National Prize for Art and Science - Order Star and Sash
This order star is from the execution of the 2nd award series of 1938. The star body is made of platinum, with the medallion of Pallas Athena in gold at the center, the background in red enamel. The 4 applied national eagles are made of gold. The brilliant ring around the medallion is set with 40 brilliant-cut diamonds in 8/8 cut. The setting is openwork (à jour) on the reverse. Reverse with 6 solid rivets, on the pin with manufacturer's designation "Juwelier Hülse Berlin W.8", the pin system is equipped with a special safety catch. Included is the sewn order sash made of red/white silk ribbon with woven national eagles and large sewn rosette with hand-embroidered national eagle. Only minimal age traces in excellent condition.
In the reference book "Orden 1700-2000" Volume 4 by Karsten Klingbeil/Andreas Thies, pages 124-129 show the order set from the possession of Prof. August Bier with the breast star of the 1st award series from 1937. While the order sashes are absolutely identical, the breast stars differ only minimally through a detail in the inscription ring: while the star between "Für" and "Wissenschaft" is smaller and was applied separately, the star in the 2nd model is significantly larger and part of the inscription ring. There are also a few minor differences in the details of the head of Pallas Athena.
This order set comes with an expert opinion by Jörg Nimmergut from 1996, which we are happy to provide upon request.
The German National Prize for Art and Science was an honorary prize and the highest peacetime decoration of the National Socialist German Reich. It was instituted in 1937 by Adolf Hitler and was intended to replace the Nobel Prize, which Hitler — as a reaction to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Carl von Ossietzky in 1936 — prohibited “for all future Germans” from accepting. The prize was only awarded in 1937 and 1938.
On June 25, 1936, the Nobel Prize Committee of the Norwegian Parliament awarded the imprisoned Carl von Ossietzky the Nobel Peace Prize. The Reich government protested against the decision; on November 26, it expressed its “utmost astonishment” about it and declared that it “reserved all conclusions from the incident.”
On January 30, 1937, Adolf Hitler finally instituted the German National Prize for Art and Science:
“To prevent shameful incidents for all future, I decree with this day the institution of a German National Prize for Art and Science. This National Prize will be distributed annually to three deserving Germans in the amount of 100,000 Reichsmarks each. The acceptance of the Nobel Prize is hereby prohibited for Germans for all future.”
The implementation regulations were issued by Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. The award was to take place annually in a ceremonial act at the Reich Party Congress of the NSDAP. Organization and execution of the ceremony was the responsibility of the Reich Propaganda Leader in agreement with the Reich Organization Leader Robert Ley.
Details of the decoration
Design: Gerdy Troost
Execution: Franziska Kobell
Portfolio: Frieda Thiersch. The decoration included, in addition to the actual order decoration, the breast star, a magnificent sash with agrafe, an elaborately crafted order case with gilded corner fittings in eagle form, and a certificate portfolio made of terra-brown grained leather. On December 7, 1937, Goebbels noted: “Certificates for the National Prize finished. Very well done. Mrs. Troost shows them. Masterpiece!”
Various sample versions of the breast star were made, including by Richard Klein and Herbert Zeitner, which were however rejected by Hitler, possibly because their symbolic content regarding the terms “Art” and “Science” was too weakly expressed for him. The final version of the decoration is based on a design by the sculptor Hermann Müller.
The cast and polished star body has a diameter of 95 mm and is made of platinum. Applied are four 20 × 22 mm large eagles made of 18-karat gold. The medallion shows the leftward-facing head of Pallas Athena on a red enameled background. The inscription ring bears on an ivory-colored enameled background the hand-sawn and polished circumferential inscription: "FÜR * KUNST * UND * WISSENSCHAFT" and is surrounded by a medallion ring set with 40 diamonds in 8/8 cut with faceted table. To give light to the diamonds, the medallion ring is open segmented toward the back. The total weight of the decoration is 205.0 (1937) or 210.47 (1938) grams depending on version. Goebbels noted on December 15: “The order for the National Prize is now finished. The Führer is enthusiastic about it.”
The jeweler Wilhelm Hülse in Berlin was entrusted with the execution. The commissioning of the relatively unknown jeweler was done either by Goebbels himself or by one of his offices.
On the occasion of the “First German Architecture and Handicraft Exhibition” from January 22 to April 18, 1938 in Munich, the specimen of Paul Ludwig Troost was exhibited at the House of German Art. On behalf of Heinrich Doehle, photographs were made for the Presidential Chancellery, which he used as a template for his publications on orders.
Symbolism
Pallas Athena is regarded in Greek mythology as the virgin goddess of wisdom, arts and sciences, protectress of cities and patroness of crafts. The eagle on the agrafe, casket and breast star is that of the Reich, thus looking to heraldic right, to its right wing — the Party eagle looked to heraldic left — and carries a swastika in its claws. The eagle is freely designed and corresponds to none of the common types of State or Party. At the meeting of the Reich Film Chamber, 1935 in the Berlin Schiller Theater, such an eagle in large format was mounted on the front wall of the festival hall, which suggests that the form was prescribed by the Propaganda Ministry.
The German National Prize was awarded to a total of nine persons.
The 1st prize announcement took place on September 7, 1937 in the “Nuremberg Opera House,” the presentation of the prizes took place on January 30, 1938 by Adolf Hitler in the Reich Chancellery. The five first prize winners were:
the master builder and architecture professor Paul Ludwig Troost (posthumous),
Reich Leader Alfred Rosenberg,
the Asia and South Polar explorer Wilhelm Filchner,
the surgeons August Bier and Ferdinand Sauerbruch (shared prize).
