U-boat Front Clasp
Encyclopedia
The U-boat Front Clasp or U-boat Combat Clasp, as it is better known, was a German
badge that was awarded to holders of the U-boat War Badge
to recognize continued combat service and valor during World War II
.
commander and subject to approval by Karl Dönitz
. Awards were often due to the number of patrols completed or demonstrations of valor in combat.
The clasp was worn directly above the ribbon bar
on the left breast.
of Berlin
submitted the design of the badge, which consisted of a central laurel wreath
with a stylized submarine and wings of oak leaves. The wings on either side consisted of six staggered oak leaves (for a total of twelve). Two crossed swords decorated the bottom of the central wreath; the submarine in the middle mimicked the design of the U-Boat War Badge. The wreath on the original design from 1944 integrated an eagle holding a swastika
. However soldiers in Germany may only wear the medal if it does not include National Socialist
emblems - in keeping with the German Ordensgesetz
. An alternative design with a complete laurel wreath (without eagle and swastika) with a centered submarine emblem exist for this purpose.
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
badge that was awarded to holders of the U-boat War Badge
U-boat War Badge
The U-Boat War Badge was a German war badge that was awarded to U-boat crew members during World War I and World War II.-History:The U-boat War Badge was originally instituted during the First World War on February 1, 1918. It was awarded to recognize U-boat crews who had completed three war patrols...
to recognize continued combat service and valor during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The U-boat Front Clasp was instituted on May 15, 1944 to bring the U-boat force in line with other branches of the German armed forces, all of which had a similar medal to recognize valor. There were no specified merits for earning the award; decoration was based on the recommendations of the U-boatU-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
commander and subject to approval by Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz was a German naval commander during World War II. He started his career in the German Navy during World War I. In 1918, while he was in command of , the submarine was sunk by British forces and Dönitz was taken prisoner...
. Awards were often due to the number of patrols completed or demonstrations of valor in combat.
The clasp was worn directly above the ribbon bar
Ribbon bar
Ribbon bars are small decorations that are worn by military, police, and fire service personnel or by civilians. Ribbon bars are mainly used when wearing either full decoration, or when wearing medals is considered inappropriate or impractical. Each military force has its own rules on what ribbons...
on the left breast.
Design
Wilhelm Ernst PeekhausWilhelm Ernst Peekhaus
Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus was considered a "top-designer" from Berlin. He was commissioned multiple times to design war badges. The awards he designed were for recognizing participation in combat in some way with specific requirements based on the specific award...
of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
submitted the design of the badge, which consisted of a central laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
with a stylized submarine and wings of oak leaves. The wings on either side consisted of six staggered oak leaves (for a total of twelve). Two crossed swords decorated the bottom of the central wreath; the submarine in the middle mimicked the design of the U-Boat War Badge. The wreath on the original design from 1944 integrated an eagle holding a swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
. However soldiers in Germany may only wear the medal if it does not include National Socialist
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
emblems - in keeping with the German Ordensgesetz
Ordensgesetz
The Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen , often shortened to Ordensgesetz , is a federal law of Germany detailing the treatment and handling procedures for civilian and military decorations. The law was put into effect on July 26, 1957 and fulfilled two primary purposes...
. An alternative design with a complete laurel wreath (without eagle and swastika) with a centered submarine emblem exist for this purpose.
Classes
The award was bestowed in three classes. All classes of the badge were manufactured in zinc, then either bronzed, silvered or - hypothetically - gildedGilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
.