Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very nice German WWII Bronze Grade Close Combat Clasp, known in German as the Nahkampfspange in Bronze. This example was manufactured by Friedrich Linden of Lüdenscheid, and is clearly identified by the firm's distinctive FLL logo in three adjoining circles on the reverse.

The clasp is constructed from die-cast zinc and retains the distinctive horizontally elongated design created for the award. The obverse features a German national eagle above a crossed bayonet and stick grenade within the central panel. This is surrounded by oak leaves and acorns, with ribbed, radiating fields extending toward additional oak-leaf sprays at either end. The design remains quite well defined despite honest wear to the raised surfaces.

The reverse retains the separately fitted rectangular central backing plate, a component that is sometimes missing from surviving examples. The plate shows oxidation and finish deterioration consistent with the remainder of the clasp, but remains secured in position by its original retaining tabs. The horizontal pin, hinge, and catch are also all present.

The reverse carries two important sets of markings. On one side is the raised designer inscription:

FEC. W.E. PEEKHAUS
 BERLIN

Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus of Berlin is credited with the design of the Close Combat Clasp. The abbreviation FEC., from the Latin fecit (he made it), accompanies Peekhaus' name on wartime examples from a number of manufacturers. On the opposite side is the distinctive:

FLL

logo within three circles, identifying manufacture by Friedrich Linden of Lüdenscheid.

While much of the original bronze finish has oxidized or worn away from the high points, darker bronze tones persist within the recessed areas. The reverse exhibits similar age-appropriate toning, along with noticeable oxidation on the central backing plate. Importantly, the clasp remains entirely complete.

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.