Patriotic Order of Merit

The Patriotic Order of Merit (abbreviation: VVO) was a state award of the German Democratic Republic. It was founded in 1954. The awards were given individuals and institutions that had provided excellent service in all areas of social life, in the opinion of the GDR leadership.

Levels of classification

The Order was awarded in three stages.

  • Honor clasp
  • Gold, ( stage I )
  • Silver ( II stage)
  • Bronze, (III stage)

Award conditions

In the official wording: for special services

  • In the struggle of the German and international workers' movement and the fight against fascism,
  • In building, in further consolidating and strengthening, and the protection of the German Democratic Republic,
  • In the struggle for the preservation of peace, and in increasing the international ministry of the German Democratic Republic

The award was presented in the stages bronze, silver, gold and honor clasp to gold ( for " special services "). She could be awarded only once in the same stage. With the exception of the carrier of honor clasp, all winners received a monetary grant.

Until 1973, the following annual honor money was paid to the carrier:

  • Bronze for 250 marks
  • For silver 500 marks
  • For Gold 1000 Mark

After that there was only a single premium:

  • Bronze for 2,500 marks
  • For silver 5000 Mark
  • Gold 10000 Mark

At the ceremony to collectives (up to 10 people):

  • Bronze for 500 marks
  • For silver 1000 marks
  • Gold 2000 marks

The premium for the award of the Order was from 10 September 1987:

  • Bronze for 2,500 marks
  • For silver 5000 Mark
  • Gold 10000 Mark
  • For honor Clasp in Gold: 15000 Mark

Selected carrier (after the year of award )

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

Year unknown

  • John Arnold
  • Tierpark Berlin ( before 1974 )
  • Max Bair aka Martin Hunter ( silver and gold)
  • Julius Balkow
  • Luise Dähne (Gold) ( volunteer assistant in the police )
  • Wolfgang Dietzel (Silver)
  • Willy Gebhardt (Silver ) (before 1973)
  • Günter Moeckel ( Bronze)
  • Kurt Schröder ( Bronze)
  • Karl Hans Walther ( Bronze) (probably before 1957 )
Otto Nagel Heinrich Rau Theodor Brugsch Johannes Dieckmann Arno von Lenski Emil Fuchs (theologian) Friedrich Burmeister (politician) Manfred Gerlach Greta Kuckhoff Wilhelm Adam Victor Klemperer Peter Florin Alfred Neumann (East Germany) Gustav-Adolf Schur Ehm Welk Walther Siegmund-Schultze Peter Adolf Thiessen Anna Seghers Max Butting Ortrun Enderlein Felix Scheffler Helene Weigel Paul Dessau Kurt Seibt Wieland Herzfelde Johannes Paul Thilman Erwin Kramer Werner Neumann Willy Rumpf Anton Ackermann Alfred Kurella Klaus Gysi Gret Palucca Lothar Ahrendt Walter Felsenstein Herbert Scurla Kurt Julius Goldstein Heinz Neukirchen Herbert Kegel Wolfgang Vogel Wolf Kaiser Lotte Ulbricht Kurt Schwaen Jan Hoffmann Johanna Schaller Kurt Blecha Gerd Michael Henneberg Kurt Stern Olaf Ludwig Kristin Otto
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