Original German WWII Framed Machine Gun Marksmanship Lanyard Award Document – 14 1/4″ x 16 3/4″ Original Items

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Here we have a very nice and somewhat hard to find piece of German WWII Militaria: the original award document for a Marksmanship Lanyard, issued for proficiency with a Machine Gun. The document shows a soldier in the prone position behind a German MG 13 Machine gun, with an oak leaf and acorn border around the entire document. In the upper left hand corner is a Wehrmachtadler Armed Forces Eagle. The document measures 15″ x 12 1/4″, and is glazed and framed in a simple 14 1/4″ x 16 3/4″ wooden frame.

The text of the award is printed with written in particulars, and reads as follows:

Besitz=Zeugnis

Der Uffz. Heinz Peter Huppert von der 1. / Kradsch.-Btl. 1
hat im Schießjahr 1939 als Anerkennung für hervorragende Leistungen im Scheißen die
in der Schießklasse I fur 1. M.G. ausgesetzte
Schützenschnur, Stufe I
erworben, worüber ihm dieses Besitz-Zeugnis ausgefertigt wird.

This basically translates to: “Uffz. Heinz Peter Huppert from the 1st / Kradsch.-Btl. 1 has in the shooting year 1939 in recognition of his excellent performance shooting class I for 1.M.G. is allowed to wear the Marksmanship Lanyard, Grade 1, for which this certificate of ownership is issued to him.” Below this it gives the location of Langensalza and a date of 15. Nov. 1939, along with the correct stamp and signature of the Captain and Company Chief.

Definitely some great research potential here! Ready to display!

The German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency (German: Schützenschnur) is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The decoration is awarded to German military personnel of all grades but is only allowed to be worn by enlisted members. The German armed forces regulations point out that “the Schützenschnur is a decoration for weapons proficiency for enlisted soldiers.” Officers can receive the award, although it is not currently authorized to be worn on their uniforms. Foreign military members also may be awarded the badge. The German military regulation on officers still applies, permitting only enlisted members to wear the badge.

The history of the Schützenschnur dates back to the Eighty Years’ War where Spanish troops were ordered to hang any Dutch person who carried a musket. Therefore Spanish musketeers began to carry ropes which were often carried over one shoulder. Awarding a cord as a decoration began in the early 18th century in Prussia under Frederick William I of Prussia. With the reorganization of the Prussian Army under Gerhard von Scharnhorst the Schützenschnur became an official military award.

The Reichswehr and later the Wehrmacht adapted the Schützenschnur as an award for proficiency in marksmanship. The award existed in 12 different levels with different versions for infantry and armored troops. In 1957 the Bundesgrenzschutz introduced the Schützenschnur. A similar decoration existed within the East German National People’s Army and the Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic.