The National Prize of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) (German: Nationalpreis der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) was an award of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) given out in three different classes for scientific, artistic, and other meritorious achievement. With scientific achievements, it was often given to entire research groups rather than individual scientists.
The National Prize was awarded on 7 October, "Day of the Republic" (German: Tag der Republik) every year since 1949. It was given for "outstanding creative work in the fields of science and technology, important mathematical and scientific discoveries and technological inventions, the introduction of new working and production methods" and "outstanding works and achievements in the areas of art and literature." This coveted award could be given to East German citizens, groups, and even foreigners provided they made crucial contributions to socialist culture and science.
The National Prize was awarded in three classes, with corresponding monetary awards for each class. First class was 100,000 marks, second class was 50,000 marks and third class was 25,000 marks
The medal is round, gold-plated, 26mm in diameter with a portrait of Goethe circled by the words "German Democratic Republic" (German: Deutsche Demokratische Republik) on the obverse side. On the reverse are the words "National Award" (German: Nationalpreis) circled by a pair of laurel wreaths. The ribbon bar consisted of the vertical bars consisting of the national colors of black, red and gold with a gold medal GDR state symbol attached to the center of the ribbon. The medal was worn on the upper right side of the chest.
1949: Heinrich Mann, Herbert Eulenberg, Fred Oelßner, Hermann Abendroth, Jürgen Kuczynski, Erich Engel, Friedrich Hund
1950: Hans Boegehold, Hugo Schrade, August Klemm, Hans Marchwitza, Eduard Maurer, Johannes Stroux
1951: Bertolt Brecht, Jurij Brězan, Cuno Hoffmeister, Anna Seghers, André Asriel, Erika Mann, Eduard Claudius
1952: Walter Arnold, Max Burghardt
1953: Eberhard Schmidt
1954: Friedrich Behrens, Max Burghardt, Eduard Maurer, Ehm Welk
1955: Ernst Bloch, Hans Marchwitza, Erwin Strittmatter, Ludwig Renn
1956: Theodor Brugsch
1957: Erich Engel Franz Fühmann, Friedrich Jung
1958: Bruno Apitz, Manfred von Ardenne
1959: Stefan Heym, Alfred Lemmnitz, Erwin Kramer, Walter Arnold, Kurt Barthel, Gret Palucca, Ludwig Deiters, Werner Bergmann, Anna Seghers, Robert Havemann, Will Lammert, Friedrich Eisenkolb
1960: Karl Ewald Böhm, Werner Eggerath
1961: Helmut Baierl, Erich Brehm, Inge Keller, Ludwig Renn
1962: Edmund Collein
1963: Bruno Apitz, Horst Drinda, Gisela May, Werner Neumann
1964: Christa Wolf, Jurij Brězan, Harry Thürk, Hans Marchwitza
1965: Manfred von Ardenne, Wolf Kaiser
1966: Horst E. Brandt, Ernst Busch
1967: Theo Balden, Lea Grundig, Wolf Kaiser
1968: Lothar Bellag, Werner Bergmann, Wolf Kaiser, Manfred Krug
1969: Alfred Kurella, Horst E. Brandt, Theo Adam, Otto Braun
1970: Helmut Baierl, Horst Drinda, Peter Edel, Johann Cilenšek
1971: Horst E. Brandt, Werner Bergmann, Horst Drinda, Kurt Böwe, Günter Caspar, Manfred Krug, Anna Seghers
1972: Curt Querner, Peter Schreier
1973: Hannelore Bey, Max Butting, Hermann Kant, Gisela May, Herbert Sandberg
1974: Peter Hacks, Hans Koch, Franz Fühmann, Jürgen Kuczynski, Frank Schöbel
1975: Frank Beyer, Jurek Becker
1976: Theo Balden, Jurij Brězan, Angelica Domröse, Hans-Günther Thalheim
1977: Peter Hacks, Inge Keller, Harry Thürk
1978: Ludwig Güttler
1979: Ernst Busch, Peter Damm
1980: Heiner Carow
1981: Gret Palucca
1982: Puhdys, Kurt Masur
1983: Hermann Kant
1984: Karat (band), Reinhard Lakomy
1985: Kurt Demmler, Ludwig Güttler
1986: Heiner Müller
1987: Christa Wolf, Lothar Bellag, Ruth Berghaus
1988: Category Science and Technology: Research collective in Dresden (For development on the Megabit-Chip); Volker Braun
1989: Günter de Bruyn (turned down), Gerhard Schöne
