German Close Combat Clasp in Bronze – Juncker

Product Description: This German Close Combat Clasp in Bronze is a mega piece by a desirable maker. It is made of zinc, and still retains all of the original factory applied bronze finish. The obverse has a beautiful look, with some golden highlights shining through an old, uncleaned surface patina. All of the original detail is intact. The reverse of this clasp is flat, and is marked with the name of the designer of this award as well as the name of the manufacturer, Juncker in Berlin. The hardware setup is classic Juncker, with a block hinge, functional banjo-style attachment pin, and sheet metal catch. The blued steel back plate is still firmly held in place with the original crimps. This German Close Combat Clasp in Bronze is complete and sound, and is all-original, with no repairs. It’s in exceptional, near mint condition, and would be very tough to upgrade.

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 Close Combat Clasp, which was widely regarded as more prestigious than even the Knight’s Cross. The total amount of these clasps awarded, in all grades, was fewer than 50,000.

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