The HJ achievement badges were introduced officially by an order dated the 15th of June 1934 but an order dated 21st of April 1934 shows that even at that late date, the design of these badges had still not been decided upon.
"The Reich Youth Leadership Department E will be issuing an achievement book and achievement badge in the near future. HJ leaders and members in their 15th, 16th and 17th year of life who satisfy the conditions will be elegible for award of the badges. The conditions will be published by the Reich Youth Leader in due course."
The order was distributed to all Bannführer and additionally to the Reich Leadership School (Reichsführerschule), Obergebiet Leadership School Mehlem (Obergebietsführerschule Mehlem) and the Gebiet Leadership Schools (Gebietsführerschulen). Recipients were asked to submit designs for the new badges and the instruction contains some guidelines:
The badge should not be too large
All levels of the badge must have the same design but have a different colour (colours suggested were: "bronze, gold, silver, black, blue-black etc")
The badges should be of a completely new design.
The use of laurel wreaths/oak leaves in the design was to be discouraged
The badges should not bear similarities to any existing TR badges
It was proposed that it might be possible to find an appropriate rune for incorporation into the design.
I wonder whether this might explain the early disappearance of the hollow-back achievement badges? Perhaps the winning design had a hollow-back but it was later decided that the badge was too flimsy? Anyway, hope this was of interest.
"The Reich Youth Leadership Department E will be issuing an achievement book and achievement badge in the near future. HJ leaders and members in their 15th, 16th and 17th year of life who satisfy the conditions will be elegible for award of the badges. The conditions will be published by the Reich Youth Leader in due course."
The order was distributed to all Bannführer and additionally to the Reich Leadership School (Reichsführerschule), Obergebiet Leadership School Mehlem (Obergebietsführerschule Mehlem) and the Gebiet Leadership Schools (Gebietsführerschulen). Recipients were asked to submit designs for the new badges and the instruction contains some guidelines:
The badge should not be too large
All levels of the badge must have the same design but have a different colour (colours suggested were: "bronze, gold, silver, black, blue-black etc")
The badges should be of a completely new design.
The use of laurel wreaths/oak leaves in the design was to be discouraged
The badges should not bear similarities to any existing TR badges
It was proposed that it might be possible to find an appropriate rune for incorporation into the design.
I wonder whether this might explain the early disappearance of the hollow-back achievement badges? Perhaps the winning design had a hollow-back but it was later decided that the badge was too flimsy? Anyway, hope this was of interest.