Bidspirit auction | German WWII 25 Year Faithful

German WWII 25 Year Faithful Service Medal Set - Set of German Faithful Service Crosses (Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen), Third Reich Period This set comprises crosses awarded for long and faithful service in the civil administration and public sector during the Third Reich period, given for extended years of service to the state. Each piece takes the form of a cross pattée surrounded by an oak wreath, with a central applied swastika to the obverse and the inscription ”Für treue Dienste” struck within a raised diamond panel on the reverse. The finishes visible across the set, appearing bronzed and silvered, correspond to the differing tiers of the award tied to length of service. These crosses were produced in large numbers by German state mints and private manufacturers throughout the 1930s and 1940s for presentation to long-serving officials, civil servants, and workers. The Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen (Faithful Service Decoration) was instituted in 1938 to recognise long and loyal service to the German state, continuing an earlier Weimar-era tradition of civil service long-service awards. It was issued in graded classes—typically for 25 and 40 years of service, with a corresponding award for workers—the tier indicated by the medal's finish, silver or gold-toned for longer terms. Recipients were civil servants, administrators, and state employees, making these decorations common survivors reflecting the bureaucratic apparatus that underpinned the Third Reich rather than military or combat service.