German Army Gold Close Combat Clasp Badge Rudolf Souval

Close Combat Clasp in Gold is an all-original example. It is struck from fine zinc. On the obverse, nearly all of the original gilt finish has faded away, which is common with these zinc pieces. The dull gray zinc shows smooth, clean surfaces and all of the crisp original detail. The reverse of this Close Combat Clasp in Gold is flat and smooth. It’s maker marked “R.S.” in raised letters, indicating manufacture by the firm of Rudolf Souval in Vienna. The hardware is textbook for wartime production by this maker, with soldered hinge and catch plates. The banjo style attachment pin is functional. The hardware still retains the gilt finish. The iron backing plate is missing as is very common with this varient. No damage at all to this piece, and no repairs. The overall condition is excellent.

The Close Combat Clasp (Nahkampfspange) was instituted on November 25, 1942, to recognize the feats of German soldiers in close quarters combat. Units with soldiers who survived hand-to-hand fights with the enemy and other extremely close-range combat actions would keep track of the dates and places of each of these battles, and soldiers who managed to make it through many of these fights became eligible for this award. Because only front-line troops with direct combat experience could earn this clasp, it was a regarded by the soldiers as a very prestigious award. The Close Combat Clasp was awarded in three grades: Bronze, for 15 close combat days; Silver, for 25 close combat days, and Gold, for 50 or more days of close combat. Hitler reserved the right to personally award the Gold Close Combat Clasp, which was widely regarded as more prestigious than even the Knight’s Cross. The total amount of these clasps awarded, in all grades, was fewer than 50,000.