The Silver Panzer Badge was introduced on December 20th of 1939 by the order of Generaloberst von Brauchitsch.
It was to be awarded to drivers, radio operators, gunners and panzer commanders. The Bronze Panzer Badge was introduced by the order on June 1st of 1940.
It was to be awarded to crews of armored fighting vehicles other than tanks.
After June of 1943, the Silver and Bronze Panzer Badges were considered inadequate to represent long service with armored units engaged in longer battles. The basic pattern was modified to incorporate the numbers 25, 50, 75, 100 and 200 to represent a total of days in actual combat.
The criteria for the Silver Panzer Badge were:
To have taken part in 3 armored assault on 3 different days.
To have been wounded in an assault.
To have won a decoration for bravery in an assault.
Panzer Battle Badge was awarded in the following classes:
Silver Panzer Badge
Silver Panzer Badge - 25 Class
Silver Panzer Badge - 50 Class
Silver Panzer Badge - 75 Class
Silver Panzer Badge - 100 Class
Silver Panzer Badge - 200 Class (undocumented)
Bronze Panzer Badge
Bronze Panzer Badge - 25 Class
Bronze Panzer Badge - 50 Class
Bronze Panzer Badge - 75 Class
Bronze Panzer Badge - 100 Class
Bronze Panzer Badge - 200 Class (undocumented)
Wehrmacht and Waffen SS Ranks
Wehrmacht
Waffen SS
Schütze
Rifleman
SS-Schütze
Oberschütze
Chief Rifleman
SS-Oberschütze
Gefreiter
Lance Corporal Junior Cadet
SS-Sturmmann
Obergefreiter
Corporal
SS-Rottenführer
Stabsgefreiter
Staff Lance Corporal
Unteroffizer
Junior NCO
SS-Unterscharführer
Unterfeldwebel
Junior Sergeant
SS-Scharführer
Fähnrich
Officer Candidate
Feldwebel
Sergeant
SS-Oberscharführer
Oberfeldwebel
First Sergeant
SS-Hauptscharführer
Hauptfeldwebel
Chief Sergeant
SS-Stabsscharführer
Stabsfeldwebel
Staff Sergeant
SS-Sturmscharführer
Leutnant
Second Lieutenant
SS-Untersturmführer
Oberleutnant
First Lieutenant
SS-Obersturmführer
Hauptmann
Captain
SS-Hauptsturmführer
Major
Major
SS-Sturmbannführer
Obertsleutnant
Lieutenant Colonel
SS-Obersturmbannführer
Oberst
Colonel
SS-Standartenführer
Brigadier General
SS-Obeführer
Generalmajor
Major General
SS-Brigadeführer
Generalleutnant
Lieutenant-General
SS-Gruppenführer
General
General
SS-Obergruppenführer
Generaloberst
Colonel General
SS-Oberstgruppenführer
Generalfeldmarschall
General Field Marshall
Reichsführer-SS
SS-Hauptsturmführer of Aufklärungs Assault Gunner.
The tunic is a gray-green wool wraparound in the SS style. The insignia consists of a pair of standard officer collar tabs piped in silver twist cord: silver bullion runic tab and the rank tab with three diagonal metal pips and two silver stripes; embroidered wool sleeve eagle; RZM-style DAS REICH cuffband; slip on SS shoulder boards with black underlay, golden yellow piping, twin gilt pips and a gilt "A" ciphers; and loops for two badges.
SS-Hauptsturmführer of Panzerjäger.
Police-green tunic; French cuffs; twin upper pleated patch pockets and twin lower slash pockets. Insignia includes SS and police: collar tabs are police officer embroidered tabs; aluminumflat wire SS sleeve eagle; aluminum woven SS-POLIZEI DIVISION cuffband (sewnabove the French cuff); slip on SS shoulder boards with black underlay, pinkbranch piping, twin gilt metal pips and gilt metal "P" cipher forPanzerjäger; and loops for a short ribbon bar. The badges consist of anIron Cross 1st Class, General Assault Badge and Wound Badge in Silver. Thehat is a police officer's overseas cap made of gray-green wool and in theArmy-style with aluminum piping around the top and along the scallopedfront. The insignia is aluminum woven police eagle and wreath on a blackbacking. Around the waist is a black leather belt and police officer'saluminum buckle.
SS-Sturmbannführer of Panzer Grenadier.
Issue quality gray-green wool tunic with four large patch pockets and tailored dark-green wool collar. Insigniaincludes slip on shoulder boards with subdued silver-gray intertwined cords,grass-green piping, silver metal "DF" ciphers, and black underlay; aluminumwoven sleeve eagle; aluminum woven DER FÜHRER cuffband; silver twist cordpiped collar tabs with enlisted embroidered runes and four metal pips; andloops for a ribbon bar. Badges consist of the Close Combat Clasp in Silverunder the ribbon bar, Iron Cross 1st Class, Panzer Assault Badge in Bronzeand a Wound Badge in Silver. Also note the loops for a German Cross in Goldon opposite pocket. Hat is a gabardine M1943-styled cap with a singleplastic button, aluminum piping and enlisted machine-woven eagle and skullinsignia. Around the waist is a standard brown leather Army officer's beltwith metal claw buckle.
Waffen-SS Camouflaged Panzer Uniform.
The uniform is manufactured using a herring bone twill (HBT) material fashioned into the same style as the blackpanzer uniform. The material is printed in an early Oak Leaf Type Acamouflage pattern on both sides. The Autumn colors are on the exterior andthe Spring colors are on the interior; the tunic and trousers are notreversible. The interior is stenciled with a lot number and sizes whichcorrespond to the factory paperwork stenciled with the same numbers. Thisuniform was never issued and still retains some of the original sizing usedto make the material stiffer for easier cutting and sewing. The hat is aWaffen-SS Second Model Camouflaged M1943-styled Cap. This cap is constructedof a waterproof cotton duck material with an early plain tree camouflagedpattern printed on each side; Spring on the outside and Autumn on theinside. The cap is being worn with the reverse side out and has factorymachine-sewn insignia on each side. The autumn side has a bronze
colored skull and eagle on a block cut black backing to expedite production. The headphones and throat microphone are original panzer communicationsequipment. Around the waist is a black leather belt and aluminum enlisted SS buckle.
Photos and descriptions of uniforms provided by Willi Schumacher.
