Original Items: Only One Available. This is a textbook example of a fine quality Blockade Runner badge (Blockadebrecherabzeichen) in circular silver plated tombac alloy, which was unfortunately "sanitized" by removal of the swas (hook cross). The obverse shows a large ship breaking through waves with a large Reichsadler eagle on its stern, above the removed swas, surrounded by a border of silvered chains being broken by the ship near the bottom. The reverse is plain, with a barrel hinge attached pin, retained by a bent flat wire catch.

Like most early war badges, this example is fully maker marked on the back with:

FEC. OTTO PLACZEK BERLIN
AUSF. SCHWERIN-BERLIN

"Ausf." is short for Ausführung, meaning "execution" or "made by", so this is example was made by C. Schwerin & Sohn of Berlin, a known maker of this badge. Otto Placzek is the designer of the badge. It measures approximately 1.92 inches (48.8 mm) across.

Aside from the removed swas, the badge is offered in very good condition, showing light wear, and the silver is relatively well retained, with some wear through on the raised areas of the design. Originally these would be mostly "blacked" with the eagle left bright silver, however due to wear the silver now shows overall light tarnishing.

A very good example from a desirable maker, most likely sanitized for post war use.

The Blockade Runner Badge or the Badge for Blockade Runners (German: Abzeichen für Blockadebrecher) was a World War II German military decoration awarded for service on warships or merchant vessels that attempted to break through the British sea blockade of Germany. It was instituted on 1 April 1941 upon the order of AH and first awarded on 1 July of the same year to Hugo Olendorff.

Design
The badge was designed by Otto Placzeck in Berlin. It was in either tombac or zinc and featured a ship with a large German eagle grasping a swas (hook cross) on its bow. Around the circumference of the badge is a chain, through which the ship is cutting through. The eagle was silvered whilst the rest of the badge was a dark gray color.

The badge was worn on the left breast pocket of the uniform. A smaller half-size version was awarded for use by civilians and members of the merchant marine.