Original German WWII Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger Paratrooper Cloth Badge – Parachutist Badge Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The Parachutist Badge (Fallschirmschützenabzeichen) was a badge awarded to qualified parachutists of the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS of NSDAP Germany. The badge was first established by order of Hermann Göring on 5 November 1936. It was originally awarded to Luftwaffe personnel after completion of the required number of six jumps. After this they were eligible to become a Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper).

The badge depicted a diving eagle with a swas in its claws surrounded by a silver wreath. The original construction was made of “gold-finished bronze” for the eagle and “oxidized silver plate” for the laurel leaves. In 1937, the construction of the badge changed to aluminium. In late 1942, the construction was changed again to a metal alloy. A cloth version of the badge was also authorized in 1937, to be worn on a flight jacket. A recipient had to re-qualify for the badge each year.

This is a very nice example of the Luftwaffe jacket version, made of blue-gray wool with gold and silver embroidery.  The badge measures 2.5″H x 2″W, and is in very good condition. There is a bit of moth nipping around the edges, but otherwise it is unissued. It does not appear to have been ever attached to a uniform. The colors remain nice and bright, and it will make a colorful addition to any collection.

Fallschirmjäger (often written Fallschirmjaeger in English; is from the German Fallschirm “parachute” and Jäger, the light elite infantry of the Prussian army) were German paratroopers. Fallschirmjäger of Germany in World War II, were the first to be committed in large-scale airborne operations. They came to be known as the “Green Devils” by the Allied forces they fought against and were some of the best trained most lethal troops of the German war machine.