Description
The SS Long Service Awards (or SS-Dienstauszeichnungen in German) were given in grades of four years, eight years, twelve years, and twenty-five years as an acknowledgment for faithful and true services of SS members in the SS-Verfügungstruppen (SS Dispositional Troops), SS-Totenkopfverbänden (Death’s Head Units) und SS-Junkerschulen (Junker Schools). It was first introduced by Adolf Hitler on 30 January 1938. The four-year service award had a black finish and was awarded only to NCOs and enlisted men. This four-year service medal was manufactured by the firm Petz & Lorenz. This example This early medal manufactured in bronze, with a darkened finish. Complete with typical teardrop suspension, and blue waterflecked ribbon. The black finish is crisp with missing finish to the highpoints, the details of the award itself are very sharp still, a fantastic and textbook example of a very hard to find award related to the SS, this example shows clear period wear from being attached to a parade mount or tunic button hole!
