This insignia, though little hard information is known about it, was covered in the wartime German press so is known to have actually been issued. A few rare award documents have also been encountered. The badge was issued to those in the U-Boat construction industry who had made a particularly significant contribution to the construction programme. It exsists in two forms, bronze as shown above, and in a light white metal alloy. These differences did not indicate a grading system, but were simply due to the availablity of different metals for their manufacture.

 

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Frontreif Badge

 

Little is known about this badge. Its manufacture, finish, fittings etc are correct for the period as is the design, which is encountered in wartime photographs as being painted on the conning towers of U-Boats undergoing final trials before being declared ready for front line service (Frontreif). No photographic evidence of it being worn has been found, nor have any period documentary references yet been discovered,, so the badge remains somewhat of an enigma.

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Zivilnadel

 

 

Another mystery piece, this badge has been described by some as the "Zivilnadel" of the U-Boat service, to be worn with civilian clothes. It should also be pointed out that other service branches had pins to be worn by civilian auxiliaries serving with that particular branch, so a precedence exists for such a pin. The piece is clearly based on the national emblem found on the early Schwerin type U-Boat badge and is struck in tombak and fire gilded. It bears a maker mark on the reverse.

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