GWL Paratrooper Badge

Product Description: This GWL Paratrooper Badge is a textbook original. The eagle is made of a brass alloy (Tombak) and shows slight wear. Most of the gilded finish is gone, but lots of fine detail remains. The oak and laurel wreath is made of zinc, and still retains 95 percent of the original silvering, with typical age toning. The badge presents an appealing original appearance. The reverse of this badge is maker marked behind the eagle with the stamped stylized “GWL” marking of the firm of Gebrüder Wegerhoff in Lüdenscheid. The initials “RF” and “3/10” are scratched on the back of the eagle as well, possibly the initials and unit of the badge’s recipient. The attachment pin is missing, but the integral hinge and catch remain. The rivets are the textbook sunken style specific to GWL. The reverse of the wreath has a stress crack at the left side rivet, which is not visible from the front. Overall, the condition of this GWL Paratrooper Badge rates as very good.

Historical Description: The Heer Paratrooper Badge was officially instituted on September 1, 1937. Prior to that time, German Army personnel who had successfully qualified as paratroopers had been awarded the Luftwaffe version of this badge. The Heer version was very similar to that of the Luftwaffe but incorporated the German Army eagle emblem at the top of the wreath; because the Army eagle already carried a swastika, the swastika was omitted on the central, diving eagle device. German Army paratroopers were awarded this badge at the completion of their training. Because the number of parachutists in the German Army was very small, only limited numbers of these badges were produced. At the time of the badge’s first issue in 1937, just over 170 men were decorated with this award. The earliest Heer paratrooper badges were made of die struck aluminum, with an anodized finish, and bore an early form of the C. E. Juncker manufacturer stamp on the reverse. A slightly later Juncker aluminum version was also produced, using a different die, and usually omitting the manufacturer stamp. Soldiers to whom this badge had been awarded, could also purchase extremely high-quality silver versions of this award, stamped .800 for silver content, and usually with a custom engraving on the reverse that included the recipient’s name. In 1939, the German Army’s airborne troops were transferred to the Luftwaffe, and the badge was discontinued. In April 1943, a new German Army parachutist unit was organized, and on June 1, 1943, the Heer Paratrooper Badge was accordingly re-instituted. These 1943 pattern badges were also struck by C. E. Juncker, using the same dies used for previous production, but like most wartime badges, these were now made from zinc. Because of the very small total number of elite German Army airborne soldiers eligible for this badge from 1937-1945, it was produced in very limited numbers.

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