After the establishment of Nazi Germany, the badge formally was given precedence as the third highest Party award in a decree of 6 November 1936.

[1] On 11 October 1931, components of the nationalist opposition to the Weimar Republic, including Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party, Alfred Hugenberg's conservative German National People's Party and Franz Seldte's veterans organization Der Stahlhelm, gathered at a rally in Bad Harzburg to form a united opposition force, the Harzburg Front.

He stayed to review the march-past of the Nazi participants but, after keeping them waiting for nearly a half-hour, abruptly left the proceedings before the procession of the Stahlhelm began.

Thirty-eight special trains and over five-thousand trucks brought Sturmabteilung (SA) and Schutzstaffel (SS) men from all over Germany.

They planned a massive march-past and a huge torchlight parade, the likes of which neither the other organizations nor the government could match.

[1] Several years later in 1934, Hitler rewarded Lutze's loyalty by appointing him as the SA-Stabschef, succeeding Ernst Röhm who was murdered during the Night of the Long Knives.

[1][7] To be able to obtain by purchase and wear the badge, the Party member had to have officially attended the rally.