Ernst Barkmann
Encyclopedia
Ernst Barkmann was a German Waffen-SS
soldier and panzer
ace. Barkmann fought and rose to fame during World War II for his actions in command of Panther
tanks.
in the Kreis (county) of Segeberg
in Holstein
. His father was a farmer, and after attending school, Barkmann followed in his father's footsteps and began working on the family farm.
) was posted to East Prussia
where it was to act as a part of 14.Armee
. With the outbreak of war on 1 September 1939, Barkmann saw action with this formation in the Invasion of Poland
, serving as a machine gunner with the 9./III.Battalion. He fought well during the campaign, receiving a promotion to Rottenführer
. He was wounded during the campaign, and received the Wound Badge
in black.
In October 1939, the Germania was used to form a part of the SS-Division (mot) Verfügungstruppe. In May 1940, Barkmann took part in the Invasion of France as a part of the division, earning the Infantry Assault Badge
during this campaign. In late 1940, the Germania was detached from the division to form a cadre for a new division, the SS-Division (mot) Germania. The division was to comprise a large number of European volunteers.
Barkmann served with the division during Operation Barbarossa
, before being seriously wounded near Dnipropetrovsk
in July, 1941. He spent the remainder of 1941 convalescing, and received the Wound Badge in silver. In early 1942, Barkmann was posted as an instructor to a unit in the Netherlands
where he was responsible for training European SS volunteers.
to join the second company of I./SS-Panzer-Regiment Das Reich, a part of 2.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich. Upon arrival at the front, Barkmann was posted as gunner to SS-Rottenführer Alfred Hargesheimer's PzKpfw III ausf J/1
tank.
The Das Reich was attached to Obergruppenführer
Paul Hausser
's SS-Panzerkorps
, under the overall command of Generalfeldmarschall
Manstein's
Army Group South
. The SS-Panzerkorps was to form the vanguard of Manstein's efforts to halt the Soviet advance near Kharkov.
Barkmann served with the regiment during the large-scale mobile operations to annihilate Mobile Group Popov. During these battles, Barkmann proved to be an excellent gunner. He was promoted to Unterscharführer
and given command of his own Panzer III in time to take part in the ensuing Third Battle of Kharkov
, scoring several kills.
In July 1943, his division next took part in Operation Citadel, the operation to destroy the Kursk
salient
. Barkmann saw action during the mammoth tank battles around Prokhorovka
. During the offensive, the Heer's
Grossdeutschland Panzer Division had been equipped with the state-of-the-art Panther Ausf. D
tanks. Their combat debut was poor, with many vehicles suffering mechanical problems before entering combat.
After the failure of the offensive, as the division was rapidly transferred to the Mius river line, where along with 3.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Totenkopf it was engaged in ferocious defensive battles. In August, Barkmann was transferred to the fourth company, equipped with the new Panther D's, which had by now overcome their early mechanical problems. As a commander in 4./I./2.SS-Panzer-Regiment Das Reich, Barkmann was responsible for the destruction of many enemy tanks. In the course of these operations, he was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross.
region. With the exception of several skirmishes with partisans, the refit was uneventful. Barkmann, along with the rest of the I Battalion of the panzer regiment, was equipped with new model Panthers.
Operation Overlord
, the expected Allied invasion, was launched on 6 June 1944. When the division was released for action by Führer headquarters, it was placed on high alert and remained in southern France in case of secondary invasions there. When it became clear that the Normandy
invasion was the major Allied effort, the division was ordered north to the front. The division's transit to the front was marked by heavy Jabo
and partisan attacks. Barkmann and the panzer regiment were not involved with the massacre of Oradour-sur-Glane
, perpetrated by a Panzergrenadier
unit of the division.
The division finally reached the front in early July and was thrown into action against the American forces near Saint-Lô
. Barkmann, in his Panther Ausf A (Nr. 424) saw heavy fighting against American M4 Sherman
s and M5A1 Stuarts in the bocage
. The narrow sunken roads and impassable hedgerows of the bocage meant that the German could establish a deadly defensive line and that the American matériel advantage could not be exploited.
