1957er Bandenkampfabzeichen

**HPL2008** · 02-02-2019, 11:59 AM

Today, I'd like to present my specimens of the Bandenkampfabzeichen [Anti-Partisan Combat Badge].

As always, a bit of history first:

The Bandenkampfabzeichen was instituted on 30 April 1944 and was awarded to officers, NCOs and men (both German and foreign volunteers) of SS-, Police- and military units engaged in anti-partisan warfare. Official German nomenclature used the terms "Banden" [gangs] and "Banditen" [bandits] instead of "Partisanen", not least because the term "partisan" had positive connotations in the occupied eastern territories.
The badge came in three grades - bronze, silver and gold - depending on the number of combat days. These were:

Bronze - 20 days for ground forces; 30 days for aviators
Silver - 50 days for ground forces; 75 days for aviators
Gold - 100 days for ground forces; 150 days for aviators.

A special gold grade with diamonds was also manufactured in very small numbers (some sources say 10, others 20 badges), but never awarded. To be credited as days of combat were days that met the following criteria:

for infantry units - Days on which personnel had engaged in close-quarters combat against partisans, regardless of the circumstances (offensive operations, defense against enemy assaults, combat patrols, message runs etc.)
for heavy weapons - Days on which personnel had engaged in direct combat against partisans; for Flak personnel also days on which enemy aircraft were shot down.
for aviators - Days on which aircew had successfuly undertaken missions while encountering enemy fire; days on which an enemy aircraft was shot down counted triple.

Although the badge had been officially designated as a "combat badge of the SS and Police" it was re-authorized for wear under the 1957 law, as it had never been a pure SS award (all of which remained prohibited).

The 1957 version omitted the Swastika from the circular disc on the sword and the Death's Head at the bottom "as National Socialist- and SS symbols" (although the Death's Head was actually not of the SS' specific design). There is obviously no 1957er version of the diamonds grade, as it had never been officially instituted or awarded.

A bronze badge of later manufacture:

A gold grade badge in clearly worn and aged condition. Unfortunately, the catch is broken off, but I bought it anyway as the price was right and it is a very early piece: