✚8002✚ Imperial German NAVY Wound Badge in Black KM Verwundetenabzeichen WW1

Original German NAVY Wound Badge in Silver WW1 - VERY NICE RARE BADGE, INTACT & MAGNETIC PIN DEVICE, GOOD CONDITION - FINE EXAMPLE

HISTORY OF THE AWARD:

Naval Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen für Angehörige der Marine) - Naval Wound Badge for the Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) personnel, Verwundetenabzeichen für Angehörige der Marine, or Marineverwundetenabzeichen, was instituted on June 24, 1918 by Wilhelm II in the same classes as the Army badge and under the same regulations described above. Marineverwundetenabzeichen also had a shape of a vertical oval, but unlike Army Wound Badge it was formed by an anchor chain. An anchor with two superimposed crossed swords pointing upwards was situated in the middle of the badge. Issued pieces were seamless with pebbled surface, while privately purchased badges in most cases had elegant cut-out design. As both Verwundetenabzeichen, Army and Naval, were introduced at the closing stage of the Great War, many wounded and mutilated soldiers and sailors never received their just awards. Injustice hadn’t been remedied in the Weimar Republic and it was only on January 30, 1936 that the Ministry of Interior Affairs of the governmnt made a symbolic gesture applauded by former front fighters. Thus, since that date all the veterans who were wounded but never received a badge were eligible for that award upon presentation of a documented proof. They were also issued with a Home Ministry authorization that allowed them to wear Verwundetenabzeichen officially in public. Another step forward was made on April 20, 1939, when the Ministry of Interior Affairs applied the same procedure to the former military personnel wounded in action during the Great War who were permanent residents of Austria, Sudetenland and Memel, annexed by that time. Thus Army and Naval Wound Badges, Model 1918 were presented to veterans until late 1941.