Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery Badge by Hermann Aurich

Product Description: This Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery Badge is made of zinc. It’s not maker marked, but was made by the firm of Hermann Aurich. This badge shows a lot of wear and use. All of the original gilding has flaked away from the wreath, and only traces of the silvering to the gun emplacement remain. The badge has mostly revertyed to the dull gray color of the base metal, as is not uncommon with late war produced zinc awards like this. Both the front and back of this Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery Badge have a build-up of patination from age. The reverse is flat, with typical Aurich hardware including a crimped-in hinge. The hardware is intact, functional, and has no repairs. The slight bend to the pin is a good indication that this was one that was actually issued and worn on a uniform. Overall, it’s a nice, worn, all-original badge, uncleaned, and with lots of character.

Historical Description: The Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery Badge (Kriegsabzeichen für die Marineartillerie) was instituted on June 24, 1941, by Kriegsmarine leader Grossadmiral Erich Raeder. The purpose of the badge was to recognize the successes of the Kriegsmarine coastal artillery and anti-aircraft units, and it was authorized to be awarded to entire units as well as individual soldiers. The design of the badge, which was created by Otto Placzek,  featured a coastal artillery gun, with the sea behind, surrounded by a wreath and surmounted by the German national eagle and swastika emblem. The award criteria for this badge were complex and in part based on a points system. Various achievements, such as being part of a crew to shoot down a plane, successfully deploying searchlights, or successfully using radar, were assigned values of between 0.5 and 2 points, with 8 points being needed to earn the badge. The badge could also be rewarded for exceptional personal achievements in combat, or for leadership, and it could also be awarded posthumously. Starting in 1943, the award could also be earned by Kriegsmarine gun crews who destroyed enemy tanks or ships.

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