Sniper Badge Set

[W. C. Stump]

I would like to present a set of Sniper Badges for review and comments.

GRADE I.

[W. C. Stump]

Grade Ii.

[W. C. Stump]

Grade Iii.

[Bill D.]

The only comment that I can make, Bill, is that in thirty years of collecting, I never knew anyone who aquired a sniper's badge from a veteran who brought it home. So I've never seen one that had impeccable provenance.

I believe that they were made, but I myself wouldn't know a good one if the eagle on the patch opened its beak and bit me!

[Robin Lumsden]

Bill.

On P.97 of Hormann's book on the German Infantry, there is shown the Sniper Badge in Gold awarded on 16th December, 1944 to Heinrich Franken of the 7th Company, Grenadier Regiment 58. It differs from the ones you show in that:-

1. The stitching on the eagle's breast is in yellow, not white, thread;
2. The background is tan, not grey;
3. The border is yellow celleon, not gold.

There are other slight differences.

The badge was cetainly produced pre-May 1945, as the German Press shows a photo of Himmler presenting it to three successful snipers who, between them, killed the equivalent of two Russian Companies in the last months of the war. However, it can still be produced legally to this day under the 1957 regulations, and I have never seen anything to prove that the badge was actually worn during the war - even if it was presented. Snipers have said that if they wore such a badge it would have meant certain death if they had been captured - on all fronts.

The ones you show, with white chest stitching and grey background, appeared in some numbers during the late 1980s, and my own opinion is that they are post-war productions.

Regards,

Robin.

[Frank Heukemes]

If Allied troops were not even able to distinguish between SS and Panzer units (Totenkopf collar tabs), I wonder how anybody among them would have known what this badge was all about. I am sure this badge was even quite unknown among German soldiers durung the war years. Nothing says or indicates "Sniper", so why the fear to wear it? This over and over repeated story makes no sense to me and sounds strange. Under these aspects it would have been more deadly to wear a HJ small caliber marksman badge which might have looked more like "Sniper" to an Ally soldier.

[Robin Lumsden]

Frank.

I think you'll find that Allied Intelligence was quite 'switched on' as regards what all German badges meant - even the latest ones. They had officers who did nothing else but gather information on this, and collect samples of badges from captured troops. That's how the famous Colonel Dodkins built up his collection! Once the meaning of the sniper's badge had been ascertained, it would have spread like wildfire. Snipers were hated on all fronts. A bit like MPs.

Regards,
Robin.

[stogieman]

Sorry Bill...

... But I have to agree, the badges are new. Here's an example that was tossed into a lot on eBay that I bought. I was buying for the other badge, knowing this was a repop. He spun a great story about it. Funny, one cased rare badge with little detail/description. One fake sniper patch, with one heck of a story! Interesting that this one is on bigger cloth background and has a paper backing. Bogus for sure, but interesting the lengths some people will go to deceive. Note the "stitching" holes all around the edge of the patch!

[Dietrich Maerz]

Frank,

I really was inclined to think the same as you stated and to veryfy I looked into the original book "Handbook on German Military Forces, 15. March 1945, TM-E 30-451.

And there it is!

Dietrich

[Dietrich Maerz]

Close up. Note background in light blue.


A friend of mine was a sniper in the Bundeswehr. They used the same design. Could this be a Bundeswehr Abzeichen (i.e. no fake)?
Dietrich

[Robin Lumsden]

Dietrich.

Very interesting!

Just like I said, Allied Intelligence was very switched on to these things!

Cheers,

Robin.

[IVAN]

Hi,

snipers and their symbols were well known in front line, from Russian to Allied troops. In fact , when snipers were taken prisoners, they tried at ones to put aways their symbols,(is for this raison badges are rare in vet houses) because Russian and Allied troops Knew what they were and kill them just at the place, not always but nearly.

[stogieman]

Interesting!

Well, I'd be quite happy if it was a Bundeswehr badge and not just a fake WW2! I assumed it was nothing and added no cash towards the deal. Figured just another toss away!

[Elvis]

How about this feller. I posted this guy earlier. No concrete opinions.

[Elvis]

back...