Blood Order Decoration of November 9, 1923 - Extensive Estate from the Possession of RAD Senior General Labor Leader and SA Brigade Leader Victor Band

Blood Order Decoration of November 9, 1923, so-called “Blutorden”, 2nd Model in presentation case. Silver medal, 100% original patina preserved, reverse with award number “2879” above silver hallmark “800”. Complete with original ribbon section, in matching presentation case for the Blood Order 2nd Model, exterior with imprint “8./9. November 1923”. Awarded on March 31, 1940. Unworn, condition 1-. Including the cover letter from “Der Reichsschatzmeister der NSDAP” with notification of the Blood Order award. “The award certificate, order medal with ribbon, and ownership certificate will be forwarded to you shortly through the responsible Gau leadership.” Dated Munich, March 31, 1940, with original signature Schwarz, complete with original envelope. Furthermore, a letter from NSDAP Gauleitung Wien, dated April 16, 1940 with invitation to the Blood Order presentation on April 19, 1940 by SS-Oberführer Scharizer (= deputy Gauleiter), complete with original envelope. Official invitation card from Gauleitung Wien “Friday, April 19, 6 p.m., the ceremonial presentation of Blood Orders will take place in the grand hall of the Neues Rathaus...” Large photograph of Band in RAD General Labor Leader uniform with Blood Order ribbon, together with Reichsarbeitsführer Hierl.

NSDAP membership book, issued December 20, 1940, NSDAP membership number “6199262”. Sworn oath to the Führer in Wien, August 31, 1932, handwritten on page 11 “It is confirmed that Party Comrade Victor Band applied for admission on August 31, 1932 and has paid membership dues since then.” Page 12 “The holder of the membership book is considered an Old Party Comrade within the meaning of Party regulations”, 6 pasted promotions to SA Troop Leader July 33, to Sturmführer December 12, 1933, to SA-Sturmbannführer May 1934, to SA-Obersturmbannführer June 1934 and to Brigadeführer March 12, 1938, all issued March 6, 1944 by SA Gruppe Donau Wien. Additional stamp “Der Oberste SA-Führer - assigned to Gruppe Donau, June 1, 1938”. Pasted membership stamps from 1940 - 1945. Condition 1a. Certification card from NSDAP Gauleitung Wien regarding membership “Joined on June 20, 1938”, issued Wien, July 31, 1940. Including the NSDAP party badge, enameled, manufacturer RZM M 1/163, worn. “Führerbefehl Nr. 63”, issued by Oberste SA-Führung, Munich June 1, 1938 with promotions of former Austrian SA leaders, “to Brigadeführer: ... the former leader of the illegal Brigade Wien: SA-Führer Viktor Band...” Congratulatory letter “SA der NSDAP der Führer der Gruppe Österreich” on promotion to SA-Brigadeführer, dated June 17, 1938.
RAD service identification, issued October 1, 1940 as Oberstarbeitsführer, filled with all promotions up to Obergeneralarbeitsführer on April 20, 1945, deployments in home war zone until 1941, thereafter “In operational area beyond Reich borders within Air Fleet Center... South Russia and Caucasus...” from 1943 again in home war zone. 14 recorded decorations, including “March 31, 1940 Blood Order of NSDAP”. Last entry April 1945. Condition 2.
4 very fine framed photographs from Reichsparteitag 1938, Band together with Reichsarbeitsführer Hierl and Reichsminister Frick with Blood Order, plus 2 additional photographs, one inscribed on reverse.
Wehrmacht military passport, issued 1942, complete with all entries as Generalarbeitsführer. 7 recorded decorations, including “Blood Order of NSDAP March 31, 1940”. Last entry 1943. Condition 1a.
RAD Long Service Award 4th Class for 4 years of service, on ribbon with wear pin. Including the award certificate as Oberstarbeitsführer, Arbeitsgauleitung XXXV Wien, dated January 9, 1939.
Commemorative Medal March 13, 1938 on ribbon with wear pin. Including the award certificate as Oberstarbeitsführer, issued August 3, 1939.
Entitlement certificate for Wound Badge for Army personnel “in matte white”, issued Wien, October 23, 1939.
Honor Cross for Front Fighters 1914-1918 with award certificate as Arbeitsgauführer, dated December 9, 1939. Condition 1.
Medal in Commemoration of October 1, 1938, on long ribbon. Including the award certificate as Oberstarbeitsführer, issued January 17, 1940. Clasp “Prager Burg”, including the award certificate, issued May 9, 1940 - all condition 1.
War Merit Cross 1939 2nd Class with Swords. Including the award certificate as General-Arbeitsführer, issued “Wien, December 1, 1940”. Condition 1.
War Merit Cross 1939 1st Class with Swords. Base metal, in presentation case, interior with manufacturer “Kerbach & Oesterhelt, Dresden A 1”. Worn, condition 2. Including the award certificate as Generalarbeitsführer, issued “Headquarters of Ob.d.L. December 23, 1941”, condition 1.
50 additional original photographs as Generalarbeitsführer, some highly interesting, one ex libris and one photograph of a very fine portrait drawing as Generalarbeitsführer with Blood Order, Vienna in background.
Furthermore, conscription order to Austrian Labor Service and identification card from 1933, photograph in Austrian Labor Service uniform, large appointment certificate as Engineer 1938, membership book NS Reichskriegerbund, booklet “Ehret die Arbeit - Reichsarbeitsdienst Kunstschau 1944 zu Prag”, 3 decorative certificates from prisoner of war captivity.

