Parachutist Badge (Germany)

The German Armed Forces Parachutist Badge

(German: Fallschirmspringerabzeichen or Fallschirmschtzenabzeichen) is the badge awarded to and worn by
qualied parachutists of the Armed Forces (Bundeswehr)
of the Federal Republic of Germany. The badge may also
be awarded to military service members from allied nations but its authorization and wear is subject to the recipients national uniform regulations.

Kompanie. The call went out for volunteers in early

March 1937, and on April 1st men who had passed both
the psychological and physical exams (only 7 out of each
30 volunteers passed) began arriving at the Albrecht der
Br barracks in Stendal. The army did not have a training facility of its own, thus they utilized the already established Luftwae facility at Stendal/Borstel (under Olt.
Bassange) exclusively. Actual jump training commenced
in early June 1937, and only 3 out of each 7 trainees
passed the jump course.

National-Socialist Germany

On 1 June 1938, the Fallschirm-Infanterie-Kompanie

was ocially expanded (per order HM38 No.286 dated
15 March 1938) to the Fallschim-Infanterie-Batallion. In
addition to the Nachrichten-Zug and the Pionier-Zug,
there were 4 infantry companies, the 4th being heavy
(machine guns and mortars), under Major Heidrich and
Capt. Prager. 1st Company (under Olt. von Brandis), 2nd Company (under Olt. Huebner), 3nd Company (under Lt. Pagels) and 4th Company (under Olt.
Peltz). On 4 November 1938, the Fallschirm-InfanterieBatallion moved from Stendal to their new barracks (the
Rosalies Kaserne) in Braunschweig.

The Wehrmacht's Parachutist Badge was rst established

by order of Hermann Gring on November 5, 1936. It
was originally awarded to soldiers of the Luftwae after
completion of parachute training and the required number of jumps. The badge depicted a diving eagle with a
swastika in its claws surrounded by a silver wreath. It was
worn over the left breast pocket.

The Army Paratroopers Badge (now called Fallschirmschutzenabzeichen des Heeres) was re-instituted
on 1 June 1943 with the formation of the 15th
(Fallschirmjager-) Kompanie of Brandenburg Regiment
4 (on 1 April 1943). The badge was produced Feinzink
by CE Juncker of Berlin with the same dies used to manufacturer the 2nd model badge in aluminum. Dimensions
were the same as the 2nd pattern badge in aluminum and
the weight was approximately 29.5 grams.

2 Federal Republic of Germany

Following the defeat of the Nazis in World War II, the
symbols of National Socialism were outlawed in Germany. After the creation of the Bundeswehr, wearing
of decorations and badges earned during war-time was
permitted, but only after proper "Denazication". The
German Parachutist Badge was eventually changed to its
Wehrmacht Luftwae Fallschirmschtzenabzeichen
current design in 1956, depicting a parachute falling in
the sky surrounded by a ring of oak leaves on wings. This
An army version (Fallschirmschtzen-Abzeichen des badge is worn over the right breast pocket.
Heeres) was later introduced (1 September 1937), with
the swastika relocated to the top of the wreath and sur- In the Bundeswehr the badge has three levels:
mounted by a smaller upright eagle.
Bronze: 5 Jumps, step I
On 4 October 1936 the Army ordered the institution
Silver: 20 Jumps, step II
of its own parachute company, a Fallschirm-Infanterie1

4 SEE ALSO
Gold: 50 Jumps, step III

Notable recipients (Bundeswehr

version)
John Abizaid
Keith B. Alexander (Former US NSA director)
David Barno
Monica Lin Brown
William B. Caldwell, III
William B. Caldwell, IV
George W. Casey, Jr.
Ivn Castro
Ann E. Dunwoody
Anthony Herbert (US soldier)
Michele S. Jones
Frederick Kroesen
David Petraeus
Ralph Puckett
Hugh Shelton
Je Struecker
Merdith W.B. Temple
Kenneth L. Farmer, Jr.
John C. Newsome
Joshua Wheeler

See also
Awards and decorations of the German Armed
Forces

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

5.1

Text

Parachutist Badge (Germany) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachutist_Badge_(Germany)?oldid=727378972 Contributors:

Cjrother, Apokrif, Rjwilmsi, Tim!, RussBot, SmackBot, Hmains, Djharrity, CommonsDelinker, MisterBee1966, EricSerge, Ripper44872,
Fredmdbud, MystBot, Cartermassey, Addbot, EHDI5YS, AnomieBOT, Der rikkk, D'ohBot, BenzolBot, RedBot, EmausBot, Dewritech,
Skibden, Articseahorse, DA - DP, The Flying Soda, K.e.coman and Anonymous: 14

5.2

Images

File:Balkenkreuz.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Balkenkreuz.svg License: Public domain Contributors: German Junkers Ju 52 Messerschmitt Me-262
Own work and also based on Page 49 of
Original artist: David Liuzzo
File:Bundeswehr_Kreuz_Black.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Bundeswehr_Kreuz_Black.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Online-Redaktion Heer (16.12.10). Das Eiserne Kreuz. Bundeswehr. Retrieved on 19 January 2012.
Original artist: See source
File:Fallschirmschtzenabzeichen_der_Luftwaffe.jpg
Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/
Fallschirmsch%C3%BCtzenabzeichen_der_Luftwaffe.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Ken
File:Fallschirmspringerabzeichen_der_Bundeswehr_in_Bronze.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/
b4/Fallschirmspringerabzeichen_der_Bundeswehr_in_Bronze.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: service regulations (Zentrale Dienstvorschrift) of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). Original artist: German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr)
File:Heinkel_He_111_during_the_Battle_of_Britain.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Heinkel_
He_111_during_the_Battle_of_Britain.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This is photograph MH6547 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 4700-05) Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718'
title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img
alt='wikidata:Q4233718'
src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png
1.5x,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Kriegsmarine_insignia_casco.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Kriegsmarine_insignia_casco.
svg License: Public domain Contributors: This vector image includes elements that have been taken or adapted from this:
<a href='//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heer_-_decal_for_helmet_1942.svg' class='image'><img alt='Heer - decal for helmet
1942.svg' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Heer_-_decal_for_helmet_1942.svg/16px-Heer_-_decal_
for_helmet_1942.svg.png' width='16' height='20' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Heer_-_decal_
for_helmet_1942.svg/24px-Heer_-_decal_for_helmet_1942.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/
16/Heer_-_decal_for_helmet_1942.svg/32px-Heer_-_decal_for_helmet_1942.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='360' data-le-height='450'
/></a> Heer - decal for helmet 1942.svg (by F l a n k e r). Original artist: Lancaster, F l a n k e r
File:Luftwaffe_eagle.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Luftwaffe_eagle.svg License: Public domain
Contributors: Own work Original artist: Fornax (modied by DIREKTOR)
File:Question_book-new.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Question_book-new.svg License: Cc-by-sa-3.0
Contributors:
Created from scratch in Adobe Illustrator. Based on Image:Question book.png created by User:Equazcion Original artist:
Tkgd2007
File:Schutzstaffel_SS_SVG1.1.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Schutzstaffel_SS.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Derivative work from File:Schutzstaffel SS.png Original artist: ?
File:Unbalanced_scales.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Unbalanced_scales.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

5.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0