Status Obsolete | Established 1 April, 1941 | |
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Eligibility Military and non-military personnel Awarded for service on warships or merchant vessels that attempted to break through the British sea blockade of Germany | ||
The Blockade Runner Badge or the Badge for Blockade Runners (German: Abzeichen für Blockadebrecher) was a World War II German military decoration awarded for service on warships or merchant vessels that attempted to break through the British sea blockade of Germany. It was instituted on 1 April, 1941 and first awarded on 1 July of the same year.
Design
The badge was designed by Otto Placzeck in Berlin. It was in either tombac or zinc and featured a ship with a large eagle grasping a swastika on its bow. Around the circumference of the badge is a chain, through which the ship is cutting. The eagle was silvered whilst the rest of the badge was a dark gray colour.
The badge was worn on the left breast pocket of the uniform. A smaller half-size version was awarded for use by civilians and members of the merchant marine.