Description
Product Description: A very Rare Boxed Close Combat Clasp in Silver by FLL. This Boxed Close Combat Clasp was produced by the firm of FLL (Friedrich Linden, Ludenscheid). The badge is made of a silver washed die-stamped zinc. As is common with zinc FLL silver combat clasps, some of the silver wash has evaporated from the zinc base metal. Unlike many FLL made close combat clasps, this example still retains its original central reverse magnetic back plate, which is firmly and originally crimped in place. The correct reverse hardware consists of crimped in place round-wire catch and sheet metal hinge, complete with fluted pin. The hardware retains most of its original silver finish that the badge also received. The reverse of this Boxed Close Combat Clasp is maker marked with FLL’s mark, as well as the badge’s designer’s name “Peekhaus”. This clasp is still housed in its original, and extremely rare, cardboard box. Because these boxes were made of a simple pressed paper with stapled corners, most examples were destroyed during or in the decades after the war by poor storage. The upper lid of the box is black ink stamped with the intended contents “Nahkampfspange – Silber” (Close Combat Clasp – Silver). The upper lid is still attached to the lower portion, with a very small tear to one side. The front wall of the lower portion of the box also has a small section which has separated. The box still contains the original tissue paper that the badge was wrapped in. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire an original Boxed Close Combat Clasp in Silver by FLL.
Historical Description: The Close Combat Clasp (Nahkampfspange) was instituted on November 25, 1942, to recognize the feats of German Infantry in close quarters combat beyond what the Infantry Assault Badge could. Units with soldiers who survived hand-to-hand combat with the enemy and other extremely close-range combat actions were required to track the dates and places of each of these battles. Those front-line soldiers fortunate enough to survive this brutal combat became eligible for the award. Because only front-line troops with direct combat experience could earn this clasp, it was a regarded by the soldiers themselves as a highly prestigious award. The Close Combat Clasp was awarded in three grades: Bronze, for 15 close combat days; Silver, for 25 close combat days, and Gold, for 50 or more days of close combat. Hitler reserved the right to personally award the Gold Close Combat Clasp, however Heinrich Himmler also awarded the gold grade late in the war as well, in Hitler’s name of course. The Gold grade Close Combat Clasp was at the time widely regarded as one of the most impressive and prestigious awards a German soldier could earn due to the criteria and lack of survivors. These men were true front-line combat troops and were held in higher regard than Knights Cross winners by their peers. The total amount of these clasps awarded, in all grades, was fewer than 50,000. The gold grade was awarded only approximately 630 times, making it 10 times rarer than the Knights Cross, the silver grade approximately 9500 times, and the bronze grade approximately 36,500 times. Those who had not been awarded the German Cross in Gold previously were typically automatically awarded it when awarded the Close Combat Clasp in Gold.
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