German Anti-Partisan Badge, Das Bandenkampfabzeichen

German Anti-Partisan Badge, Das Bandenkampfabzeichen
The badge was donated by Adolf Hitler on January 29, 1944 and applied retrospectively from January 1, 1943. The award was to be given to leaders, sub-leaders and teams of all associations used in the fight against partisans and was in three levels (bronze, silver, gold ) intended. Himmler reserved the handover of the gang fight badge in gold. The conditions for the award were:for the first stage (bronze) - 20 days of fightingfor the second level (silver) - 50 combat daysfor the third level (gold) - 100 combat days since October 5, 1944, the circle of people who were able to receive this award was no longer restricted to members of the Wehrmacht, the Waffen SS or the Einsatzgruppen of the Security Police and the SD, but everyone who was actively involved in the so-called (Anti-Partisan) Could get this. Members of the Wehrmacht avoided wearing it, while the Waffen SS men wore it with pride, claiming it was "their" badge. The badges design consists of a vertical oval wreath of oakleaves. The lower part of the obverse shows a writhing multi-headed serpent (Hyidra), representing the Partisans, or "Bandits". Plunged vertically into the serpents is a broad bladed sword featuring a "Sonnenrad" or mobile Sun-Wheel Swastika on its cross guard. At the base of the wreath is the deaths head emblem of the SS.
Condition: Not surprisingly, with the late date of institution of this award, the metal used in its construction was fine zinc. The poor adhesion of colouring to this base metal means that it is relatively rare to find any Anti-Partisan Badge with its finish intact, most by now long since having deteriorated to a dull grey finish, with only faint traces of the bronze, silver or gold finish remaining. From the battlefield. As the pictures shown.