The Hitler Youth Badge was a political decoration of Nazi Germany, awarded for various degrees of service to the Hitler Youth, (Hitler Jugend). The badge was first created in 1929, with formal regulations for presentation as a decoration formalized from 1933. In addition, the Hitler Youth introduced a number of other awards for merit and proficiency.
The public wear of all Nazi Party awards, including the Hitler Youth badge, was banned after 1945.
There were three grades of the Hitler Youth Badge, each a small pinback badge featuring the Hitler Youth emblem and worn on the left breast pocket.
This is the standard Hitler Youth Badge denoting membership, particularly for leaders. It could not be worn once the wearer had left the Hitler Youth.
The badge shows the Hitler Youth emblem: a golden framed rhomboid having in the centre a golden square field with a black swastika in a red and white field, with a silver-coloured edge.
With permission from Hitler on 23 June 1934, the Golden Hitler Youth Badge was established as an honour award by the National Youth Leader (Reichsjugendführer) Baldur von Schirach in recognition of leadership, long service or other special achievements in the Hitler Youth. Recipients included those who joined before 2 October 1932 and who completed five-years unbroken service. It could also be awarded for merit, irrespective of length of service.
The badge was numbered on the reverse and is similar in appearance to the standard badge, but edged in gilt rather than silver. The right to wear the Golden Hitler Youth Badge continued after the recipient left the Hitler Youth and no longer wore the uniform. The Leader of the National Hitler Youth could grant the right for the recipient to wear the badge indefinitely.
The Golden Hitler Youth Badge with Oakleaves was instituted in 1935 to recognise exceptional services to the Hitler Youth. Only about 250 were awarded.
The badge is similar to the other badges, but is framed with a narrow border of oakleaves and is of higher workmanship. It was recognised as an official Party decoration, and could therefore be worn on any uniform.
In addition to the Hitler Youth Badge, a number of other awards were instituted, both for proficiency and for notable contributions to the Hitler Youth.
From January 1937, officers in the Hitler Youth and Jungvolk were required to pass an annual fitness test covering a number of different sports. In May 1938 a special Leader's Sports Badge in Gold was instituted for award to those officers who achieved the highest scores in these tests.
The copper gilt badge consists of a swastika surrounded by a ring bearing the inscription: 'Für Leistunger in der HJ' (For achievers in the HJ) in runic-style script, set in front of a large tiwaz rune, surrounded by a narrow laurel wreath. The reverse is numbered and has a pin for wear on the left breast pocket. Over 11,000 were awarded.
The Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge was instituted in June 1934 for Hitler Youth members who passed a sports test covering athletics, field craft and rudimentary political knowledge.
The badge consists of a swastika surrounded by a ring bearing the inscription: 'Für Leistunger in der HJ' (For achievers in the HJ) in runic-style script, set in front of a large tiwaz rune. The reverse is numbered and has a pin for wear on the breast pocket. It was presented in silver for boys over 17 and bronze for 16 year-olds, with members of the Jungvolk receiving a black version until 1937, when a special Jungvolk badge was introduced. By the end of 1943, 103,061 bronze and 217,093 silver badges had been awarded.
Hitler Youth shooting awards were awarded in three grades:
Each badge was worn on the left breast pocket of the Hitler Youth uniform only.
A special degree, the Hitler Youth Badge for Distinguished Foreigners, was authorized in 1941 for presentation to non-German citizens who supported the goals of the Hitler Youth.
An oval gilt and enamel badge, it shows a spread eagle above the Hitler Youth emblem. It is edged with a brown band, bearing the words Hitler Jugend.
Recipients of the Hitler Youth Badge included: