Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice original German WWII Nahkampfspange in Bronze, or Bronze Close Combat Clasp, manufactured by the renowned Berlin firm C.E. Juncker from the design of military artist Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus. The clasp is of the characteristic slightly vaulted zinc construction and retains an age-toned appearance with faint traces of its original bronze finish remaining in protected areas.

The obverse displays the distinctive Close Combat Clasp design, with the German national eagle and swas. positioned above a crossed bayonet and Stielhandgranate stick grenade. The central motif is flanked on either side by radiating lines and sprays of oak leaves and acorns.

The reverse retains its original horizontal pin assembly, including the barrel-style hinge and catch. The separately fitted central backing plate is missing from this example, leaving the reverse of the openwork central design exposed. These clasps were normally fitted with a plate crimped into the recessed square on the reverse.

Of particular interest are the desirable markings on the reverse. The left side is stamped:

FEC. W.E. PEEKHAUS
BERLIN

while the right side is marked:

AUSF. C.F. JUNCKER
BERLIN

The abbreviation FEC., from the Latin fecit, identifies Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus of Berlin as the designer of the clasp. Peekhaus was responsible for the design of several German military decorations of the period. AUSF. is an abbreviation of the German Ausführung, referring to the execution or manufacture of the design, and identifies this example as a product of C.E. Juncker of Berlin.

This example shows honest wartime and age-related wear, with much of the original bronze wash having mellowed to a dark brown-gray zinc patina. Scattered oxidation and finish loss are present, particularly on the reverse and hardware, while the raised obverse detail remains well defined. Most importantly, both of the characteristic Peekhaus and Juncker markings remain readily identifiable. The missing center backing plate is noted for accuracy.

The Close Combat Clasp was instituted on November 25, 1942, during the period of intense fighting on the Eastern Front and at the height of the Battle of Stalingrad. It was intended to recognize soldiers who repeatedly took part in close-range ground combat rather than simply participating in a particular campaign or operation.

For the Bronze grade offered here, the normal requirement was 15 officially recognized close-combat days. According to period award procedures, qualifying combat days were reckoned beginning December 1, 1942, and had to involve actual close combat fought on foot, whether during attack or defense. Company commanders were responsible for recording qualifying actions in their daily reports, after which lists of participating soldiers could be prepared toward eventual qualification for the clasp.

Importantly, these 15 combat days did not have to occur consecutively or even during a single campaign. Qualification could be accumulated over many months, or even years, and across different battlefronts. Special consideration also existed for soldiers who had been severely wounded and therefore had no opportunity to complete the normal requirement. In such cases, divisional commanders could authorize the award of the Bronze Close Combat Clasp after ten qualifying close-combat days rather than the usual fifteen.

Once awarded, the Nahkampfspange was worn prominently on the uniform approximately 1 cm above the medal ribbon bar, making it one of the more immediately visible combat distinctions on the German field uniform.