1977-1990 AD., Germany, German Democratic Republic, silver medal for Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic, Bartel 285 d.

Germany, German Democratic Republic (GDR or DDR in German), medal for merits of the east Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic in “silver“ for 10 years, awarded 1977-1990 AD.,
Medal (ø 35 mm / 25,78 g with hanger and clip), chromed steel (magnetic), axis medal alignment ↑↑ (0°), plain edge with hanger,
Obv.: FÃœR DEN SCHUTZ / DER ARBEITER-UND-BAUERN MACHT , the coat of arms of the GDR at center enclosed by the legend, surrounded by a closed laurel wreath, consisting of two laurel branches, which are crossed at the bottom.
Rev.: FÃœR TREUE DIENSTE / DDR / GRENZTRUPPEN , two waving flags, the state flag of the GDR in front of the red worker flag (flag of the working class), the sublimely embossed letters DDR below, the sequence of letters and flags are framed half to the left and right of a small three-leaved oak leaf with an acorn. The symbolism is enclosed by the inscription.
Frank Bartel: Auszeichnungen der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart. Aufnahmen von Jürgen Karpinski. Militärverlag der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, Berlin 1979, S. 177, no. 285 d .

The award of this medal took place in four stages:

- for a 20-year service in Gold Level II with an on-board XX on the belt
- for 15 years of service in gold
- for 10 years service in silver
- for 5 years service in bronze

The Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic, in German Grenztruppen der DDR, were a military force of the GDR and the primary force guarding the Berlin Wall and the border between East and West Germany. The Border Troops numbered at their peak approximately 47,000 troops. Except the Soviet Union, no other Warsaw Pact country had such a large border guard force.

Undoubtedly the most controversial aspect surrounding the Grenztruppen der DDR concerns those who were killed or wounded while attempting to flee East Germany into the West. Even today, the topic of the "shoot-to-kill order" (Schießbefehl) is quite sensitive in Germany, East and West. According to information released by the "Working Group 13th of August" (Arbeitsgemeinschaft 13. August e.V.) on 13 August 2004, 1065 persons were killed along the GDR's frontiers and coastline, including 37 Grenztruppen soldiers killed during escape attempts. Many more were wounded.

The Berlin Public Prosecution Department estimates that about 270 'proven' deaths on the border were due to acts of violence by GDR border security guards, including deaths caused by mines and automatic firing devices. However, the Central Assessment Group for Governmental and Organized Crimes (German: ZERV), which existed from 1991 to 2000 as a branch of the Berlin Police, registered 421 suspected cases of killings by armed GDR border guards.

More on https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medaille_für_treue_Dienste_in_den_Grenztruppen_der_Deutschen_Demokratischen_Republik ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Troops_of_the_German_Democratic_Republic