Germany, Wehrmacht. A Pair of Service Badges, from the Estate of a Major in Soviet Captivity

(Abzeichen). A pair of service badges, including:

1. A Black Grade Wound Badge, first pattern, constructed of blackened magnetic metal, the obverse consisting of an oval laurel wreath with scalloped edges, with a central raised Stahlhelm overlaid by a mobile swastika, on top of crossed swords on a pebbled field, the reverse with a crimped hinge and vertical pinback meeting a round wire catch, unmarked, measuring 38.50 mm (w) x 44.08 mm (h), weighing 8.5 grams, demonstrating minor loss of finish, an early variant commonly issued to Condor Legion personnel, in near extremely fine condition.

2. A General Assault Badge, constructed of silvered zink, the obverse consisting of an oval oak leaf wreath, surrounding a Heer-style German national eagle clutching a mobile swastika, situated above a crossed bayonet and stick grenade, the reverse with a crimped hinge and vertical pinback meeting a round wire catch emanating from a circular plate, unmarked but demonstrating the characteristics of manufacture by “Unknown Maker #7” as examined in “A Definitive Guide to the German Awards of World War II - Volume 1: The General Assault Badge” by Frank Heukemes, 2005, pages 268-275, measuring 42.93 mm (w) x 54.02 mm (h), weighing 30.4 grams, demonstrating near-total loss of finish, in very fine condition.

Footnote: The accompanying awards are offered as part of the estate of a highly-decorated Heer Officer who served throughout the duration of the Second World War. Assigned to a variety of artillery units, including 10. Batterie, Artillerie-Regiment 169 (1939), 12. Batterie/11. Batterie, Artillery-Regiment 206 (1940-1944), and Stabs-Batterie, III. Abteilung, Artillerie-Regiment 129 (1944), the recipient attained the rank of Major and saw service during the Battle of France (1940), followed by extensive combat operations on the Eastern Front, where he participated in Operation Typhoon from 1941 until 1942 (including the Battle of Moscow), Operation Mars (Rzhev region, late 1942), and in defensive operations during the Red Army’s offensive as part of Operation Bagration.

Notably, the recipient was among a number of German servicemen who escaped the advance of the Red Army aboard a boat in the Baltic Sea, eventually reaching neutral Sweden, where he was interned from 10 May-14 December 1945. Diplomatic pressure from Moscow resulted in approximately 3,000 of these internees being transferred to Soviet custody, with the recipient among them. Arriving in Libau (now Liepāja, Latvia) on 15 December, he was later transferred around various Soviet prisoner of war (POW) camps, and is registered as having been held in Camp 277 in Salaspils from 9 February until 12 June 1946, Camp 350 in Riga from 13 June until 18 November 1946, Camp 266 in Mitau (now Jelgava, Latvia) from 19 November 1944 until 6 December 1947, Camp 7064 in Morshansk (near Moscow), Camp 7185 in Mikhaylovka (Volgograd region) from 7 December 1947 until 17 November 1949. His inmate records indicate that he was married with two children and was released from custody in late 1949, arriving back in Germany the following year.

Appropriately reflecting a storied military career which spanned the entirety of the Second World War, followed by internment in harsh conditions, the Officer was the recipient of a wide array of service and merit awards. While the pinnacle of these decorations was the German Cross in Gold, which he received on 8 November 1944, this historically-significant estate reflects a decade-long career of service and sacrifice.