Close Combat Clasp in Gold by FLL

Product Description: The Close Combat Clasp in Gold is among the rarest and most desirable of all Third Reich awards. Hitler regarded it as the highest honor a German fighting soldier could have received, and only 631 were awarded. This is a great example that very likely was actually awarded to a soldier who saw more than 50 days of close combat with the enemy. There is some wear to the finish at high points on the front and back, a typical result of being worn on a uniform. Plenty of beautiful gold finish remains, I will be conservative and estimate the original gold finish at 80 percent intact. It is made of Feinzink and maker marked on the back with the “FLL” logo of Friedrich Linden in Lüdenscheid. The clasp also bears the name of its designer, Peekhaus in Berlin. There are no major condition issues or flaws to note, the hardware is completely intact and all original. The method FLL used to affix the backing plates to their clasps was weak and most clasps from this maker are found with the plates missing. This one is still intact and complete. You will easily find 50 bronze examples of this clasp for every surviving Gold grade example. An extremely desirable combat award!

Historical Description: The Close Combat Clasp (Nahkampfspange) was instituted on November 25, 1942, to recognize the feats of German soldiers in close quarters combat. Units with soldiers who survived hand-to-hand fights with the enemy and other extremely close range combat actions would keep track of the dates and places of each of these battles, and soldiers who managed to make it through many of these fights became eligible for this award. Because only front-line troops with direct combat experience could earn this clasp, it was a regarded by the soldiers as a very prestigious award. The Close Combat Clasp was awarded in three grades: Bronze, for 15 close combat days; Silver, for 25 close combat days, and Gold, for 50 or more days of close combat. Hitler reserved the right to personally award the Gold clasp, which was widely regarded as more prestigious even than the Knight’s Cross. The total amount of these clasps awarded, in all grades, was fewer than 50,000.

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