Barkmann claims he inflicted heavy casualties on the advancing Americans and halted a major armoured advance near Le Neufbourg. This conflicts with US accounts for the area that mention an action with the Unit protecting the flank of the main US advance on Marigny (Troop A, 4th Cavalry Squadron)where 2 M5 tanks, 2 M8 AC and 6 GP were destroyed. For his claims Barkmann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). After the launch of Operation Cobra
, the Das Reich avoided encirclement in the Falaise Pocket
and, alongside the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen
, fought to hold open an escape route for the trapped German forces. After the collapse of the pocket, the Das Reich fell back towards the West Wall. During the retreat, Barkmann was involved in many desperate rearguard actions, destroying many American vehicles.
, the rank he held to the end of the war, Barkmann continued his successful career and took part in the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, where on December 25 he was seriously wounded. During the Ardennes Offensive, Barkmann's Panther Ausf G (Nr 401) drove into the group of American tanks from the US 2nd Armored Division. Despite being outnumbered, Barkmann managed to knock out a few Sherman tanks. One Sherman rammed Barkmann's Panther but did not cause much damage, although both tanks got stuck and the Panther's engine stalled. After a few minutes, Barkmann's mechanic managed to restart the engine and Panther retreated with a blocked turret. Despite the damage, Barkmann knocked out a pursuing Sherman and retreated to safety, although his Panther was beyond repair.
s and brought the total score of the Das Reich Division for the war so far to 3000 enemy tanks destroyed. At the time, Das Reich was exhausted by non-stop fighting and lack of replacement tanks. Barkmann's unit had only nine fully operational vehicles, of which three were soon lost to Soviet Josef Stalin tanks. The remaining six Panthers were ordered to link up with the remnants of the Panzer Regiment of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler commanded by Standartenführer
Jochen Peiper. By April 1945, Barkmann saw action south of Vienna
, Austria. There his Panther was hit by mistake from friendly fire and Barkmann along with most of his crew members were wounded. Later on, his Panther became disabled in a huge bomb crater and was destroyed by its crew. Ernst Barkmann was able to reach British zone of operation where he was made a prisoner of war.
, Germany, where he was the long-time fire chief. Barkmann also served as the town's mayor.
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
soldier and panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
ace. Barkmann fought and rose to fame during World War II for his actions in command of Panther
Panther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
tanks.
Early life
Barkmann was born in the town of KisdorfKisdorf
Kisdorf is a municipality in the district of Segeberg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km north of Hamburg, and 15 km north of Norderstedt. Kisdorf is part of the Amt Kisdorf. The seat of the Amt is in Kattendorf.-External links:*http://www.kisdorf.de...
in the Kreis (county) of Segeberg
Segeberg
Segeberg is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Pinneberg, Steinburg and Rendsburg-Eckernförde, the city of Neumünster, the districts of Plön, Ostholstein and Stormarn, and the city state of Hamburg.-History:The history of the district is connected with the...
in Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
. His father was a farmer, and after attending school, Barkmann followed in his father's footsteps and began working on the family farm.
Early war campaigns
Barkmann's standarte (SS-equivalent for RegimentRegiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
) was posted to East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
where it was to act as a part of 14.Armee
German Fourteenth Army
The 14th Army was a World War II field army.The 14th Army was activated on August 1, 1939 with General Wilhelm List in command and saw service in Poland until the end of the campaign in Poland October 13, 1939...
. With the outbreak of war on 1 September 1939, Barkmann saw action with this formation in the Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
, serving as a machine gunner with the 9./III.Battalion. He fought well during the campaign, receiving a promotion to Rottenführer
Rottenführer
Rottenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in the year 1932. The rank of Rottenführer was used by several Nazi paramilitary groups, among them the Sturmabteilung , the Schutzstaffel and was senior to the paramilitary rank of Sturmmann.The insignia for Rottenführer...
. He was wounded during the campaign, and received the Wound Badge
Wound Badge
Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in black.
In October 1939, the Germania was used to form a part of the SS-Division (mot) Verfügungstruppe. In May 1940, Barkmann took part in the Invasion of France as a part of the division, earning the Infantry Assault Badge
Infantry Assault Badge
The Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...
during this campaign. In late 1940, the Germania was detached from the division to form a cadre for a new division, the SS-Division (mot) Germania. The division was to comprise a large number of European volunteers.
Barkmann served with the division during Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, before being seriously wounded near Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
in July, 1941. He spent the remainder of 1941 convalescing, and received the Wound Badge in silver. In early 1942, Barkmann was posted as an instructor to a unit in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
where he was responsible for training European SS volunteers.
