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 Hund1950: Hans Boegehold, Hugo Schrade, August Klemm, Hans Marchwitza, Eduard Maurer, Johannes Stroux1951: Bertolt Brecht, Jurij Brězan, Cuno Hoffmeister, Anna Seghers, André Asriel, Erika Mann, Eduard Claudius1952: Walter Arnold, Max Burghardt1953: Eberhard Schmidt1954: Friedrich Behrens, Max Burghardt, Eduard Maurer, Ehm Welk1955: Ernst Bloch, Hans Marchwitza, Erwin Strittmatter, Ludwig Renn1956: Theodor Brugsch1957: Erich Engel Franz Fühmann, Friedrich Jung1958: Bruno Apitz, Manfred von Ardenne1959: Stefan Heym, Alfred Lemmnitz, Erwin Kramer, Walter Arnold, Kurt Barthel, Gret Palucca, Ludwig Deiters, Werner Bergmann, Anna Seghers, Robert Havemann, Will Lammert, Friedrich Eisenkolb1960: Karl Ewald Böhm, Werner Eggerath1961: Helmut Baierl, Erich Brehm, Inge Keller, Ludwig Renn1962: Edmund Collein1963: Bruno Apitz, Horst Drinda, Gisela May, Werner Neumann1964: Christa Wolf, Jurij Brězan, Harry Thürk, Hans Marchwitza1965: Manfred von Ardenne, Wolf Kaiser1966: Horst E. Brandt, Ernst Busch1967: Theo Balden, Lea Grundig, Wolf Kaiser1968: Lothar Bellag, Werner Bergmann, Wolf Kaiser, Manfred Krug1969: Alfred Kurella, Horst E. Brandt, Theo Adam, Otto Braun1970: Helmut Baierl, Horst Drinda, Peter Edel, Johann Cilenšek1971: Horst E. Brandt, Werner Bergmann, Horst Drinda, Kurt Böwe, Günter Caspar, Manfred Krug, Anna Seghers1972: Curt Querner, Peter Schreier1973: Hannelore Bey, Max Butting, Hermann Kant, Gisela May, Herbert Sandberg1974: Peter Hacks, Hans Koch, Franz Fühmann, Jürgen Kuczynski, Frank Schöbel1975: Frank Beyer, Jurek Becker1976: Theo Balden, Jurij Brězan, Angelica Domröse, Hans-Günther Thalheim1977: Peter Hacks, Inge Keller, Harry Thürk1978: Ludwig Güttler1979: Ernst Busch, Peter Damm1980: Heiner Carow1981: Gret Palucca1982: Puhdys, Kurt Masur1983: Hermann Kant1984: Karat (band), Reinhard Lakomy1985: Kurt Demmler, Ludwig Güttler1986: Heiner Müller1987: Christa Wolf, Lothar Bellag, Ruth Berghaus1988: Category Science and Technology: Research collective in Dresden (For development on the Megabit-Chip); Volker Braun1989: Günter de Bruyn (turned down), Gerhard Schöne