Panzertruppenabzeichen der Legion Condor

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__NOTOC__ The Condor Legion Tank Badge () was a German military decoration awarded to tank crews who served with the German

Condor Legion The Condor Legion (german: Legion Condor) was a unit composed of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany, which served with the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legio ...

during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...

, 1936–1939.

Eligibility

The Condor Legion was established in July 1936 to provide direct military support to the

Nationalists Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...

during the Spanish Civil War. The Legion, consisting of members of the German

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...

, included armoured units equipped with

Panzer I The Panzer I was a light tank produced in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Its name is short for (German for "armored fighting vehicle mark I"), abbreviated as . The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was ''Sd.Kfz. 101'' ...

light tanks under the command of Colonel

Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma (11 September 1891 – 30 April 1948) was a German army officer who served in World War I, in the Spanish Civil War, and as a general in World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Th ...

. The Legion continued to serve in Spain until the end of the war in April 1939. The Tank Badge was created in September 1936 by Colonel Von Thoma, and was recognised as an official award of the German state on 10 July 1939. It was awarded to tank crews who had served for at least three months in the Spanish theatre of war. Issue of the badge was discontinued in the autumn of 1939, by which time 415 had been awarded.

Design and wear

The badge consists of an oval wreath of oakleaves containing a skull and crossbones above a representation of a German

tank. The skull and crossbones were derived from the cap insignia of the tank troops of

Legion Condor The Condor Legion (german: Legion Condor) was a unit composed of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany, which served with the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legio ...

. The design is similar to the

Tank Memorial Badge The Tank Memorial Badge ( German: ''Kampfwagen-Erinnerungsabzeichen'') was a military decoration of the Weimar Republic awarded to former tank crewmen who fought in World War I. Officially known as ''Memorial Badge for former German tank crews' ...

awarded to tank crews who served in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. It was issued in both white metal and bright bronze, with a gold version presented to Colonel von Thoma in 1939 after a victory parade in Madrid to mark the end of the Civil War. The badge was worn on the left breast pocket. The wear of Nazi era awards was banned in 1945. The Condor Legion Tank Badge was not among the Nazi era awards reauthorised for official wear by the

Federal Republic of Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between ...

in 1957.

References

Sources

* * * *
Website: Lexikon der Wehrmacht: Panzertruppenabzeichen der Legion Condor (In German)

Eligibility

Design and wear

References

Sources

See also