The Zeppelin Commemorative Badge is a badge established on 1 August 1920 by Reichswehrminister Otto Karl Geßler of the Weimar Republic as a “Commemorative Badge for Airshipmen”. The badge was awarded to navy personnel regardless of rank who served on naval airships for at least one year. This condition was waived in case of outstanding merits during the Great War as well as for ex-POWs and crews of naval airships destroyed by enemy fire.
The total true aircrew personnel of the Army Airships numbered around 500 during the War, however during it no badges were issued to them (although the plan existed early on, it was canceled). Instead, the badges were manufactured and issued in the Summer of 1920, as ” Commemorative Badge for Airshipmen”.
The Zepplin badge was a post-war badge, its production was begun in 1920.
The Zeppelin Commemorative Badge Design
The badge measures 67.88mm by 38.77mm and was designed by P. Meybauer in Berlin. It’s struck in silver-plated brass.
The badge has a horizontal oval shape with an airship facing left superimposed on a green enameled wreath. The wreath is made of laurel leaves on its upper part and oak leaves on the lower one. The laurel part of the wreath is tied crosswise on its top by a ribbon that forms three semicircular arcs, two facing above and one beneath. The oak portion in its turn is tied with three ribbons.