An outstanding comprehensive estate of a Blood Order recipient, in this completeness very rarely found!

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Blood Order Decoration of November 9, 1923 - Extensive Estate from the Possession of RAD Senior General Labor Leader and SA Brigade Leader Victor Band

The Blood Order, officially designated as the Ehrenzeichen vom 9. November 1923 or Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 9. November 1923, was one of the most prestigious decorations of the Nazi Party. The medal was instituted on November 9, 1933, exactly ten years after the failed coup attempt, by Adolf Hitler to commemorate the participants of the Beer Hall Putsch of November 8-9, 1923, in Munich. During this failed coup attempt, 16 putschists and four police officers lost their lives, and the incident marked a decisive moment in the early history of the National Socialist movement.

The first issue of the decoration was awarded to 1,500 participants in the putsch who had also been members of the Nazi Party or one of its formations before January 1932. An essential prerequisite was uninterrupted membership in the NSDAP before January 30, 1933, the day of the seizure of power, or in the SA. Only those persons who were demonstrably present in Munich on November 8 or 9, 1923, and actively participated in the putsch attempt were eligible. On April 1, 1935, awards were initially suspended to preserve the exclusivity of the decoration.

In May 1938 the award was extended to persons who had served time in prison for Nazi activities before 1933, received a death sentence which was later commuted to life imprisonment for Nazi activities before 1933, or been severely wounded in the service of the Party before 1933. Subsequently it was further extended to members of the Austrian Nazi Party who had participated in the 1934 July Putsch, or who had received significant prison time or injuries for Nazi activities. It could also be bestowed on certain other individuals at the discretion of Adolf Hitler; the last recipient was Reinhard Heydrich, who received the award posthumously.

The medal was struck in silver with a diameter of approximately 40 millimeters. The obverse bears a depiction of an eagle grasping an oak leaf wreath. Inside the wreath is the date 9. Nov., and to the right is the inscription München 1923–1933. The reverse shows the entrance of the Feldherrnhalle in relief, where the coup ended in defeat, and directly above is the angled swastika with sun rays in the background. Along the top edge is the inscription “Und ihr habt doch gesiegt” (“And after all, you won”). The reverse bore the individual award number and silver hallmark. All medals were numbered, except Hitler's and Göring's.

Of the first model of the Blood Order, only 1,500 awards were made from 1934 to 1935. These Type I medals were struck in 99 percent pure silver and carried the maker's name J. FUESS MÜNCHEN with silver stamp 990. The subsequent medals of Type II were struck in 80 percent silver with serial numbers above 1500 and did not carry the maker's name. Of the second model, pieces with award numbers up to approximately 4,300 are known. Official records end with the year 1942. In total 16 women received the award, two from the Altreich, namely Eleonore Baur and Emma Schneider, and 14 from Austria.

In a decree signed November 6, 1936, Hitler placed the Blood Order fifth in precedence among top NSDAP awards, after the Coburg Badge, Nuremberg Party Badge 1929, SA Rally Badge Brunswick 1931, and Golden Party Badge. Its holders were entitled to preferential treatment in appointments, received financial benefits, and were considered the elite of the movement.

The present example bearing serial number 2879 was awarded on March 31, 1940, to Victor Band, born December 4, 1897, in St. Leonhard, died October 31, 1973, in Vienna. Band was an Austrian engineer and political functionary of the NSDAP, for whom he was a Reichstag member. After the failed coup of the Austrian National Socialists, Band was arrested in July 1934 and sentenced by the Vienna military court on May 25, 1935, to life imprisonment at hard labor for high treason. He initially held the rank of Oberstarbeitsführer in the Reich Labor Service, later promoted to Obergeneralarbeitsführer, ultimately on April 20, 1945. His promotion to SA-Brigadeführer occurred on March 12, 1938. In 1944 he became alderman of the city of Vienna.

After 1945, the Blood Order, together with all other National Socialist decorations, was banned by Control Council Law No. 1 of September 20, 1945. Public possession and wearing of such orders was criminalized. Under denazification processes from 1945 to 1949, recipients were automatically categorized as major offenders. Control Council Directive No. 38 of April 12, 1946, explicitly listed the NS-Blutorden among NSDAP decorations whose holders were deemed active party members, subjecting them to immediate removal from public office, loss of pension rights, fines, and potential internment. Today, these objects are important contemporary historical documents preserved in museums and archives for scientific and educational purposes.