From Kharkov to Kursk
Barkmann requested a transfer to the newly formed Waffen-SS panzer arm. In winter 1942/43 he was sent back to the Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
to join the second company of I./SS-Panzer-Regiment Das Reich, a part of 2.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich. Upon arrival at the front, Barkmann was posted as gunner to SS-Rottenführer Alfred Hargesheimer's PzKpfw III ausf J/1
Panzer III
Panzer III was the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the 1930s by Germany and was used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen III translating as "armoured battle vehicle". It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and...
tank.
The Das Reich was attached to Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
Paul Hausser
Paul Hausser
Paul "Papa" Hausser was an officer in the German Army, achieving the high rank of lieutenant-general in the inter-war Reichswehr. After retirement from the regular Army he became the "father" of the Waffen-SS and one of its most eminent leaders...
's SS-Panzerkorps
II SS Panzer Corps
The II SS Panzer Corps was a Nazi German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II.- Formation - Kharkov :...
, under the overall command of Generalfeldmarschall
Generalfeldmarschall
Field Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
Manstein's
Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
. The SS-Panzerkorps was to form the vanguard of Manstein's efforts to halt the Soviet advance near Kharkov.
Barkmann served with the regiment during the large-scale mobile operations to annihilate Mobile Group Popov. During these battles, Barkmann proved to be an excellent gunner. He was promoted to Unterscharführer
Unterscharführer
Unterscharführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party used by the Schutzstaffel between 1934 and 1945. The SS rank was created after the Night of the Long Knives...
and given command of his own Panzer III in time to take part in the ensuing Third Battle of Kharkov
Third Battle of Kharkov
The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of offensive operations on the Eastern Front of World War II, undertaken by the German Army Group South against the Red Army, around the city of Kharkov , between 19 February and 15 March 1943...
, scoring several kills.
In July 1943, his division next took part in Operation Citadel, the operation to destroy the Kursk
Kursk
Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym Rivers. The area around Kursk was site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...
salient
Salient
Salient may refer to:* See Salients, re-entrants and pockets for the battlefield feature* Salient , part of a discrete territory projecting out of the main portion, bordered by foreign territory on three sides, into which it projects...
. Barkmann saw action during the mammoth tank battles around Prokhorovka
Prokhorovka
Prokhorovka is an urban locality and the administrative center of Prokhorovsky District of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located along the Psyol River southwest of the city of Kursk. Population:...
. During the offensive, the Heer's
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
Grossdeutschland Panzer Division had been equipped with the state-of-the-art Panther Ausf. D
Panther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
tanks. Their combat debut was poor, with many vehicles suffering mechanical problems before entering combat.
After the failure of the offensive, as the division was rapidly transferred to the Mius river line, where along with 3.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Totenkopf it was engaged in ferocious defensive battles. In August, Barkmann was transferred to the fourth company, equipped with the new Panther D's, which had by now overcome their early mechanical problems. As a commander in 4./I./2.SS-Panzer-Regiment Das Reich, Barkmann was responsible for the destruction of many enemy tanks. In the course of these operations, he was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross.
Normandy
The Das Reich division remained on the Eastern front until January 1944. Early in February, the division was ordered to France to refit and to form a part of Panzergruppe West, the armoured reserve for the expected allied invasion. Leaving its remaining armour behind for other divisions to use, the Das Reich was posted to the BordeauxBordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
region. With the exception of several skirmishes with partisans, the refit was uneventful. Barkmann, along with the rest of the I Battalion of the panzer regiment, was equipped with new model Panthers.
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, the expected Allied invasion, was launched on 6 June 1944. When the division was released for action by Führer headquarters, it was placed on high alert and remained in southern France in case of secondary invasions there. When it became clear that the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
invasion was the major Allied effort, the division was ordered north to the front. The division's transit to the front was marked by heavy Jabo
Ground attack aircraft
Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft with primary role of attacking targets on the ground with greater precision than bombers and prepared to face stronger low-level air defense...
and partisan attacks. Barkmann and the panzer regiment were not involved with the massacre of Oradour-sur-Glane
Oradour-sur-Glane
Oradour-sur-Glane is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Limousin region in west-central France.The original village was destroyed on 10 June 1944, when 642 of its inhabitants, including women and children, were massacred by a German Waffen-SS company...
