The Assault Badge

 Above:  An Assault Badge in Silver from my personal collection.  The image is of a K-98 Rifle with fixed bayonet, surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves, and overlooked by an eagle clutching a swastika.

The German Assault Badge was instituted on December 20th 1939, by Commander of the Army (Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres) Heinrich Alfred Walther von Brauchitsh. It was designed by the C.E. Junker firm in Berlin, but was produced by a wide variety of manufacturers.  The vast majority of these medals were never numbered and this is true for the example above, the back is totally smooth excepting the pin.  This medal is 6.3 centimeters high, 4.9 centimeters wide, slightly convex, finished with silver, intricately detailed, and typically worn on the breast pocket.

The assault badge was awarded to enlisted men, NCOs and officers of non-motorized infantry units, including mountain troops.  To qualify one had to achieve one or more of the following.

- To have taken part in three or more infantry assaults.
- To have taken part in three or more infantry counterattacks.
- To have taken part in three or more armed reconnaissance operations.
- To have engaged in hand to hand combat while in an assault operation.
- To have participated on three separate days in the restitution of combat positions.

For multiple attacks in one day only one credit was earned, all the attacks had to take place on separate days.  The regimental commander was responsible for issuing an Assault Badge and it was customary to receive the award in the field, with the men of one’s own unit.  The first two assault badges given out were done so on a special occasion on May 28th 1940, by the field marshal Brauchitsh himself.

Above:  An Assault Badge in Bronze.  Photo from the web.

On June 1st 1940, a decision was made to allow members of the Waffen SS to qualify for the medal, and at the same time a new Assault Badge was commissioned for members of the motorized infantry and Panzer crews.  The requirements being the same, but acknowledging the motorized nature of their fighting style.  This was the Assault Badge in Bronze, which by design is identical to the original version (except being finished in bronze).  It was decided in November of 1942, to allow Order Police units (Ordnungspolizei) to qualify for the badge in silver.

Above:  A variety of Nahkampfspange, bronze, silver and gold.  Photo from the web.

During that same year in October; however, the Assault Badge in both its silver and bronze form were made obsolete with the introduction of the Close Combat Clasp (Nahkampfspange).  This clasp used a different method entirely for qualification, and came in a wider range of variations indicative to the degree of the deed performed.

While National Socialist symbolism was outlawed in Germany after its defeat and subsequent occupation, it was recognized that German servicement had contributed a great deal to their country, and sacrificed much.  As a result of this and other pressures the Ordens-Gesetz, or Medal Law, was instituted in 1957.  This allowed modified versions of medals such as the assault badge to be produced and worn again, providing recognition to the men who earned it.