The Collector’s Encyclopaedia · Decorations · Wehrmacht awards
Assault Badges: History, Grades and Collector’s Guide
| Main types | Infantry Assault Badge; General Assault Badge; Panzer (Tank) Assault Badge |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Participation in a set number of assaults or combat actions |
| Worn | On the left breast |
| Typical paperwork | Award document; entries in Soldbuch and Wehrpass |
| In the collection | No pieces currently available |
Assault badges were the German army’s combat badges, given for taking part in attacks and engagements rather than for a single act of bravery. Next to the Iron Cross and the Wound Badge, they are what you most often see on a German soldier’s tunic in period photographs.
What Was the Assault Badges?
The Infantry Assault Badge, showing a rifle with fixed bayonet in an oak wreath under the national eagle, was awarded to infantry; the General Assault Badge to other arms such as engineers and artillery; and the Panzer Assault Badge to tank crews. Museum Berlin-Karlshorst holds an Infantry Assault Badge of silvered zinc, and a miniature bar combining it with the Iron Cross and the Wound Badge.
Who Awarded It, and Which Documents Go With It?
The award was recorded in an award document and in the soldier’s service books. See award documents, Soldbuch and Close Combat Clasp.
What Should Collectors Watch For?
- Badge type must fit the soldier’s arm of service.
- Zinc badges are common in later production.
- Reproductions are common, especially of the Panzer badge.
Legal note. In Germany the 1957 Orders and Decorations Act allows Second World War awards to be worn only without National Socialist emblems, which is why “1957 pattern” versions without the swastika exist. The public display of Nazi symbols is restricted in Germany, Austria and several other countries. Owning, buying and selling original decorations as historical objects is treated differently from country to country, so check the law where you live and where you ship.
Collector’s Note
A soldier’s badges, read together, outline his war: his branch, his wounds and how long he was in the line.
Related Entries and Pieces
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Infantry Assault Badge given for?
For taking part in infantry assaults and combat actions.
Who received the Panzer Assault Badge?
Tank crews.
Where were assault badges worn?
On the left breast.
Historical Responsibility Notice: this entry documents historical figures and artefacts of the National Socialist period for collecting, preservation, education and research. It does not endorse or glorify any ideology, and it is written in memory of the victims of the regime.
References & Further Reading
- Museum Berlin-Karlshorst, Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen (inv. 211817), museum-digital.
- Museum Berlin-Karlshorst, Miniaturspange mit vier Auszeichnungen der Wehrmacht (inv. 211825), museum-digital.
- Federal Republic of Germany (1957, as amended) Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen (OrdenG), §§ 6 and 15, Bundesministerium der Justiz / gesetze-im-internet.de.