Black Wound Badge with Packet – “63”

Product Description: This is a fantastic Black Wound Badge, made even more desirable by the original matching packet. The badge itself is very well preserved and retains nearly all of the original black paint to the front, showing only very minor wear and age. It’s made of steel. The back of the badge has a few extremely tiny areas where the base metal is visible. It’s clearly maker marked “63” indicating manufacture by Metallkunststoff in Gablonz. The hardware setup on this Black Wound Badge features an integral pin and catch. The pin has a very light bend that does not affect its function. The badge is complete with the original matching packet, maker marked “Metallkunststoff Gablonz 63,” not a common packet to encounter. The packet is intact but shows age and wear, with a few small tears. Even the original buff-colored tissue used to cushion the badge inside the packet is still present. An attractive and desirable Black Wound Badge set.

Historical Description: The German Wound Badge was instituted during the First World War to recognize those wounded in the conflict. It was designed using a World War One style Imperial German helmet as the main motif. The helmet was set on top two crossed swords against a pebbled background and surrounded by a laurel leaves wreath.

During the Spanish Civil War the Third Reich reinstated the Wound Badge for a short period to honor those who were wounded during the conflict from 1936 to 1939. These German units participating in the assistance of the Spanish Fascists were deemed the “Condor Legion”. The pattern of the World War One Wound Badge was again used, except this time with a raised swastika on the center of the World War One era helmet.

At the outbreak of war in September 1939 with Poland, Adolf Hitler once again reinstated the Wound Badge Award. Again the pattern of the badge was similar to that of the earlier style except the new design was freshened up a bit by using an M35 pattern German helmet and a slightly softer looking wreath. This pattern was used until the end of the war in 1945. It is impossible to know the exact numbers of wound badges awarded during the course of the Second World War due to the vast scale and countless individuals who were wounded or killed in the conflict.

The Wound Badge Awards came in three different types of grades representing the amount , or severity, of wounds received. The first grade, the Black Wound Badge was awarded for 1 to 2 wounds received in combat. The Silver Grade was awarded for 3 to 4 wounds, and finally the Gold Grade for 5 or more wounds, total disability, or death.

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