Driving license badge

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Driving license badge from left to right: bronze, silver with an additional 16 mm pin and gold. Fabric reserve new production.

The motor vehicle probation badge was a probation badge of the Wehrmacht in World War II and was donated by Adolf Hitler by ordinance of October 23, 1942 . It primarily served to recognize the drivers who had been tried and tested in the war, but it was also intended to encourage the drivers to take care of their vehicles.

Background to the creation of this award

In the winter of 1941/1942, the OKH felt compelled to create an award that was previously given in order to be able to take into account the enormously increased stress on drivers, especially after the start of the war against the Soviet Union (see the Barbarossa case ) had not thought.

It is no longer possible to clarify who ultimately had the first idea for the creation. Hitler commissioned SS-Oberführer Werlin to draw up a corresponding badge from Himmler's personal staff . Himmler found out about this and, independently of Hitler's instructions, commissioned Werlin to design his own "SS driving license badge" for the Waffen SS . This should then be presented at the same time as the badge commissioned by Hitler. A few weeks later, in the spring of 1942, Werlin finally handed both drafts over to Lieutenant General Rudolf Schmundt with a request to submit them to Hitler. As expected, due to the rivalry between the Army and the Waffen-SS, the introduction of a separate SS motor vehicle license badge met with broad rejection from the army command. In the weeks that followed, Himmler therefore made several unsuccessful attempts through intermediaries to get Hitler to get the "SS driving license badge". It is not known why he did not appear personally to Hitler on this matter. Ultimately, Hitler opted for a uniform driving license badge. It is worth noting that although the badge was designed by a member of the Waffen SS, it did not contain a swastika .

stages

The award was presented in three stages:

Appearance

The round driving license badge is framed by an oak leaf on the left and right. In the middle there is a stylized truck steering wheel ( Opel Blitz ), which is supposed to reflect the symbol of the driver. The rather simple design was mostly punched from sheet iron and has four cotter pins on the rear, to which a round counter plate, also made of sheet iron, could be attached. A piece of fabric was usually stretched between the two plates so that the badge could be sewn onto the uniform. An embroidered version of the driving license badge was not created.

Award terms

Requirements for the award of the driving license badge were:

  • b) Probation in the above areas under particularly difficult conditions:
    • as a motorcycle reporter on 90 days
    • as a driver of combat vehicles for 120 days
    • as a driver of motor vehicles of the hawser I on 135 days
    • as a driver of vehicles of the command and support staff and Trose II for 150 days
    • as a driver of vehicles for the supply forces on 165 days of action

On March 9, 1944, the OKH decreed an expansion of the areas authorized to lend.

The softening of the initially narrowly spaced award rooms finally collapsed as a result of the worsening "final battle" from June 1944 onwards. Thus, from September 23, 1944, the OKH was able to count towards all rear army areas on all fronts.

In the case of difficult accommodation and maintenance conditions, the days of use were for example:

  • Trips under enemy influence / enemy fire
  • particularly large daily outputs on the roadway
  • particularly difficult road conditions
  • Driving under unusually harsh climatic conditions

The badge in bronze was awarded for the above conditions, the badge in silver for double fulfillment and gold for triple fulfillment. The award of the next higher level required the repeated fulfillment of the required conditions. Incidentally, when acquiring a higher level, the previous level had to be taken. But it remained in the possession of the borrower.

Withdrawal of the driving license badge

A truck driver (caterpillar tractor) in southern Russia

The driver's license badge could also be withdrawn from the wearer later. The reasons for this were:

  • a) proven negligent vehicle care, maintenance and driving style that has led to premature material wear
  • b) a self-inflicted accident caused by careless and careless handling of a motor vehicle
  • c) in the event of punishment for exceeding the prescribed maximum speed limits

The driving license badge could be awarded again after a withdrawal, but at the earliest after 6 months of accident-free driving and in the lowest level.

Award-worthiness

The driving license badge could be awarded to:

  • a) Wehrmacht drivers
  • b) Motorists (non-members of the armed forces) who are subordinate to the armed forces
  • c) Motorists (non-armed forces) who are deployed in the occupied territories
  • d) Foreign volunteers sworn in on Adolf Hitler and fighting in the framework of or in associations of the German Wehrmacht
  • e) Volunteers from foreign tribes from the occupied eastern territories - including released prisoners of war, insofar as they were under the command of the Wehrmacht and fought.

A loan to members of the Wehrmacht of allied (e.g. Romanian soldiers) or friendly countries (e.g. Spanish soldiers) was not permitted.

Grant authorization

Persons entitled to lend were:

  • a) to drivers of the Wehrmacht, the superiors of the drivers from the battalion commander upwards
  • b) to drivers (non-armed forces members) - who are subordinate to the armed forces -, the regimental etc. commanders or independent battalion commanders etc. and upwards. This group of people also determined the countable days of work.
  • c) to drivers (non-members of the armed forces) - who have been deployed in areas occupied by the armed forces - the awarding offices to be determined by the minister of state and head of the presidential chancellery.

Carrying method

Correct way of wearing the badge on the left lower sleeve of the tunic (soldier in the middle)

The driving license badge could be worn with all uniforms of the party (including its branches and affiliated associations) and the state. The badge itself was worn in the middle of the left forearm on the tunic. A reduced form as a needle on the left cloak of the skirt was allowed to wear for civilian clothing.

literature

  • Heinrich Doehle : The awards of the Greater German Reich. Orders, decorations, badges. 4th edition. Berliner Buch- und Zeitschriften-Verlag, Berlin 1943, pp. 109–110 (reprint. Melchior-Verlag, Wolfenbüttel 2008, ISBN 978-3-939791-93-5 ).
  • Reinhard Frank: Wehrmacht trucks. German and captured wheeled vehicles in action. Technology - painting - badges - accessories. History and organization of the supply troops. K. Müller, Erlangen 2001, ISBN 3-86070-859-7 .
  • Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann : Awards of the German Empire. 1936-1945. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-87943-689-4 .
  • Rolf Michaelis : German war awards 1939–1945. Army · Waffen-SS · Police. Dörfler Verlag GmbH, 2002, ISBN 978-3-89555-691-3 .

Individual evidence

  • Ordinance on the foundation of the driving license badge of October 23, 1942, RGBl. Part I, p. 631.
  • General Army Communication 1942, 27th edition, p. 545, item 977.
  • Marine Ordinance Sheet 1942, Issue 37, p. 1020, item 922.