Wound Badge in Silver 1939

This is the 1939 pattern, die stamped high quality Zinc construction with a silver paint wash. Reverse has the hinge, pin and catch all intact. The badge shows light wear to all exposed parts.

Maker marked 4 for Steinhauer und Lück, Lüdenscheid.

On May 22nd 1939 Adolf Hitler reinstituted a slightly modified version of the wound badge with the addition of a swastika to the WWI pattern badge for award to German volunteers who had been wounded supporting the Spanish Nationalist in the Spanish Civil War. (July 1936-March 1939). With the outbreak of WWII on September 1st 1939, Hitler once again re-instituted another slightly modified version of the wound badge by altering the WWI pattern helmet on the badge to the newly designed M35 style helmet. The black wound badge was the lowest of the three classes and was awarded for one or two wounds.