On September 1st 1939 Hitler reinstituted the Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen). The wound badge was awarded in 3 classes - Black, Silver and Gold. It was worn on the left tunic pocket below any War Badges that were already worn. The Black wound badge was awarded for 1 or 2 wounds. The Silver wound badge was awarded for 3 or 4 wounds or one wound if the wound was serious e.g. loss of a hand, foot, eye or your hearing. The wound badge in Gold was awarded for 5 or more wounds or for one serious wound such as blindness or total disability.
Black Wound badge, maker marked '95' for Adolf Scholze, Grunwald
16mm stickpin Wound badge black for civilian clothes
Silver Wound badge, maker marked '92' for Josef Ruckert & Sohn, Gablonz
Gold Wound badge, maker marked '28' for 'Eugen Schmiedhausler, Pforzheim'.
16mm stickpin Wound badge silver, maker marked on back
The Tank Battle Badge
Awarded to Tank crews for taking part in 3 or more tank assaults. Awarded in Bronze and Silver and then numbered versions to represent the number of assaults such as 50. The number would be mounted in a box at the bottom of the badge.
16mm stickpin Panzer Assault Siver for wear on civilian clothes
The Infantry Assault Badge
This badge was awarded in two versions - The Silver Version for Infantry of the Rifle divisions and also mountrain troops. The Bronze Version for motorized Infantry troops. For both awards the criteria below had to be met on separate days, you could not qualify by completing each criteria all on one day!
To qualify for the Silver Version a soldier must - have taken part in three or more infantry assaults, have taken part in three or more infantry counter-attacks, have taken part in three or more armed reconnaissance operations, have engaged in hand to hand combat in an assault position or have participated on three separate days in the restitution of combat positions.
To qualify for the Bronze Version a motorized soldier must - have taken part in three or more motorized infantry assaults, have taken part in three or more motorized infantry counter-attacks, have taken part in three or more motorized armed reconnaissance operations, have been engaged in hand to hand combat in motorized assault positions, have participated on three separate days, in the restitution of a motorized combat position.
Infantry Assault in Silver, marked on the back with S.H.u.Co for 'Sohni, Heubach & Co'
16mm stickpin Infantry Assault in Silver for wear on civilian clothes
Infantry Assault in Bronze, marked on the back with GWL for 'Gerbruder Wegerhoff, Ludenscheid', also has magnetic pin
The General Assault Badge
The General Assault badge was designed to be presented to engineers but was also awarded to members of the artillery, anti-tank, and anti-aircraft units that served along with the infantry in the conduct of an assault. Also eligible were medical personnel who treated battlefield wounded. In addition, the badge was presented for the single-handed destruction of eight tanks or armored vehicles until the institution (in March of 1942) of The Special Badge for Single Handed Destruction of a Tank.
To be awarded the General Assault Badge, the following criteria had to be met:-
The recipient must not be eligible for the Infantry Assault Badge.
To have taken part in three infantry or armored assaults on three different days.
To have taken part in three infantry or armored indirect assaults on three different days.
To have been wounded while fulfilling the second or third requirement.
To have earned a decoration while fulfilling the second or third requirement
General Assault Badge in the solid back form. Marked with 'A' for Assman and the number '2'
Single handed destruction of a Tank with Infantry Weapons
This badge was awarded in 2 grades to recognise the number of tanks destroyed by a combatant with hand held infantry weapons such as a magnetic charge, a mine or hand grenades for example. The two version were the Black Version and the Gold Version.
Tank destruction badge in Gold, mounted on Wehrmact cloth backing
Tank destruction badge in Black, mounted on Wehrmact cloth backing
Silver Panzer Assault Badge, maker marked on the back with AH for Hermann Aurich of Dresden
'Legion Condor' Black Wound badge. Awarded to Nazi servicemen wounded during the Spanish Civil War.
General Assault Badge stickpin 16mm for wear on civilian clothes
'Legion Condor' Black Wound badge stickpin 16mm
Bronze Panzer Assault Badge, maker marked on the back with 'Frank & Reif Stuttgert'
