BACKGROUND: The DRK, Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross), was a voluntary civil assistance organization that was originally instituted in 1864 and was officially acknowledged by the Geneva Convention on July 27TH 1929. On December 9TH 1937 the DRK gained the status of a legally recognized organization by the NSDAP. As with other essential services in Third Reich Germany the DRK came under control of the NSDAP in late 1938 under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior Social Welfare Organization. Female DRK personnel were issued an active service brooch to be worn as a duty badge at the nape of the neck of the service uniform. The active service brooches came in both circular and oval versions and assorted minor variations depending on the rank/position level of the recipient. The DRK Sisterhood active service brooches have been observed with blue, red, green and black outer borders with the significance of the various colors being unverified. Speculatively the outer border color may indicate rank/position or a level of governmental responsibility.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly 31mm tall, 44mm, horizontally oval, nicely convexed, die struck alloy/zinc brooch with a gilt wash and white, red and black paint. The brooch features a black horizontally oval outer border with Gothic script, "Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Bereitschaftsschwester", (German Red Cross Readiness Sister), encompassing a white horizontally oval painted field with a first pattern, (circa 1935), stylized DRK eagle in black, red and white paint work. The DRK eagle features a black eagle with down-swept wings with a canted black swastika, on a white diamond base, superimposed on its breast and a red cross clutched in its talons. Unmarked reverse. Complete with original pinback device. Scarce.