in wartime and in peace, rescue work, care of the German people and of ethnic Germans in other countries. These awards replaced an early series of Red Cross award. The lowest grade of the new series of awards was called the “Medaille der deutschen Volkspflege,” often referred to as the Social Welfare Medal. The medal was made of bronze or zinc with a silver finish, and bore a German national eagle and swas on the front, superimposed on a cross. The rear bore the inscription “Medaille für deutsche Volkspflege.” The higher grades of the award were designed by Prof. Richard Klein in the form of a cross, and called the “Ehrenzeichen der deutschen Volkspflege.” The cross was a white enameled cross, on which was affixed a black and white enameled German eagle and swas. There were four grades of the cross. The highest level, the I. Stufe (first class), was a large breast star that had the cross affixed to 1 4-pointed star. The II. Stufe of the cross was worn around the neck on a broad ribbon. The III. Stufe was a pin-back cross, and the IV. Stufe was a medal suspended from a ribbon. These Social Welfare decorations were classified as National Socialist awards after the war, and were not permitted to be worn after 1945.

This lovely pair comes ready to display!