German WWII Black Wound Badge-This is made of a stamped steel. The original black finish is 95% in place. The pin setup functions as intended. The reverse is marked with 65 for the maker Klein & Quenzer. This is a good looking badge.
History: The wound badge was originally established on March 3rd, 1918, by Kaiser Wilhelm II to recognize the sacrifice of those wounded during WWI. The badge was instituted in three classes of black, silver and gold with the class bestowed reflecting the number or severity of the wounds received.
Black (3rd class, representing Iron), for those wounded once or twice by hostile action (including air raids). Silver (2nd class) for being wounded three or four times. Gold (1st class, which could be awarded posthumously) for being wounded five or more times.
On May 22nd, 1939, Adolf Hitler re-instituted a slightly modified version of the wound badge with the addition of a swastika to the WWI pattern badge for award to German volunteers who had been wounded supporting the Spanish Nationalist Falangist Generalissimo Francisco Franco against the communist allied Republican Loyalist party in the Spanish Civil War. (July 1936-March 1939). With the outbreak of WWII, on September 1st, 1939, Hitler once again re-instituted another slightly modified version of the wound badge by altering the WWI pattern helmet on the badge to the newly designed M35 style helmet. The badge was awarded to both military and uniformed non-military personnel and later, (March 1943), to civilian personnel who received wounds as a result of enemy actions. The black wound badge was the lowest of the three classes and was awarded for one or two wounds.