, perpetrated by a Panzergrenadier
Panzergrenadier
is a German term for motorised or mechanized infantry, as introduced during World War II. It is used in the armies of Austria, Chile, Germany and Switzerland.-Forerunners:...
unit of the division.
The division finally reached the front in early July and was thrown into action against the American forces near Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
. Barkmann, in his Panther Ausf A (Nr. 424) saw heavy fighting against American M4 Sherman
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
s and M5A1 Stuarts in the bocage
Bocage
Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages. It may refer to a small forest, a decorative element of leaves, a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, or a type of rubble-work, comparable with the English use of 'rustic' in relation to garden...
. The narrow sunken roads and impassable hedgerows of the bocage meant that the German could establish a deadly defensive line and that the American matériel advantage could not be exploited.
Barkmann claims he inflicted heavy casualties on the advancing Americans and halted a major armoured advance near Le Neufbourg. This conflicts with US accounts for the area that mention an action with the Unit protecting the flank of the main US advance on Marigny (Troop A, 4th Cavalry Squadron)where 2 M5 tanks, 2 M8 AC and 6 GP were destroyed. For his claims Barkmann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). After the launch of Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...
, the Das Reich avoided encirclement in the Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
and, alongside the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
The 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen", also known as SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 Hohenstaufen or 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was a German Waffen-SS Armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. The...
, fought to hold open an escape route for the trapped German forces. After the collapse of the pocket, the Das Reich fell back towards the West Wall. During the retreat, Barkmann was involved in many desperate rearguard actions, destroying many American vehicles.
Ardennes Offensive
Promoted to OberscharführerOberscharführer
Oberscharführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1932 and 1945. Translated as “Senior Squad Leader”, Oberscharführer was first used as a rank of the Sturmabteilung and was created due to an expansion of the enlisted positions required by growing SA membership...
, the rank he held to the end of the war, Barkmann continued his successful career and took part in the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, where on December 25 he was seriously wounded. During the Ardennes Offensive, Barkmann's Panther Ausf G (Nr 401) drove into the group of American tanks from the US 2nd Armored Division. Despite being outnumbered, Barkmann managed to knock out a few Sherman tanks. One Sherman rammed Barkmann's Panther but did not cause much damage, although both tanks got stuck and the Panther's engine stalled. After a few minutes, Barkmann's mechanic managed to restart the engine and Panther retreated with a blocked turret. Despite the damage, Barkmann knocked out a pursuing Sherman and retreated to safety, although his Panther was beyond repair.
Final engagements
In March 1945, Barkmann was once again fighting with Soviets, near Stuhlweissenburg, where he knocked out four T-34T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
s and brought the total score of the Das Reich Division for the war so far to 3000 enemy tanks destroyed. At the time, Das Reich was exhausted by non-stop fighting and lack of replacement tanks. Barkmann's unit had only nine fully operational vehicles, of which three were soon lost to Soviet Josef Stalin tanks. The remaining six Panthers were ordered to link up with the remnants of the Panzer Regiment of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler commanded by Standartenführer
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
Jochen Peiper. By April 1945, Barkmann saw action south of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria. There his Panther was hit by mistake from friendly fire and Barkmann along with most of his crew members were wounded. Later on, his Panther became disabled in a huge bomb crater and was destroyed by its crew. Ernst Barkmann was able to reach British zone of operation where he was made a prisoner of war.
Post-war
Following the war, Barkmann settled in KisdorfKisdorf
Kisdorf is a municipality in the district of Segeberg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km north of Hamburg, and 15 km north of Norderstedt. Kisdorf is part of the Amt Kisdorf. The seat of the Amt is in Kattendorf.-External links:*http://www.kisdorf.de...
, Germany, where he was the long-time fire chief. Barkmann also served as the town's mayor.
Awards and decorations
At the time of his capture in 1945, Barkmann was authorized the following awards:- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in Gold - Infantry Assault BadgeInfantry Assault BadgeThe Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...
in Silver - Panzer BadgePanzer BadgeThe Panzer Badge was a German medal awarded to armour troops during World War II. It was introduced during World War II in December 1939 .- History :The Tank Combat Badge, or Panzer Badge, first existed in the German Army during World War I, and was later...
"25" - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd Class - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
1st Class - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...