BACKGROUND: On May 1ST 1939, Hitler introduced a series of four Social Welfare awards to replace the earlier DRK, Deutsche Rote Kreuz, (German Red Cross) awards. The earlier DRK awards only recognized loyal service in the DRK while the new Social Welfare awards recognized a wider scope of social welfare service. The new Social Welfare awards could be bestowed to all personnel who actively participated in Social Welfare assistance programs including the DRK, the WHW, Winterhilf Werk, (Winter Relief Program), personnel involved with the care of the sick and wounded, live saving services, excluding Fire and Police personnel and care of German nationals in foreign countries. The First, Third and Fourth class Social Welfare awards all came suspended by a red ribbon with white edge stripes. The wear of Awards, Medal Bars and Ribbon Bars were addressed in regulations of April 28TH 1937 and followed the established directives that had been previously laid down. When an Award was instituted the introductory orders would prescribe the proper form of wear with most of the awards being permitted to be grouped together on a medal or ribbon bar. The medal bars were intended for wear on the walking-out dress and formal uniforms while the ribbon bars were intended for all other forms of dress. Strict regulations listed the required order in which ribbons awards were authorized to be worn on the ribbon bar.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Horizontal ribbed, red rayon ribbon with white edges stripes mounted on a metal alloy base plate. The metall alloy base plate has its horizontal pin back device intact to the reverse.