Early Nickel Silver Wiedmann Infantry Assault Badge

Product Description: Here’s a tough one to locate. The Early Nickel Silver Wiedmann Infantry Assault Badge is one missing in many badge collections. The Early Nickel Silver Wiedmann Infantry Assault Badge is one of the earliest Infantry Assault Badges produced, primarily for the Poland, Norway, and France Campaigns of 1939 & 1940. The badge is made of die-stamped Nickel Silver with the very characteristic and unique Wiedmann designed eagle. The badge has developed a very appealing patina throughout with darker areas in the badges recesses. The reverse hardware features the classic sheet metal hinge and round wire “C” catch, both soldered directly to the reverse of the badge. The Early Nickel Silver Wiedmann Infantry Assault Badge is extremely well constructed as I’ve never seen any with missing hardware from normal handling. If I didn’t already own the one I have, I wouldn’t be selling this one!

Historical Description: The Infantry Assault Badge (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen) was instituted on December 20, 1939, by German Army commander Generalfeldmarschall Walther von Brauchitsch. The design of the badge featured the iconic K98 rifle, the standard German Infantry weapon of WWII, surrounded by oak leaves and surmounted by a German Army eagle and swastika emblem. The creation of this design has been attributed to the C.E. Juncker firm in Berlin. The badge could be awarded to members of the Heer and SS-VT (later the Waffen-SS) who participate in ground combat as infantry. To earn this award, soldiers had to participate in three or more assaults, counterattacks, or reconnaissance missions, or to have participated in hand to hand combat in an assault, or to have participated in three days of reestablishing combat positions. These actions had to take place on separate days to meet the award criteria. On June 1, 1940, a Bronze grade of this award was instituted, for motorized infantry. The criteria for the award were the same, only for motorized units. The earliest versions of the Infantry Assault Badge were made of Tombak or other high-quality alloys, with a plated finish. Later production awards were generally zinc alloy, with a bronze or silver wash that often faded with wear and time.

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