The 2nd prize announcement took place on September 6, 1938, the presentation on January 30, 1939 by Adolf Hitler in the Reich Chancellery. The prize winners of this second year were:
the Inspector General for the German Road System and head of the military construction organization Organisation Todt Fritz Todt,
the automobile manufacturer Ferdinand Porsche,
the aircraft designers Willy Messerschmitt and Ernst Heinkel (shared prize).
Historically as well as in terms of orders and decorations, probably the most significant and most precious decoration of the Third Reich.
In the reference book "Orden 1700-2000" Volume 4 by Karsten Klingbeil/Andreas Thies, pages 124-129 show the order set from the possession of Prof. August Bier with the breast star of the 1st award series from 1937. While the order sashes are absolutely identical, the breast stars differ only minimally through a detail in the inscription ring: while the star between "Für" and "Wissenschaft" is smaller and was applied separately, the star in the 2nd model is significantly larger and part of the inscription ring. There are also a few minor differences in the details of the head of Pallas Athena.
This order set comes with an expert opinion by Jörg Nimmergut from 1996, which we are happy to provide upon request.
The German National Prize for Art and Science was an honorary prize and the highest peacetime decoration of the National Socialist German Reich. It was instituted in 1937 by Adolf Hitler and was intended to replace the Nobel Prize, which Hitler — as a reaction to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Carl von Ossietzky in 1936 — prohibited “for all future Germans” from accepting. The prize was only awarded in 1937 and 1938.
On June 25, 1936, the Nobel Prize Committee of the Norwegian Parliament awarded the imprisoned Carl von Ossietzky the Nobel Peace Prize. The Reich government protested against the decision; on November 26, it expressed its “utmost astonishment” about it and declared that it “reserved all conclusions from the incident.”
On January 30, 1937, Adolf Hitler finally instituted the German National Prize for Art and Science:
“To prevent shameful incidents for all future, I decree with this day the institution of a German National Prize for Art and Science. This National Prize will be distributed annually to three deserving Germans in the amount of 100,000 Reichsmarks each. The acceptance of the Nobel Prize is hereby prohibited for Germans for all future.”
The implementation regulations were issued by Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. The award was to take place annually in a ceremonial act at the Reich Party Congress of the NSDAP. Organization and execution of the ceremony was the responsibility of the Reich Propaganda Leader in agreement with the Reich Organization Leader Robert Ley.
Details of the decoration
Design: Gerdy Troost
Execution: Franziska Kobell
Portfolio: Frieda Thiersch. The decoration included, in addition to the actual order decoration, the breast star, a magnificent sash with agrafe, an elaborately crafted order case with gilded corner fittings in eagle form, and a certificate portfolio made of terra-brown grained leather. On December 7, 1937, Goebbels noted: “Certificates for the National Prize finished. Very well done. Mrs. Troost shows them. Masterpiece!”
Various sample versions of the breast star were made, including by Richard Klein and Herbert Zeitner, which were however rejected by Hitler, possibly because their symbolic content regarding the terms “Art” and “Science” was too weakly expressed for him. The final version of the decoration is based on a design by the sculptor Hermann Müller.
The cast and polished star body has a diameter of 95 mm and is made of platinum. Applied are four 20 × 22 mm large eagles made of 18-karat gold. The medallion shows the leftward-facing head of Pallas Athena on a red enameled background. The inscription ring bears on an ivory-colored enameled background the hand-sawn and polished circumferential inscription: "FÜR * KUNST * UND * WISSENSCHAFT" and is surrounded by a medallion ring set with 40 diamonds in 8/8 cut with faceted table. To give light to the diamonds, the medallion ring is open segmented toward the back. The total weight of the decoration is 205.0 (1937) or 210.47 (1938) grams depending on version. Goebbels noted on December 15: “The order for the National Prize is now finished. The Führer is enthusiastic about it.”
The jeweler Wilhelm Hülse in Berlin was entrusted with the execution. The commissioning of the relatively unknown jeweler was done either by Goebbels himself or by one of his offices.
On the occasion of the “First German Architecture and Handicraft Exhibition” from January 22 to April 18, 1938 in Munich, the specimen of Paul Ludwig Troost was exhibited at the House of German Art. On behalf of Heinrich Doehle, photographs were made for the Presidential Chancellery, which he used as a template for his publications on orders.
Symbolism
Pallas Athena is regarded in Greek mythology as the virgin goddess of wisdom, arts and sciences, protectress of cities and patroness of crafts. The eagle on the agrafe, casket and breast star is that of the Reich, thus looking to heraldic right, to its right wing — the Party eagle looked to heraldic left — and carries a swastika in its claws. The eagle is freely designed and corresponds to none of the common types of State or Party. At the meeting of the Reich Film Chamber, 1935 in the Berlin Schiller Theater, such an eagle in large format was mounted on the front wall of the festival hall, which suggests that the form was prescribed by the Propaganda Ministry.
The German National Prize was awarded to a total of nine persons.
The 1st prize announcement took place on September 7, 1937 in the “Nuremberg Opera House,” the presentation of the prizes took place on January 30, 1938 by Adolf Hitler in the Reich Chancellery. The five first prize winners were:
the master builder and architecture professor Paul Ludwig Troost (posthumous),
Reich Leader Alfred Rosenberg,
the Asia and South Polar explorer Wilhelm Filchner,
the surgeons August Bier and Ferdinand Sauerbruch (shared prize).
The 2nd prize announcement took place on September 6, 1938, the presentation on January 30, 1939 by Adolf Hitler in the Reich Chancellery. The prize winners of this second year were:
the Inspector General for the German Road System and head of the military construction organization Organisation Todt Fritz Todt,
the automobile manufacturer Ferdinand Porsche,
the aircraft designers Willy Messerschmitt and Ernst Heinkel (shared prize).
Historically as well as in terms of orders and decorations, probably the most significant and most precious decoration of the Third Reich.
