Auxiliary Cruiser Badge

Auxiliary Cruiser Badge
Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer

design by Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus
Awarded by Nazi Germany
Type Badge
Eligibility Military personnel
Awarded for active service in the Kriegsmarine and Merchant Navy
Campaign World War II
Status Obsolete
Statistics
Established 24 April, 1941

The Auxiliary Cruiser Badge (German: Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to officers and men of the Kriegsmarine for service on Auxiliary Cruisers or the supply ships that supported them for a successful large voyage. The award was instituted on 24 April, 1941 by Grand Admiral Erich Raeder. During World War II mainly the u-boats, but also other ships needed to be supplied at sea to continue their patrol with minimum time lost on refueling and supply.[1]

Design

Designed by Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus in Berlin, the award featured a Viking longship sailing over the northern hemisphere of the globe surrounded by a laurel wreath of oak leaves. At the apex of the badge was an eagle clutching a swastika. The wreath, eagle and ship were in gilt and the globe area gray coloured. Versions were produced in silver, tombac and zinc.

A special presentation version, featuring diamonds inlaid on the swastika, was presented in January 1942 by Grand Admiral Raeder to Kapitän zur See Bernhard Rogge, commander of the German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis.

References

  1. "Auxiliary Cruiser Badge". Wehrmacht Awards. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
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