Wehrmacht Awards

History

Germany produced and manufactured an enormous amount of medals, badges, decorations, pins, and awards, before and during the course of the war. Germany had a long history and tradition of issuing medals and awards, after Adolf Hitler came to power the way in which medals and awards were handled totally changed, all awards were treated as National awards. Many of the older style medals and awards were abolished, many of the more traditional medals were reinstated by Adolf Hitler, which generally involved redesigning the medal and adding the swastika to the design. Of course many new designs of medals and awards appeared throughout World War II.

Shown below are some of the more famous German medals, badges, decorations, pins, and awards, but I must emphasise this is not an exhaustive reference

Awards

Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross




Grand Cross of the Iron Cross




Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds




Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds




Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords




Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves




Knight's Cross




German Cross Gold




German Cross Silver




Iron Cross 1st Class




Iron Cross 2nd Class




1939 Clasp to the Iron Cross




Military Honor Roll Clasp




War Merit Cross 1st Class




War Merit Cross 2nd Class




Military Long Service Award

Waffen-SS Long Service Award

Anschluss Medal




Sudetenland Medal

Memel Medal

Eastern Front Medal




Blue Division Medal

West Wall Medal




Ostvolk 1st Class
Awarded in Gold and Silver with and without Swords

Ostvolk 2nd Class
Awarded in Gold, Silver, and Bronze with and without Swords

Narvik Shield




Cholm Shield




Crimea Shield




Demyansk Shield




Kuban Shield

Wound Badges

Wound Badge
Awarded in Gold, Silver, and Black



Wound Badge of 20 July 1944
Awarded in Gold, Silver, and Black

Heer Badges

Infantry Assault Badge
Awarded in Silver and Bronze



Close Combat Clasp
Awarded in Gold, Silver, and Bronze



Army Paratrooper Badge




Panzer Assault Badge
Awarded in Silver and Bronze



Panzer Destruction Badge
Awarded in Gold and Silver



General Assault Badge




Army Anti-Aircraft Badge




Anti-Partisan Guerrilla Warfare Badge




Condor Legion Tank Badge

Kriegsmarine Badges

U-Boat War Badge




Destroyer War Badge




Minesweeper War Badge




Blockade Runner Badge




Auxiliary Cruiser Badge




High Seas Fleet Badge




E-Boat War Badge




Naval Artillery War Badge




U-Boat Combat Clasp
Awarded in Gold and Silver

Luftwaffe Badges

Pilots-Observation Badge




Pilot's Badge




Aircrew Badge




Observer Badge




Glider Pilot Badge




Radio Operator Badge




Air Gunner Badge




Luftwaffe Paratrooper Badge




Anti-Aircraft Flak Badge




Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge




Luftwaffe Flying Clasps
Awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold



Other:
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Gallery

Film Footage Gallery

This short clip shows a U-boat captain, being awarded the Knight,s Cross on the dockside after returning from a combat mission.

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Sources

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Film Footage