The collections of the German Historical Museum

The collection of badges comprises approximately 8,000 objects from the second half of the 19th century to the present. The largest part consists of German badges. However, due to the history of the former Museum of German History (MfDG), the section of badges from the former Soviet Union and other friends of East Germany is equally voluminous.

Within the collection there are a number of special sections, some of considerable size:

• different Labor Day-stickers, dating from the end of the 19th century up to the 1970s
• badges sold by the "Winterhilfswerk" (WHS) during the time of the Third Reich
• East German badges from all sectors of society, organizations, political and public events that were constituent for the identity of East Germany.

786 objects from the collection of badges have been published on CD-ROM under the title: "Politische Abzeichen der Kaiserzeit und der Weimarer Republik" (Saur Verlag 1996).

The badges used to be an integrated part of the collection "Insignia and Medals." In 1977, the medal section was separated and henceforth collected under its own name. Since 1991, the collection of badges has been a section of "Everyday Life Culture".

Have a look at the archive.