SS 4 Years Long Service - Award

It has the sigrunes in a wreath on the front and the number 4 and words.

FOR TREUE DIENSTE IN DER SS on the back.(SS-Dienstauszeichenungen)

All members in the Wehrmacht including the SS were eligable to recive as March 16.1936,the long service award.The SS long service awards was not instituted until 30th January 1939,but werent manufactured until Maj 1939.The award was rendered to members of the SS-Verfugungstruppen,SS-Totenkopfverbande and SS-Junkerschulen.

It should be noted that membership in the Waffen-SS did not count as national military service until 1935,so SS men would have been eligable for the 4 years in 1939 and the 8 years in1943,which is way after the Wehrmacht awards were superseded.

Also military service counted double for SS members who joined in 1925 up to 1933.In addition,all other long serving personnel were eligible to receive the NSDAP Long Service Award.

The 4 years medal was rendered to all Officers,NCO,S and enlisted.

The four classes ( 4,8,12,25 years) of the SS service awards were designed in Munich by Professor Karl Diebitsch.