Prussian Wound Badges

[ph0ebus]

Hi all,

My grandfather was wounded twice per his records, once on September 23, 1915 (shot in the leg) and October 17, 1916 (gassed). His Militärpaß mentions his receipt of the EKII and his Soldbuch confirms the two incidents but each mentions nothing about receiving a Wound Badge. Would that be because the badge started to appear in 1918, and he was wounded in 1915-1916? Or would there be some other explanation? Could it have been an oversight? It seems he might have been eligible for the Black wound badge but I am certain there are folks in here who might know better. FYI, per Digger History, a photo of the black wound badge:

Thanks,

-Daniel

[James Blonde]

Looks more than likely too have been a oversight concerned with the paperwork,

considering the hundreds of thousands of cases where men were entitled to such awards.

By a Royal Decree of the 3 of March, 1918, published in the Army Gazette /Armee-Verordnungsblatt) for the 9th of March, 1918, the Emperor / Kaiser Wilhelm II

created the Army Wound badge.

The enabling statute read:-

"In extraordinary appreciation I wish to confer a special badge of recognition on all those soldiers who have been wounded (lost blood) for the Fatherland and for those who have lost their health during service against the enemy and have been invalided from the service. The Ministry for War will issue the required orders and regulations . . . ."

Articles 1-15

Article 7 dealt with the authorization of awards. Section b of this Article dealt with recommendations of awards to troops on garrison duty and specified authorizations by Hearing Boards or, in the case of those previously wounded in the field, by the appropriate unit commander.

Article 10 elaborated on Article 7. specifying the manner in which applications for the award were to be submitted, and the various places in which the bestowal of Wound Badges was to be recorded by District Commanders.

As your Grandfather was wounded on two separate distinct occasions you are right in thinking he would have been entitled to the Black Wound Badge a.k.a. (iii Class award)

The picture you show is of an unofficial, but accepted version of the Prussian Black Wound Badge with the background fretted out, there are at least 5 known variations of this fretted type of award.

These badges are not rare and can be obtained very easily if you feel the need to add one to your G.F. items.

Connaught Stranger.

[ph0ebus]

Looks more than likely too have been a oversight concerned with the paperwork,

considering the hundreds of thousands of cases where men were entitled to such awards.

By a Royal Decree of the 3 of March, 1918, published in the Army Gazette /Armee-Verordnungsblatt) for the 9th of March, 1918, the Emperor / Kaiser Wilhelm II

created the Army Wound badge.

<snip>

As your Grandfather was wounded on two separate distinct occasions you are right in thinking he would have been entitled to the Black Wound Badge a.k.a. (iii Class award)

The picture you show is of an unofficial, but accepted version of the Prussian Black Wound Badge with the background fretted out, there are at least 5 known variations of this fretted type of award.

These badges are not rare and can be obtained very easily if you feel the need to add one to your G.F. items.

Connaught Stranger.

Hello,

This is quite helpful. I also recognize that record-keeping suffered seriously as the war went on, and I thought that might be a contributing factor. May I ask where I might find a photo of the official version of the black wound badge?

I see one for sale right now on eBay...do they usually go for that much? I can get an original EKII for that:

Black Wound Badge

I am also curious about how and where this was worn in the field, if at all. I found this photo....does this correspond to how it should have been worn?

Thanks,

-Daniel

[James Blonde]

Hallo Daniel,

glad to help, and with regards pictures I will add one from my collection

first thing tomorrow, taken in natural daylight, as its 22:47 hours here in Transylvania.

Article 8 specified that the Wound Badge were to be worn pinned to the service tunic below the position of where the Iron Cross First Class* and similar decorations** would be normally worn, and emphasized that only a single badge could be worn at any time.

* middle area of the upper left tunic pocket.

** While the Iron Cross, First Class, was the prime award of the Prussian State and reserved for this position on the tunic, other associated German States such as Bavaria for example,

reserved such a location for their individual bravery awards to their troops.

Price wise a nice Black example from "Evil Bay Germany" about 35 Euro, all depending on the demand.

Connaught Stranger.

[depaor01]

I see one for sale right now on eBay...do they usually go for that much? I can get an original EKII for that:

Daniel:

Forget Ebay for German militaria (although ebay.de is less expensive as Connaught Stranger says). You will pick one up in its original packet for a lot less here:

https://www.history-...ing=verwundeten

To see the pictures you'll have to register as this German seller also sells WWII items.

I've bought from him several times.

Dave

[James Blonde]

Front of the official issue Wound Badge in my collection.

Connaught Stranger.

Rear of the official issue Wound Badge in my collection.

Connaught Stranger.

[James Blonde]

Front cut out unofficial version Wound Badge in my collection.

Connaught Stranger.

Rear Cutout Wound badge in my collection.

Connaught Stranger.

[ph0ebus]

Front of the official issue Wound Badge in my collection.

Connaught Stranger.

Rear of the official issue Wound Badge in my collection.

Connaught Stranger.

