Hero of the German Democratic Republic

The title could be awarded to people who had—by rendering extraordinary service or acts of heroism The following categories of person were generally eligible to receive the award: == Medal and privileges ==

Following the example of the Soviet honorific title Hero of the Soviet Union, the award Hero of the GDR entitled the holder to wear a five-pointed gold star medal, be presented with a certificate, and receive a financial reward. Recipients could receive the award multiple times, resulting in some being honoured as 'twice Hero', or—solely in the case of Leader of the Soviet Union, Leonid Brezhnev—'three times Hero' of the GDR. == History ==

The new title was first awarded on 28 November 1975 to General of the National People's Army, Heinz Hoffmann, on the occasion of his 65th birthday. The first foreign national to be honoured as a Hero of the GDR was Leonid Brezhnev, on 13 December 1976. Brezhnev also received the award in 1979 and again in 1981. of the Soviet orbital space station Salyut 6. Sigmund Jähn (d. 2019) was the last citizen of the former GDR to bear the title, as both Kovalyonok and Ivanchenkov are Russian (formerly USSR) citizens. == Recipients ==

Col. Sigmund Jähn wearing the medals of a Hero of the GDR (left on upper left breast) and a Hero of the Soviet Union (right on upper left breast) in April 1981 at Trollenhagen Air Base in Neubrandenburg, GDR. Members of the GDR Government • 1975 & 1980: Heinz Hoffmann (National Defence Minister) & 1982: Erich Mielke (State Security Minister) • 1975 • 1982 & 1987: Erich Honecker (Head of Party & State) • 1984: Willi Stoph (Prime Minister & Head of State) Members of the USSR Government • 1976, 1979 & 1981: Leonid Brezhnev • 1985: Nikolai Tikhonov Cosmonauts • 1978: Sigmund Jähn • 1978: Valery Bykovsky • 1978: Vladimir Kovalyonok • 1978: Alexander Ivanchenkov == Order of precedence of awards of the GDR ==

There was a specific order of precedence laid down in its gazette for the wearing of the some 195 GDR medals and awards, devised according to the relative prestige of each honour. The following senior distinctions were to be worn on the upper left breast (top left to bottom right as viewed) in this order: • Hero of the GDR • Order of Karl Marx • Hero of Labour • Star of People's Friendship • Patriotic Order of Merit • Banner of Labour • Scharnhorst Order • Blücher Order • Combat Order of Merit for the People & Fatherland == See also ==