Sniper's Badge
Encyclopedia
The Sniper's Badge is a German
military award instituted on 20 August 1944 to commemorate troops who fought as sniper
s during World War II.
. The introduction of remission read: "... in recognition of the individual shooter with a rifle as a sniper, and for appreciation of the successes achieved here I introduce to the army and the Waffen SS, the sniper badge."
By order of the High Command
of 14 December 1944, it was also made available to the other armed services.
The enemy kills were counted from 1 September 1944. Close quarter kills made were not to be taken into account. Every enemy kill had to be confirmed by witnesses and reported to the unit.
's head turned to the right with white plumage, ochre yellow-colored eyes and closed beak. The eagle's body is covered by three oak leaves and a left mounted acorn. The edges of the ribbon are sewn and the three stages are distinguished by a circumferentially sewn cord in silver (2nd grade) or gold (3rd grade).
The badge was worn on the right forearm
of the uniform.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
military award instituted on 20 August 1944 to commemorate troops who fought as sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
s during World War II.
History
The sniper's badge was instituted on 20 August 1944 by Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. The introduction of remission read: "... in recognition of the individual shooter with a rifle as a sniper, and for appreciation of the successes achieved here I introduce to the army and the Waffen SS, the sniper badge."
By order of the High Command
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
of 14 December 1944, it was also made available to the other armed services.
Grades
The sniper's badge had three grades:- First grade (no trim) for at least 20 enemy kills
- Second grade (with silver trim) for at least 40 enemy kills
- Third grade (with gold trim) for at least 60 enemy kills
The enemy kills were counted from 1 September 1944. Close quarter kills made were not to be taken into account. Every enemy kill had to be confirmed by witnesses and reported to the unit.
Appearance
The sniper's badge was made of greenish-gray cloth, embroidered and oval shaped. It depicts a black eagleEagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
's head turned to the right with white plumage, ochre yellow-colored eyes and closed beak. The eagle's body is covered by three oak leaves and a left mounted acorn. The edges of the ribbon are sewn and the three stages are distinguished by a circumferentially sewn cord in silver (2nd grade) or gold (3rd grade).
The badge was worn on the right forearm
Forearm
-See also:*Forearm flexors*Forearm muscles...
of the uniform.
Sniper's badge and capture
The German High Command issued an order in 1945 that the sniper's badge had to be removed before capture, since predominantly Soviet troops immediately shot every captured enemy sniper wearing it.Recipients
- Josef AllerbergerJosef AllerbergerJosef 'Sepp' Allerberger was a German sniper in the II Battalion of the 144th Gebirgsjäger Regiment of the 3rd Mountain Division on the Eastern Front, and was credited with 257 kills....
(Gold) - Matthäus Hetzenauer (Gold)
- Bruno SutkusBruno SutkusBruno Sutkus was a German sniper in the 68th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front of World War II, and was credited with 209 kills. Every kill was recorded in an individual "sniper's book" and had to be confirmed by at least one observer and authenticated by the battalion commander...
(Gold)
External links
- Jörg Nimmergut: Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945. Band 4. Württemberg II-Deutsches Reich. Zentralstelle für wissenschaftliche Ordenskunde, München 2001, ISBN 3-00-00-1396-2.
- Brian L. Davis: Uniformen und Abzeichen des deutschen Heeres 1933–1945. Motorbuchverlag.
- Christian Zentner: Soldaten im Einsatz. Jahr Verlag.