Navy U-Boat Badge by S&L

German WWII > Awards and Medals > Navy Awards > U-Boat Badge

This Kriegsmarine U-Boots-Kriegsabzeichen was manufactured by Steinhauer & Lück of Lüdenscheid (design), yet is maker marked: “Schwerin Berlin 68”. The Navy U-Boat War Badge was awarded to those who proved themselves with at least two or more sorties against the enemy, exceptions may be made in the case of a wounded crew member. It is constructed out of a die struck tombak base that has been gold gilded and finished in a protective lacquer coating. The oval shaped obverse depicts a U-Boat that is surrounded by a laurel leaf wreath that is tied together at the bottom and is below a Kriegsmarine eagle with outstretched wings clutching a swastika in its talons. The full back reverse is maker marked: “Schwerin Berlin 68” (likely post-war) and displays a soldered-on tombak block hinge, a soldered-on round plate flat wire catch and a tombak coke bottle pin. All of the components remain working well. The details throughout the U-boat, eagle and wreath look excellent! Some gold gilding remains to the edges and held nicely to the hardware. It measures 1 7/8 inches wide by 1 ½ inches tall. An original badge with an atypical maker mark. A non-textbook anomaly...