0393 German / Third Reich WW2 Day Badge 1934 - Tag der Arbeit

Original German / Third Reich day badge 1934, the round shaped obverse depicts a man’s portrait/bust that has a tack hammer to the left and a sickle to the right. The tools are partially behind a national eagle (with outstretched wings clutching a wreathed swastika in its talons). There is an arched “Tag Der Arbeit” (Day of Labor) to the top, “1934” (19 left, 34 right) to the bottom around the eagle along with a small “RK” (right), IN NICE CONDITION - GOOD PIN DEVICE, DIAMETER: 35 mm

HISTORY OF THE DAY BADGES:

Day badges were introduced in 1933, the NSDAP declared May 1st the “Day of National Work” as an official state holiday to celebrate labourers and the working classes. The Nazis sought to gain support of workers by declaring May Day, a day celebrated by organized labour, to be a paid holiday and held celebrations on 1 May 1933 to honour German workers. The Nazis stressed that Germany must honour its workers. Hitler often praised the virtues of labor, declaring in Völkischer Beobachter that "I only acknowledge one nobility—that of labour." The regime believed that the only way to avoid a repeat of the disaster of 1918 was to secure workers' support for the German government. The regime also insisted through propaganda that all Germans take part in the May Day celebrations in the hope that this would help break down class hostility between workers and burghers. Songs in praise of labour and workers were played by state radio throughout May Day as well as an airshow in Berlin and fireworks. Hitler spoke of workers as patriots who had built Germany's industrial strength and had honourably served in the war and claimed that they had been oppressed under economic liberalism. Berliner Morgenpost that had been strongly associated with the political left in the past praised the regime's May Day celebrations.