History of the badge.
This expression originated from one of party rally, when Joseph Goebbels said «Zieg Heil». All the present members supported the phrase (although, it was claimed to be invented by a young employee of Hitler’s, Ernst Hanfstaengl).
Since the Nazi theorists believed that the war to be a method of determining the superior race, and the Germans to be the representatives of such superior race, this toast to the war was a welcome to the struggle by means of which they were supposed to destroy the rest of the competitors and establish the Social and Darwinian manner — «New Order.»
Sieg Heil! (German) (pronounced as Zeke Heil) – meaning «Glory to victory!» — the slogan that was used at the meetings and rallies of the German Nazi Party. It was also accompanied by a welcoming gesture that consisted of lifting right hand straight with palm open (the so-called «Roman salute»).
The slogan was invented by Rudolf Hess, one of the members of National Socials German Workers’ Party (NSGWP). He started shouting it out after Hitler’s speech, and these words were immediately picked up by the crowd of thousands of those who were listening to the Fuehrer.
Since then, Adolf Hitler himself and other party leaders often repeated the slogan three times at the end of their speech.
The Nazi salutes Heil Hitler! and Sieg Heil! were prohibited by the law in some countries after the war. In Germany, according to § 86a of the Criminal Code, the use of this greeting is punishable. Austria has the similar law. The Nazi salute is used by neo-Nazis in a historical or a modified form.
Although, in the contemporary German army, despite the ban, there are cases of use of the welcome (in particular, by neo-Nazis). There are 50 cases per year of only documented violations of the law.
Statute of the badge. Being so popular and loved by the members of NSGWP, it was no wonder that these words appeared to be imprinted into one of the WWII German medals. The badge Sieg Heil was established to praise the members of Nazi party who showed special affection and dedication to the party in its struggle to achieve the set goals.
Description of the badge. The badge is made in a round shape. Around the cutting of the badge there is a dark red small edging. This small edging contains capitalized Nazi motto Sieg Heil and laureate wreath below the words. There is a white circle in the middle of the badge. There are two images of lighting superimposed over the white circle. The reverse side of the badge has a special pin fastening to fix the badge on clothing.