Heer Clasp Luftwaffe Clasp Kriegsmarine Clasp Honor Award IndexBack to the Index Wehrmacht-Awards Wehrmacht-Awards.com Index

Jaques Caldero and Sebastián Bianchi

 

With the invasion of the Soviet Union, Hitler instituted the “Honor Roll of the German Army”, which was to record honorable and heroic deeds performed by members of this branch of the German military institution.  However, no outward representation of entry in the roll existed until late in the war, namely January 1, 1944, when Hitler introduced the “Honor Roll Clasp of the German Army and Waffen SS”. 

Manufacturing and Technical information

The Honor Clasp of the German Army was a gilded wreath of Oak Leaves with a ribbon tied at its base and a square swastika as a center feature.  The oak leaves are made up of individual bunches, and taper off toward the top where they meet with a single oak leaf.  The ribbon that unites the wreaths at the base of the clasp is full, and has a width of 21mm.    

The swastika that takes up the center of the badge is of the non-mobile type (it is not on its edges), and has a small indentation running throughout.  The clasp has two variations here as it could be made from one single strike, or the swastika could be of a different strike and soldered on.  The difference in the final product is minimal, but one may be able to discern the two by carefully examining the point at which the swastika and the wreath meet.

The reverse of the clasp is the imprint of the obverse, with 4 pins which facilitate the attachment to the  ribbon. 

The Measurements are as follows,

• Whole Clasp Across – 24.5mm

• From base to tip – 26mm

• Widest wreath point – 5mm

Presentation, Wear and Documents

The badge was presented in a small black box with a white satin lid.  It was presented on an Iron Cross 2^nd Class ribbon, with this ribbon folded underneath the base. 

Regulations called for this clasp to be worn on the second buttonhole of the tunic, on the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2^nd Class.  Even though the swastika is not mobile in the award, the method of wear makes it look like it is a mobile swastika (because it is slanted on the ribbon).  If the recipient held the 1939 Iron Cross bar to the Iron Cross 2^nd Class 1914, only the Honor Roll Clasp was worn.

A paper certificate was issued with the Clasp, and the proper annotations were recorded into the individuals’ file.

Below is Hauptsturmführer Willi Hein of the SS Pz. Rgt. 5 "Wiking". He received the Knights Cross on May 3, 1944, after receiving the Ehrenblattspange on November 15, 1943.  He wears this last mentioned decoration on according to regulation the buttonhole of its crossed tunic in this photo taken in 1944.

The badge was presented in a small black box with a white satin lid.  It was presented on a Iron Cross 2^nd Class ribbon, with this ribbon folded underneath the base. 

Regulations called for this clasp to be worn on the second buttonhole of the tunic, on the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2^nd Class.  Even though the swastika is none mobile in the award, the method of wear makes it look it is mobile swastika (because it is slanted on the ribbon).  If the recipient held the 1939 Iron Cross bar to the Iron Cross 2^nd Class 1914, only the Honor Roll Clasp was worn.

A paper certificate was issued with the Clasp, and the proper annotations were recorded into the individuals’ file.

Award Criteria

The Clasp was to be presented to all those members of the Heer and Waffen SS who committed acts of heroism or distinguished themselves by their honorable behavior.  These acts, however, were of such of a degree that neither the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross or the German Cross could be recommended. 

A prerequisite for eligibly was that the individual be in possession of both the Iron Cross 2^nd and 1^st Class.  It is estimated that 4,556 awards of the Heer clasp were presented before the end of the war.

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