German Social Welfare Decoration - 3rd Class

The Social Welfare Decoration (German: Ehrenzeichen für deutsche Volkspflege) was a German Civil Award created by Adolf Hitler on 1 May 1939 for services in the social sector. The decoration was issued for a wide variety of service, in the social sector, to the German state. Qualifying service would have been with Winterhilfswerk, National Socialist Volk Welfare, medical and rescue work, or care of foreign and ethnic Germans. As a replacement for Red Cross awards. This is the 3rd class consisting of a white-enameled gold Balkenkreuz with Reich eagle and swastika hung from a red and white ribbon.