Infantry Assault Badge

(Infanterie Sturmabzeichen)

Infantry Assault Badge in Silver

Date of institution

Designed by the firm C.E Juncker, the infantry assault in silver was instituted on the 20th December 1939 by the order of the Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres,

General-Oberst von Brauchitsch

Materials

Early examples will be found in nickle-silver or nickle silver plate over cupal and tombak, this changed to plated or washed zinc as materials became harder to obtain

Award criteria

That the recipient be involved in at least three infantry assaults (including counter attacks), armed reconniassance or be engaged in hand to hand combat on three different days

Regulations for wear

The badge was worn on the lower part of the left breast pocket on all uniforms

F.W Assmann & Söhne - Lüdenscheid

An example of an early hollow die-stamped Infantry Assault Badge, in nickel silver plated tombak

Otto Schickle - Pforzheim

(aka Schickle/Mayer)

Generally called 'Schickle/Mayer' badges, by the collecting community, due to the head of the Präsidialkanzlei, Dr. Otto Meissner, signing a decree, in June 1941, stating that the firm of Otto Schickle was prohibited from the manufacture and trade of orders and medals founded after January 1933....the reasons remain unclear.

Schickle, however,  were allowed to sell off certain parts of their leftover stock and the firm of B.H Mayer was one of the purchasers at a later LDO supervised sale.

An example of an early hollow die-stamped Infantry Assault Badge, in nickel silver plated tombak (with round wire catch)

An example of an early hollow die-stamped Infantry Assault Badge, in nickel silver plated tombak (with sheet metal catch)

C.E Juncker - Berlin

Die stamped in nickel silver, one of the most desirable examples of the Infantry Assault Badge by Carl Eduard Juncker - Berlin

In wear

Friedrich Orth - Wein

An example of a mid to late-war silver infantry assault in zinc

Award document for the Infantry Assault Badge in Silver

Document for the Infantry Assault Badge in Silver

Silver Infantry Assault Badge in wear

Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze

The bronze version of the Infantry Assault badge was introduced on the 1st June 1940 for award to members of the motorized infantry (panzer troops)

Friedrich Linden - Lüdenscheid

Interesting to note the use of an early hollow die on this stamped example in zinc

Rudolf Karneth & Söhne, Gablonz

An example of a solid die struck infantry assault badge in zinc

Award document for the Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze

Document for the Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze

Infantry Assault Badge lapel pins for civilian attire - Bronze and Silver