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    "Condor Legion" Wound Badge


    Gordon Williamson

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    Just picked up this fine silver Wound Badge thanks to Stogieman.

     

    It is not of course one of the types that Hamelmann states as being for the Legion Condor, but as there are a number of inconsistencies in his book, I wondered what the general concensus amongst those who specialise in SCW awards is on these badges.

     

    Hamelmann states that only one firm made the true Condor Legion badge, but doesn't quote a source for this information. Does anyone know of any firm information that this was the case? (I don't see the small numbers issued as being particularly relevant as there are numerous examples of mutliple manufacturers for awards only bestowed in very small numbers).

     

    Is there any real concensus over his classification of these into "Prototype 1939" ( i.e. like this one, with flush swastika) and "1939 1st Type" with the stepped swastika ? Or is it all really just a case of contemporary manufacturers variants ?

     

    File000223.JPG

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    gordon-

    beautiful, high quality silver

    type one wound badge.

    i may be able to find out about the

    one manufacturer theory of hamelman's

    and let you know. i think that there was

    one firm during the active LC days - and

    late, at that - that were making "LC wound badges",

    and that as poland, france, etc ramped up,

    the type ones came into play.

    for the vast numbers of these, there is pitiful

    little info.

    that's a keeper! my compliments to both

    buyer and seller!

    joe

    Edited by joe campbell
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    Hi Joe,

     

    Thanks for that, I'd be interested in any further info you can dig up. It's not that I doubt Hamelmann's word, I'm just interested to know how the theory came about. I can quite understand how only one firm might initially be involved, then more added as war broke out, but as there appear to be so many variants of the "1st Type" ( i.e. the different helmet shapes, bows at the base of the wreath etc), how do we know that the type shown by Hamelmann is the one true "Legion Condor" type.

     

    By the way, there is something else which makes the one I showed above rather tasty. Its a screwback ! Complete with screw plate with "Mickey Mouse Ears" lugs.

     

    Can't believe I was able to snag this, after it had sat for several days in the Saleroom in this Forum at a very, very fair price.

    back.jpg

     

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    The type with the 'stepped' swastika. This particular WB came with a medal bar obtained many years ago. Nothing on the bar to suggest the recipiant was in the the 'LC' so no help there.

     

    Gordon.. A very nice badge. I must remember to look in at the sale room a little more often! ;)

     

     

    39_1st_pat..wb..fr.jpg

     

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    I don't trust this theory of LC wounded badge or prototype. I think that the badge was instituted on the base of the WW1 design, and in some cases manufactured with ww1 badges. Of course, the first guys entitled to be awarded this badge were the LC members wounded in Spain. the badge was mass manufactured because period pics showing it worn are common. the first wounded during the war (Poland, Francere, etc..)received it before the manufacture of the 1940 model. Moreover this badge was delivered later , all along the war ( stocks remaining). I suppose that the Chancellery asked for new designs at the beginning of the war to reward the soldiers with new badges. just my two cents.

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    Some nice badges. :jumping: For now I will go with the one manufacture theory of the 1936.If only one was awarded why make thousands?Why not just make a run with a few hundred?One thing I know for sure...We

    need some more books on this badge.1939 first type

    don

    39_1_s.JPG

     

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    Guest Rick Research

    Just ONCE, many eons ago, I saw one of these with the swastika IMPRESSED down INTO the helmet, not raised up.

    Has anyone else ever seen one like that?

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    well....

    i had a LONG conversation with Dr. Hamelman

    today regarding his book, and specifically

    regarding the Legion Condor wound badge.

    he is quite certain that there was only one manufacturer

    of this award, however he was unable to be as specific

    as to the source of the information ("... i wrote that, what?

    20-some years ago???...").

    he thought that it was either from a citation in

    Hessenthal und Schreiber, or from a conversation

    with Dr. Kleitman, with whom he was well-acquainted.

    at any rate, having known Dr. Hamelman for a number of

    years, i am comfortable at rating this information as having

    a high probability of accuracy.

    quite frankly, he has probably forgotten more than i will

    ever know....

    hope this helps.

    joe

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    Hi Joe,

    Thanks for the follow up.

    I have no problem in accepting the suggestion of only one maker for the issues to the Legion Condor with more coming later as war erupted. I was more interested in how it was ascertained that the type shown in the book was the Legion Condor type as opposed to any other type with a flush swas.

    Possibly an attributed original group with this type in it ? Who knows, but it would be good to tie down firm evidence of this specific type being the Legion Condor badge through first generation evidence.

    Maybe some day

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    the other part of previous conversations with Hamelman

    revolve around the actual LC wound badge: they are

    specific, and as stated in his book. he has one which i

    have seen, and it's kind of like when you see your

    first bentley/ferrari/maserati.

    it sticks out like a sore thumb!

    i'll see if i can get a picture.

    joe

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    • 2 years later...

    don-

    i've been harping about it for two years...

    he just moves kinda' s l o w....

    i'll keep you posted.

    joe

    Has any more information been discovered on the subject of Condor WBs and Joe have you been able to get any pics of Dr. Hamelman's Condor WB?

    The reason I ask is - I was sifting through and checking/measuring/weighing my type 1 WB's recently and found that 1 of them has very different characteristics to the others; specifically the characteristics conform to those described by William Hamelman in his book "German Wound Badge" i.e. the Swaz being - high with sharply defined 90 degree edges and "flush" with the surface of the helmet, also the measurements of the WB are 99.9 % identical to the Condor WB described in the book.

    Thus to my questions:

    1. Are the details described in Dr. William Hamelmans book considered to be correct?

    2. Are there any other specific details/characteristics of a true Condor WB that "define"/separate them from the 1st type WB's?

    Mike

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