Germany, Wehrmacht. A Pair of Spanish-Made Badges for Blue Division Veterans

(Abzeichen - spanische Fertigung). A pair of badges, including:

1. A War Merit Cross I Class with Swords, constructed of silvered feinzink, consisting of a vaulted Maltese Cross with crossed swords piercing the centrepiece, the obverse with pebbled arms and a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse with a clip hinge and vertical pinback meeting a round wire catch, flanked by stabilizing “fangs”, unmarked but demonstrating the characteristics of an early Spanish-made replacement piece purchased by Blue Division veterans whose wartime-issue awards were lost in the field or during Soviet captivity, measuring 45 mm (w) x 45 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.

2. A Falange membership badge, constructed of silvered brass, the reverse with a horizontal pinback, unmarked, measuring 35 mm (w) x 45 mm (h), an oversized variant commonly worn by Blue Division veterans, in extremely fine condition.