WWI German Wound Badge and Certificate

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The German “Verwundetenabzeiche“ (Wound badge ) was instituted in March 1918, and awarded in black, silver or gold, depending on the number and severity of wounds received in combat. It could also be awarded for combat related injuries like frostbite.

This is the typical version, stamped out of steel (a magnet sticks to it) and enameled black to denote an award given for one or two wounds. It was awarded to Fredrich Rabe of the 93rd Reserve Infantry Regiment. The 93rd was part of the Guards Reserve Corps out of Berlin, was mobilized as soon as the war started in 1914 and fought till it was disbanded at the end of the war. It fought on both the Western and Eastern fronts. According to one site, the regiment would suffer about 3000 killed. That high number would have accounted for replacements over those years.

The certificate is rather crude and likely produced within the regiment. The helmet in the rendering of the wound badge insignia is particularly bad! I had to play with photoshop the last image to try to make the round purple stamp legible, so check out the first photo for the right colors. I can’t be sure of Rabe’s rank, because it’s in a period style of German cursive. The commander’s signature, done in thick pencil, is equally hard to read. What I can translate is “Ownership Certificate / the (rank? Sergeant?) Fredrich Rabe / was on 3.7.18 the black wound badge awarded / Berlin, the 22nd July 1918 / (signature) Major and (Battalion?) Commander.”

The official stamp has the Prussian eagle, and below it “RES. INF. REGT. / No 93 / ERSATZ BATAILLON” an ersatz battalion was a replacement battalion. Besides being regiment’s replacement pool, the ersatz battalion would also have a convalescent company for returned soldiers recovering from wounds before being sent back to the front. This is where Rabe apparently was awarded his badge.