Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice service used example of the German WWII Kriegsmarine Minesweeper War Badge, manufactured by C. Schwerin & Sohn of Berlin, a well known and desirable maker of Kriegsmarine badges.

The badge appears to have a zinc alloy body and remains in very good overall condition. The silvered finish on the central exploding mine and waves is still well retained. Most of the gold wash on the surrounding oak leaf wreath and Reichsadler national eagle has worn away, while the remaining bronze colored finish displays some light oxidation.

The design consists of an oval oak leaf wreath surmounted by a Wehrmacht eagle clutching a mobile swas (hook cross). The center depicts an exploding naval mine rising above a series of detailed waves.

The reverse is solid and fitted with a tapered brass pin secured to a soldered hinge. The original catch was replaced during the period of use with a flat wire catch. The replacement remains functional and partially obscures the maker marking.

The reverse is marked:

FEC. OTTO PLACZEK BERLIN.
AUSF. SCHWERIN BERLIN.

The second line is partially obscured by the period replaced catch. FEC. is an abbreviation of the Latin word fecit, meaning “he made it,” and identifies Otto Placzek of Berlin as the designer. AUSF. is an abbreviation of the German word Ausführung, indicating the firm responsible for manufacturing the badge. In this case, the marking identifies Schwerin of Berlin, referring to C. Schwerin & Sohn.

The Minesweeper War Badge, officially known as the Minesweepers, Submarine Hunters and Escort Vessels War Badge (Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Boot-Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände), was instituted on August 31, 1940, by Kriegsmarine Commander in Chief Grand Admiral Erich Raeder. It recognized the service and experience of sailors assigned to German minesweepers and related vessels.

Minesweeping and escort duty exposed sailors to difficult weather, sea mines, submarines, aircraft, and other enemy action. The badge could be awarded for completing three operational sorties, being wounded during an operation, participating in a particularly dangerous mission, displaying exemplary conduct during six months of service, completing at least 25 days of escort duty, or serving aboard a vessel sunk by enemy action. It could also be awarded posthumously.

Designed by Otto Placzek, the badge was manufactured in both tombak and zinc, with zinc becoming more common during later wartime production. Its central exploding mine and waves provide a particularly dramatic representation of the dangerous work performed by German minesweeper, submarine hunting, and escort vessel crews.

This example is particularly appealing for its desirable Schwerin manufacture, well retained central silvering, clearly legible designer marking, and period replacement catch. The worn gold finish, light oxidation, and repaired catch give it the honest appearance of an award that saw considerable service use.