Description
Product Description: This rare Tombak Schwerin Auxiliary Cruiser Badge is a choice, extremely desirable gem. These are very hard badges to find. This one is beautiful. It’s an early, high quality piece, made of solid Tombak with a separately applied silver globe. The finish on this is exquisite, with beautiful gilding and burnished highlights to the wreath, and wonderful contrast between the eye-catching silver and gold. All of the original detail is intact, and there is only minimal patina, with plenty of attractive shine. The reverse of this Schwerin Auxiliary Cruiser Badge is flat and smooth, with the expected maker marking “Schwerin Berlin” in raised lettering. The attachment hardware is textbook and all-original, and features a gilt block hinge and silvered sheet metal catch. The functional banjo pin still retains the original factory blackening. This rare badge would be very tough to upgrade. The condition rates as excellent plus.
Historical Description: During World War 2, the German Kriegsmarine used not only warships of the time to fight the Allies in the Atlantic, but also specially outfitted merchant vessels. Eleven such merchant ships were specially equipped by the German Navy with a variety of anti-ship weapons. These armed ships, disguised as typical merchant vessels, patrolled Allied shipping lanes. To recognize the bravery of the crews of these vessels, the German Kriegsmarine commander Grossadmiral Erich Raeder introduced a special award, the Auxiliary Cruiser Badge (Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer), on April 24, 1941. The badge design is attributed to Ernst Peekhaus, who designed many of the Kriegsmarine awards, and featured a Viking ship sailing on a silvered globe, surrounded by a golden oakleaf wreath, with a German national eagle and swastika emblem at the top. Most of these badges were produced in either Tombak (Brass), and zinc, but a few special examples were made of silver. Early war produced badges were typically produced of tombak and with a separately attached globe. The badge was awarded to the crews of ships that completed successful long-range voyages. Awards were also made for exceptional leadership on a voyage. Awarding was automatic to any sailors wounded in action on such a vessel. Due to the small number of Auxiliary Cruisers during the war, the production of these badges was limited. They are among the scarcer badges to find, with the earlier produced examples being the most desired.
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