Free City of Danzig Police 18-Year Service Cross

This item is an original service award granted to police officers of the Free City of Danzig for eighteen years of exemplary duty. The center of the obverse features a medallion with a finely detailed Danzig coat of arms supported by two lions, positioned above symbols typical of the 1933–1945 period. The badge is designed in the shape of a cross with pebbled arms and polished edges, featuring decorative sunburst rays between the arms. The reverse of the decoration is entirely smooth and lacks manufacturer markings, which is a known characteristic of certain production runs from this era. The cross is suspended from its original, wide cornflower blue ribbon attached by a sturdy mounting ring. The metal surface exhibits a natural dark patina that enhances the item's age and beautifully highlights the sharp striking details.

Historical context:
The Police Long Service Cross (Polizei-Dienstauszeichnung) for the Free City of Danzig was established in 1938 to honor long-term employees of the Danzig police forces. Given the limited number of officers who reached the required eighteen years of service within this unique political entity, this award is now considered a rare and highly sought-after artifact in the field of phaleristics.