Original Items: Only One Available. The Panzer Badge (German: Panzerkampfabzeichen) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to troops in armored divisions. The Panzer Badge was introduced on 20 December 1939, in order to recognize the achievements of Panzer personnel who took part in armored assaults. It was designed by the Berlin firm of Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus, and was instituted by order of Generaloberst Walther von Brauchitsch.
On 6 June 1940, a separate class of the badge, in Bronze, was added in order to recognize the crews of armored vehicles other than tanks. The award document that came with it was the common type that had the particulars of the recipient (rank, name) and the authorizing signature of an officer. The Panzer Badge was worn on the left tunic pocket. The bronze version of the Panzer Badge was authorized for armored personnel and Panzer grenadier units equipped with armored vehicles. It was also to be presented to members of armored reconnaissance groups and rifle battalions of Panzer divisions. The authorization of these badges was usually done at a regimental or divisional level.
This is a great example of the Bronze version of the badge, in the "Special Grade" for 50 Armoured actions, as indicated by the brass 50 at the bottom of the badge. Like all of the "numbered" types, it is of multi-piece stamped zinc construction, and it still has much of the bronze wash in the recessed portions of the design. The design is iconic, the front has a border of oak leaves tied at the base, a Heer-style national eagle clutching a mobile swas (hook cross) perches at the top of the wreath, a Panzerkampfwagen IV superimposed in the center on grassy ground, with its left tank track extending over the edge of the badge. Like all of the "numbered" types, it is of multi-piece stamped zinc construction, with the tank held to the wreath by three rivets.
The reverse is heavily "scooped" from the stamping, and features a needle style pin, barrel hinge, and bent wire catch. The back of the tank is marked G B for by Gustav Brehmer of Markneukirchen, who specifically made the "numbered" PABs. Their marking has not been found on any of the standard grade badges. We have compared this example to numerous other examples, and the style of construction, pin catch, pin, and other aspects are identical to those we examined. Measures approximately 1 3/4 inches Wide x 2 3/8 inches High.
Offered in overall very good condition, with all the details still present, and a functional pinback.
The term panzer division (German: Panzerdivision) as commonly used in English language refers almost exclusively to the armored (tank) division in the army branch of the Wehrmacht and of NSDAP Germany during World War II. The panzer divisions were the key element of German success in the Blitzkrieg operations of the early years of the war. Later the Waffen-SS formed panzer divisions, and even the Luftwaffe fielded a panzer division, the Herman Goring Division.
The term Panzerdivision is still used in today's Heer of the Bundeswehr (for example 1. Panzerdivision). In German speaking countries the term is not immediately associated with the Wehrmacht as it is in English speaking nations, as the word simply means 'armored division' and has no additional connotation.
A panzer division was a combined arms formation, having both tanks (German Panzerkampfwagen, "armored fighting vehicle", usually shortened to "Panzer") and infantry as organic components, along with artillery, anti-aircraft, signals, etc. However, the proportions of the components of a panzer division changed over time.
