~ Cased WW2 German Customs Long Service Medal ~
The German Customs Service originated in the early 19th century as a tariff enforcement unit of the Prussian government. Reorganized in 1919 under the Weimar Republic following World War I, it gradually became more militarized and transformed into a paramilitary force.
In 1936, it was reformed again by Fritz Reinhardt, the State Secretary of the Finance Ministry, and deployed as combination of a Border Patrol, Customs & Immigration service.
The German Customs service was divided into two separate branches with one branch consisting of the Landzollbeamte, (Land Customs Officials), which was subdivided into the Zollgrenzschutz, (Land Customs Border Guards), the Wasserzollbeamte, (Water Customs Officials), and the second branch consisting of the remaining Zollbeamte, (Customs Officials).
On June 17th 1936, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler was appointed to the newly created position of Chef der Deutschen Polizei im Reichsministerium des Innern, (Chief of the German Police in the National Ministry of the Interior), effectively giving him full control of all police agencies within Germany including the Customs service.
~ Condition ~
Please refer to the images for the condition.
~ Dimensions ~
The medal is 3.9 cm (1,75 inches) across.
