✚7362✚ German post WW2 1957 pattern Heer Driver Proficiency Badge Bronze SOUVAL

Original German Driver Proficiency Badge - post WW2 / 1957 pattern, NICE CONDITION - INTACT PRONGS, GOOD FINISH (SOUVAL MADE POST WW2 EXAMPLE)

FEW FACTS ABOUT 1957 PATTERN AWARDS:

In 1957 the West German government authorised replacement Iron Crosses with an Oak Leaf Cluster in place of the swastika, similar to the Iron Crosses of 1813, 1870, and 1914, which could be worn by World War II Iron Cross recipients. The 1957 law also authorised de-Nazified versions of most other World War II–era decorations (except those specifically associated with Nazi Party organizations, such as SS Long Service medals, or with the expansion of the German Reich, such as the medals for the annexation of Austria, the Sudetenland, and the Memel region). The main government contract to manufacture and supply these new de-nazified WW2 1957 official decorations went to the world famous German firm Steinhauer & Lueck, Luedenscheid Germany. Knights Crosses, Iron Crosses , Wound Badges, Tank Assault Badges etc were re-designed by Steinhauer & Lück - often with the oak-leaf spray replacing the swastika, with S&L having the sole patent rights to all WW2 1957 German decorations. Also WW1 pattern awards were manufactured as well. S&L did not have the whole monopoly on medal making, other famous firms such as Deschler & Sohn, BH Maher and Juncker also manufactured these new German decorations. Lüdenscheid is situated between the cities Dortmund and Bonn. It was here that one of the youngest medal firms was founded in 1889 by August Steinhauer and Gustav Adolf Lück. The first production began in a cellar, the customer base continued to increase. A property was bought at 51 Hochstrasse which is still home for this famous company today. During WW2 Steinhauer & Lück produced medals and badges, like the famous Knights Cross and many other types of medals and badges. In 1957 this company was awarded the contract to produce all the newly re-designed legal WW2 1957 de-nazified decorations, plus the contract to manufacture all of Germany's official decorations including Germany's highest order the Bundesverdienstkreuz. Only a very limited number of original WW2 1957 medals are still produced, mainly Iron Crosses, German Cross Gold & Silver & Wound Badges and are considered 100% genuine by the German Government. 

HISTORY OF THE AWARD:

Heer Driver Proficiency Badge - This badge has its roots in the drastic developments that motorized warfare underwent in the years prior to World War II, and the fact that highly mobile forces became of vital strategic importance in the success of  the Wehrmacht (and all armies involved in the war). The badge was created to recognize both civilian and military drivers who distinguished themselves during combat and who took exceptional care in maintaining their vehicles under the most harsh of conditions.  The "Kraftfahrbewährungsabzeichen" was instituted in three grades (Bronze, Silver, Gold) on the 23rd of October 1942 and was made retroactive to 01.12.1940. The design of the badge was created by a Waffen-SS enlisted man, and it is rather unusual for a Third Reich decoration in that there is no Swastika to be found on the badge.  The design of the badge is simple and consists only of a steering wheel surrounded by laurel leaves.  It was presented affixed to a piece of cloth, round or even diamond shaped, in the basic color of the uniform (black, green, blue, etc).  The badge is always hollow stamped and is manufactured in either iron or zinc (late war pieces are made from zinc).  After it was stamped, the correct finish was applied. The badge was worn in the middle of the lower left arm sleeve of the uniform.  Whenever there was a so called drivers distinction (Armeltätigkeitsabzeichen) it had to be worn 2 cm above this distinction. An award document accompanied the badge and these can vary from from very nice preprinted examples towards machine typed field documents.  An award notification was made in the persons papers such as Wehrpass and Soldbuch. In the case of a military award the badge was rendered by the unit commanding Office, for civilians the badge was authorized by the Minister of the Interior. The service areas where strictly described for award of this badge and were as follows: I) Service from 01.12.1940 in the following areas; Occupied Yugoslavia, Greece, Bulgaria, Rumania, Areas to the north of the old Russian border (before the attachment from the Baltic states to the USSR), Finland, Norway (north of the Polar circle or in Lappland), Africa. II) Merit in the above mentioned areas under hard conditions, and these are further specified as follow: Motorcycle dispatcher: 90 days of service, drivers from armed vehicles : 120 days of service, drivers from miscellaneous vehicles : 150 days of service (especially close to the fighting forces such as staff drivers), drivers from supply vehicles: 165 days of service, drivers attached to different commando units of the Wehrmacht: 185 days of service. The following candidates were eligible for the badge : drivers attached to the Wehrmacht (any branch), drivers (non Wehrmacht personnel) who provided service for the Wehrmacht. Foreign volunteers could were awarded this badge, but allied troops where excluded.  Posthumous awards where not allowed. With the date of 09.03.1944 the Oberkommando des Heeres added further operational areas to the award criteria as follows: from 01.06.1943: Sicily, from 01.07.1943: Sardinië and Korsika, from 01.08.1943: the Italian half isle south from the line Ancona - Piombino, from 09.09.1943: Albania. Another expansion of the operational areas was made by the Oberkommando des Heeres on 16.05.1944: from 01.02.1944 : all the backwards area's from Heeresgruppe Nord im Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. The last expansion was made public on 23.09.1944, again by the OdH from 01.06.1944 : all the backwards areas on al fronts as been approved by Heeresgruppen Befehl. Exceptions could be made for the required service time providing the nature of the service rendered was exceptional noteworthy or under extremely difficult terrain or climate conditions.  Once a person qualified for the badge he was expected to maintain the level of performance, any driving conviction or vehicle neglect would result in the award being withdrawn.