Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Bronze Grade Panzer Assault Badge, or Panzerkampfabzeichen, of the desirable “scoop back” construction and made by E. Ferdinand Wiedmann. The badge is made from zinc with a bronze wash and retains an unusually noticeable amount of its original finish, with approximately 30% remaining on the obverse and more than 50% on the reverse. The original pinback assembly is complete and functional.

The Panzer Assault Badge was instituted on December 20, 1939 to recognize personnel who participated in armored assaults, and is often referred to as a "Panzer Badge" or "PAB" by collectors. A Bronze grade was added on June 6, 1940 for qualifying personnel serving with armored formations other than tank crews, including members of armored reconnaissance, Panzergrenadier, and other motorized or armored units. The badge was worn on the left breast pocket of the uniform.

This example is of oval zinc construction with a bronze wash. Approximately 30% of the original bronze finish remains on the obverse, concentrated particularly around the lower portion of the oak leaf wreath. The reverse retains considerably more, with over 50% of the original bronze finish still visible, while the pinback retains the finish especially well.

The obverse features the classic Panzer Assault Badge design with an oak leaf wreath tied at the base. A Heer style national eagle clutching a mobile swas is positioned at the top, while a Panzerkampfwagen IV is superimposed across the center over textured ground. The tank’s left track extends beyond the edge of the wreath, giving the badge its distinctive three dimensional appearance.

The badge measures approximately:

1.64" (41.65mm) wide
2.36" (60.06mm) high

Overall detail remains very good, including the oak leaves, eagle, tank, track, and textured ground. The zinc surfaces have developed an attractive age toned patina where the bronze wash has worn away.

The reverse is the so-called “scoop back” style and retains its original vertical needle pinback with barrel hinge and bent flat wire catch. The pinback remains functional.

The reverse is maker marked with the distinctive circular trademark consisting of a:

W
with five small marks above

Sometimes referred to as "ÜÜ", this is the trademark logo of E. Ferdinand Wiedmann of Frankfurt. The five dots are actually a very small E F E R D marking (confirmed with a magnifier on this and other examples), an abbreviation the firm often used. It has sometimes erroneously been identified as a marking of Hermann Wernstein of Jena-Löbstedt, but that is incorrect.

With its Bronze grade finish, desirable scoop back construction, strong surviving bronze wash, detailed Panzer IV design, functional original pinback, and distinctive attributed maker logo, this is an appealing example of the German WWII Panzer Assault Badge. The partial loss of bronze finish, exposed zinc patina, and age related oxidation are fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Panzer Assault Badge, armored warfare, Panzergrenadier, E. Ferdinand Wiedmann, or advanced German WWII award collection.

The term panzer division (German: Panzerdivision) as commonly used in English language refers almost exclusively to the armored (tank) division in the army branch of the Wehrmacht and of NSDAP Germany during World War II. The panzer divisions were the key element of German success in the Blitzkrieg operations of the early years of the war. Later the Waffen-SS formed panzer divisions, and even the Luftwaffe fielded a panzer division, the Herman Goring Division.

The term Panzerdivision is still used in today's Heer of the Bundeswehr (for example 1. Panzerdivision). In German speaking countries the term is not immediately associated with the Wehrmacht as it is in English speaking nations, as the word simply means 'armored division' and has no additional connotation.

A panzer division was a combined arms formation, having both tanks (German Panzerkampfwagen, "armored fighting vehicle", usually shortened to "Panzer") and infantry as organic components, along with artillery, anti-aircraft, signals, etc. However, the proportions of the components of a panzer division changed over time.