Condition: Near Mint
Maker: Assmann
Base Material: Tombak
Product Description: This cased Assmann Paratrooper Badge is in stunning, stone mint condition, just as it was the day it was made. This extremely desirable original award is absolutely perfect in every sense of the word. I don’t believe I have ever seen a nicer Assmann Paratrooper badge than this one. The badge is a high quality, early piece, made of Tombak. The flawless eagle retains all of its high quality fire-gilding, with mirror-like burnished highlights. All of the textbook original Assmann finish is present on the third pattern wreath. On the reverse, the hardware setup is textbook for this maker, and is functional, with no repairs. The eagle is affixed to the wreath with textbook large “spun” Assmann rivets. The reverse of the eagle has the stylized “A” maker mark. This outstanding badge is so mint, it almost looks “wet” in hand. The case for this badge is the correct variant for this piece. The word “Fallschirmschützen” is embossed on the lid. The case is fully functional, with no damage, and only a few small marks. Inside, the badge is displayed handsomely on a high quality velvet lining. The silk inside the lid and covering the hinge shows no issues. This Cased Assmann Paratrooper Badge is an utterly gorgeous, incredible set, that could not be upgraded. It’s a nice as they come.
Historical Description: The German Paratrooper Badge (Fallschirmjäger Abzeichen) was first instituted on the 5th of November 1936, by order of Hermann Göring. It was originally awarded to Luftwaffe personnel after the completion of their training and the required six jumps. On September 1, 1937 the Heer (Army) version of the badge was instituted to recognize members of the Heer who had successfully qualified. However, by 1939 the Luftwaffe gained full control of all trained paratroopers and the small number of Heer Paratroopers were then absorbed into the ranks of the Luftwaffe.
The design of the badge features a diving eagle surrounded by a wreath. With this guideline in place, initially the Heer and Luftwaffe each had their own respective version of the Fallshirmjager Badge to call their own. The Luftwaffe’s version featured a gilded diving eagle clutching a swastika which was surrounded by a darkened wreath of laurel and oak leaves. (Please note that a specific maker exists which utilized a silvered wreath instead of the typical darkened wreath.) The earliest examples of the Luftwaffe Fallshirmjager badge were made of superior metals such as brass and nickel silver. As the war progressed, and the need to save precious metals became more of an obstacle, aluminum and zinc were substituted as replacements. The Heer Fallshirmjager Badge design was a silvered diving eagle surrounded by a wreath of gilded oak leaves with a national “Hoheitszeichen” positioned at the top of the wreath. The first Heer Paratrooper Badges were constructed of delicate aluminum, whose hardware was very prone to breaking. Early deluxe versions of the badge can be found made of “800” silver, such examples are extremely rare. The only known maker of the early Heer Paratrooper Badges is C.E. Juncker. The Heer Paratrooper Badge was discontinued in 1939 after the absorption of the Heer Fallshirmjager into the Luftwaffe, However, the badge was reinstituted in 1943 for members of the Heer who previously qualified and also for members of the Waffen-SS who qualified. These later badges were manufactured strictly in zinc. The only known manufacturers of the later Heer Paratrooper Badge is the firms of C.E. Juncker and Friedrich Linden, Ludenscheid (FLL). Cloth versions of both types of paratrooper badges exist in various forms of embroidery and bullion.
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