Thanks for sharing these images. So, the solid piece is the official version and the cutout is unofficial? Or are there solid unofficial ones too? Sorry for all the questions, but this is all new to me.

-Daniel

[James Blonde]

As far as I am aware there has been no serious attempt to copy the Wound Badge,

as it was manufactured by many company's even up to the W.W.2 period.

So its possible to find minor variations in the types and different fixing methods,

many of the early ones came with a point on the pin, this lead to complaints about the material of the uniform being damaged, to counter this a flat ended pin type was produced

that slipped into two loops sewn onto the jacket.

Some models carry a maker mark on the fixing clasp for the pin.

Connaught Stranger

[egbert]

Interesting:I have never thought about that-- there is no difference between WW1 and WW2 badge visible? Are they absolutely identical?

[James Blonde]

My comment was made with regards to replacement Wound badges for WW1 veterans being available up to the WW2 period.

The model WW1 Wound badge I believe was used with added swastika for members of the Condor Legion in Spain, as the war progressed the model changed with a slightly different shape of helmet and I class - II class badges being made with solid rear surface as opposed to the III class being a hollow stamping, and of course there are many makers and minor variations.

Connaught Stranger.

[egbert]

Thanks for that -stupid me, swastika of course!

[depaor01]

Front cut out unofficial version Wound Badge in my collection.

Now I'm intrigued! I'd no idea the cutout version was unofficial.

Thinking it through then - would someone who was entitled to, and received, a "solid" wound badge put it in a drawer and privately purchase a "cutout" one in preference?

I assumed the makers of the solid ones also made the cutout ones.

Dave

[James Blonde]

The veteran could purchase a cut out from many suppliers who had shops selling military awards, upon producing his entitlement Urkunde / Brevet, he could also get somebody handy with tools to fret out the background, seeing as money was scarce immediate post WW1.

In a copy of the ORDEN u.EHERENZIEICHEN illustrated catalog from the firm of

STEINHAUER & LÜCK , LÜDENSCHEID

celebrating the company's 50th Anniversary 1889 - 1939 it says:-

Verwundeten-Abzeichen

sind voll und durchbrochen lieferbar bei gleichen Preis

"Wound Badges full or opened out types are the same price."

They came in Sizes:-

ca. 20mm

hohl / hollow stamped pressing.

schawarz / black R.M. 0.56

Oxydiert R.M. 0.70

versilbert / silvered R.M. 0.76

vergoldet / Gilt R.M. 1. -

ca 16mm

hohl / hollow stamped pressing.

schawarz / black R.M. 0.30

Oxydiert R.M. 0.35

versilbert / silvered R.M. 0.35

vergoldet / Gilt R.M. 60

massiv / solid castings.

schawarz / black R.M. 0.40

Oxydiert R.M. 0.55

versilbert / silvered R.M. 0.55

vergoldet / Gilt R.M. 0.65

ca 10mm

hohl / hollow stamped pressing.

schawarz / black R.M. 0.16

Oxydiert R.M. 0.20

versilbert / silvered R.M. 0.20

vergoldet / Gilt R.M. 30

massiv / solid casting.

schawarz / black R.M. 0.24

Oxydiert R.M. 0.30

versilbert / silvered R.M. 0.30

vergoldet / Gilt R.M. 0.40

The Prussian Naval Wound badge in three classes was only available in the massiv / solid type.

Miniature Army wound badges for stick pins enameled were priced at R.M. 0.50

Connaught Stranger.

[ph0ebus]

Hello,

This has been very helpful and I think I have a better understanding about this badge. I think it is telling that every picture of my GF where he is with other men who have also received the EKII, not one has received (or is wearing) a wound badge, so maybe the lack of badges represents a problem with his particular unit.

-Daniel

[Martin Feledziak]

I have spent the last few days looking at these badges.

I have also seen they come in three different colours.

Black, Silver and Gold.

I am very confused.

I have also read that some recipients of two wound badges get awarded an Iron Cross Class II

[Khaki]

It is possible that although he was entitled to the award he may have chosen not to wear it.

khaki

[AOK4]

As the wound badge was only instituted in March 1918, it took a while before they started being handed out (usually from May 1918 on). As the german army had quite a bit of other problems from the Summer of 1918 on, most of the awards of these wound badges were only done after the war (1919, 1920 and even a lot later in the 1930's, when it was important to be able to show off with your awards).

If you changed countries after 1918 (since quite a bit of Germany was transferred to other countries), you may have never received the wound badge.

[egbert]

As the wound badge was only instituted in March 1918, it took a while before they started being handed out (usually from May 1918 on). As the german army had quite a bit of other problems from the Summer of 1918 on, most of the awards of these wound badges were only done after the war (1919, 1920 and even a lot later in the 1930's, when it was important to be able to show off with your awards).

If you changed countries after 1918 (since quite a bit of Germany was transferred to other countries), you may have never received the wound badge.

..or in the case of my Grandfather, who was wounded in 11/1914 and was kia 05/1918, neither himself nor my Grandmother ever received the wound badge.