WWII SPANISH CIVIL WAR WOUND BADGE - SILVER -
The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939. It
began after a military rebellion, led by a group of conservative generals under the authority of
Francisco Franco, went against the elected Government of the Second Spanish Republic, at the time
under the leadership of President Manuel Azaña.
Towards the end of the Spanish civil war, several German soldiers were wounded. This prompted the
New Spanish government to institute an award in recognition of the help provided by the Germans, the
wound badge. The year was 1939, the design that was selected was very similar to that employed
during the great war, the main difference being that the new badge sported a different shape helmet.
The wound badge was issued in three classes: Black, silver and gold.
The criteria for earning the award follows:
CLASS | CRITERIA |
Black Wound badge | 1 to 2 wounds |
Silver wound badge | 3 to 4 wounds |
Gold wound badge | 5 or more wounds |
The design consists of an oval shape with a wreath surrounding its perimeter. The area inside the
wreath has heavy pebbling. The profile of a German helmet (Type M-35) is placed in the center of the badge.
A swastka is positioned in the center of the helmet. A pair of crossed swords is located behind the helmet.
The shape is stamped so it is raised in the front. The back is solid and smooth.
A
vertical pin
is provided to secure the badge to the
tunic
of the owner. This was accomplished by putting the pin through a series of loops (two or more)
that were sewn to the breast area of the jacket. The pin is hinged on one end and has a catch on the other.
The award was issued in a box. Black in color. The lid is hinged to one end via the use of metal hinges.
When the box is in the open position, the hinges cannot be seen from the inside of the box because a
section of cloth is provided to hide them. A button activated latch is built to the opposite end of the
hinges. This mechanism secured the lid shut when in the closed position.
The inside of the box has a cutout made to fit the back portion of the badge, normally this area is covered
with a black felt cloth. The piece featured here is missing that feature. It consists of plain cardboard.
This page is a recognition and identification guide for WWII German badges and awards. Multiple
detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out clearly defined points
that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my WWII German badge worth?". A price
guide is included here to address this question. The value of the badges and awards is reviewed
over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth of the German
badges in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
MilitaryItems.com,
a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military
antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
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The "Military minute" is a series of instructional videos created by MilitaryItems.com for the purpose of
providing basic information about military collectibles. The idea is to expose people to the exciting
world of military collectibles.
The video presentation coupled with detailed photographs and written information, including a military
collectible's price guide, and anatomical breakdown of each piece enhances the visitor's experience.
Whether you are a long time collector, a beginner or simply have an interest in the history and value of
each collectible, we hope that you find the information presented here useful.
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The back of the wound badge is normally not marked. However, there may be instances where this did
not occur.
BY THE NUMBERS
It is hard to determine the exact number of Spanish Civil war wound badges that were produced. However, thanks to the
record keeping maintained by the Wehrmacht, it is possible to estimate how many medals were actually sent out. The number
stands under 400 thousand as many soldiers qualified for this badge.
The actual number of Silver wound badges produced is greater than the number that was issue. It must be accounted that the
armed forces would have a stock in hand so it could replace lost ones and issue new awards. In addition the factories
were likely to have warehouses with inventory at hand.
COLLECTING SPANISH WOUND MEDALS
Collecting Third Reich memorabilia is a field that has been growing since the days the GI's rummaged around Europe
bringing back military souvenirs. German soldiers wore many of their awards on their uniforms when they went to battle.
Once the soldier was killed or captured, the American soldiers would take the awards as war trophies. Eventually all
these pieces came back to the United States where military history enthusiasts began to collect them.
"I am trying to figure out if I should get into collecting Spanish Civil War Wound badges."
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Determining which military badges to collect can be a challenging decision. The combination of availabiilty and
cost will often set the pace of what can be collected.
The adjacent table outlines some of the advantages and disadvantages of collecting the Spanish Civil War wound badge.
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This award is currently being
reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality
of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style
and materials employed in the manufacturing of this badge. Attention to the details is critical in
order to be able to determine the authenticity of the badge.
If you have an interest is seeing other badges and awards of the Third Reich, you can do so by going
to our
WWII German Badges and Awards
identification guide. Where we cover Heer (Army), Navy (Kriegsmarine) and
Air Force (Luftwaffe) items.
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