Original Item: Only One Available. This is an exceptionally scarce original German WWII cloth Third Class Black Wound Badge, or Stoffausführung Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz, produced as a printed fabric insignia rather than the standard metal badge. This example is uniform removed and retains clear evidence of having once been sewn directly to a garment.

The design follows the familiar WWII Wound Badge pattern, with an M35-style helmet bearing a mobile swas (hook cross) above crossed broad swords, all surrounded by a laurel leaf and berry wreath tied at the bottom with a bow.

These fabric badges were originally produced on a square section of cloth. On this example, the surrounding material has been folded under for wear on the uniform, and the original stitch holes remain visible around the perimeter.

The reverse retains the lacquered coating typically encountered on these printed fabric examples.

Condition is very good. The black printed design remains strong and the underlying fabric is well preserved. The piece clearly shows honest wear from having been mounted to a uniform.

The precise reason these cloth Wound Badges were introduced remains the subject of collector debate. One interpretation is that they were produced as a material-saving alternative when metal was being conserved for wartime production. Another theory is that they were intended for wear on sports or lightweight garments where a conventional metal badge was less practical.

Whatever the original purpose, surviving examples are extremely scarce. This is the first Black Third Class fabric Wound Badge we have offered and only the second cloth example of any grade to pass through IMA.

The German Wound Badge, or Verwundetenabzeichen, had its origins in WWI. It was first instituted by Kaiser Wilhelm II on March 3, 1918 for German military personnel wounded in combat.

A new version of the badge was introduced before WWII and subsequently awarded to members of the German armed forces and other qualifying organizations for wounds received as a result of enemy action.

The badge was issued in three grades:

Black, Third Class, for one or two wounds.

Silver, Second Class, generally for three or four wounds.

Gold, First Class, generally for five or more wounds and also for particularly severe injuries.

The normal progression could be bypassed in cases of severe wounds such as loss of a limb or eyesight.

Standard WWII examples were usually manufactured from pressed metal, including brass, steel, and zinc depending upon period and manufacturer. The Black badge was normally finished in black paint or lacquer, while Silver and Gold examples received corresponding plated or finished surfaces.

All grades were worn on the lower left breast beneath other military decorations and combat badges.

Because this example is a printed cloth variant rather than a conventional metal badge, it represents one of the least commonly encountered forms of the WWII Wound Badge. Its uniform-removed configuration, surviving lacquered reverse, strong printed design, and visible stitch holes make it a particularly appealing example.