Blockade Runner Badge

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 Blockade of Germany (1939–1945). It was instituted on 1 April 1941 upon the order of Adolf Hitler and first awarded on 1 July of the same year to Hugo Olendorff.^[1]

Blockade Runner Badge Abzeichen für Blockadebrecher
Designed by Otto Placzeck
Type	Badge
Awarded for	service on warships or merchant vessels that attempted to break through the British sea blockade of Germany
Presented by	Nazi Germany
Eligibility	Military and non-military personnel
Campaign(s)	World War II
Status	Obsolete
Established	1 April 1941

Design

The badge was designed by Otto Placzeck in Berlin. It was in either tombac or zinc and featured a ship with a large German eagle grasping a swastika on its bow. Around the circumference of the badge is a chain, through which the ship is cutting.^[1] 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.^[1]