The Army Mountain Guide Badge () was a
German military badge awarded to experienced ''
Gebirgsjager'' mountain guides in
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
.
An Army Mountain Guide Badge of a different design is also awarded by the current
Federal Republic of Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen constituent states have a total population of over 84 ...
.
Eligibility and appearance
The Army Mountain Guide Badge was established in August 1936. It was worn by
Gebirgsjäger
''Gebirgsjäger'' () is a German language, German military term for light infantry trained in mountain warfare. Currently used in the militaries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the term includes the word ''Jäger (military), jäger'', anot ...
troops in the German
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
who had trained as
mountain guide
A mountain guide is a specially trained and experienced professional mountaineer who is certified by local authorities or mountain guide associations. They are considered to be high-level experts in mountaineering, and are hired to instruct or ...
s and then acted as a guide for one year. The badge was not awarded after 1945.
It was an oval
tombac
Tombac, or tombak, is a brass alloy with high copper content and 5–20% zinc content. Tin, lead or arsenic may be added for colouration.
It is a cheap malleable alloy mainly used for medals, ornament, decoration and some munitions.
In older ...
-plated iron pin-back badge, measuring 51.8 mm by 42.9 mm. The centre has an
edelweiss
''Leontopodium nivale'', commonly called edelweiss () ( ; or ), is a mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family Asteraceae. The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about altitude. It is a non-toxic plant. Its leaves and f ...
flower in silver with a gilt centre, on a green enamel background. A surrounding white enamel band bears, on its lower portion, the word 'Heeresbergführer' in gothic script. The reverse is plain except for the pin fastening and, in most cases, the name of the manufacturer. In uniform, it was worn on or below the left-hand breast pocket, although it was sometimes seen worn on the right side of the jacket.
[Confirmed by contemporary photographs, e.g. of General Dietl.]
A badge of a different design was awarded in Nazi Germany to police mountain guides.
Bundeswehr version
Gebirgsjäger troops of the current German
Bundeswehr
The (, ''Federal Defence'') are the armed forces of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. The is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part consists of the four armed forces: Germ ...
who qualify as mountain guides receive an army mountain guide badge, to be worn in the middle of the right breast pocket. The badge is worn while the holder serves as a guide or on other mountaineering duties, with eligibility ceasing for those not so involved for two years. After twelve years the badge can be worn in uniform permanently, irrespective of the work undertaken.
A machine embroidered oval cloth badge, it displays an edelweiss in front of two crossed ice axes, on a green background. Surrounding this is a grey wreath with the wording
'HEERESBERGFÜHRER' on its lower portion.
See also
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Orders, decorations, and medals of Nazi Germany
Awards and decorations of Nazi Germany were military, political, and civilian decorations that were bestowed between 1923 and 1945, first by the Nazi Party and later the state of Nazi Germany.
The first awards began in the 1920s, before the Nazis ...
*
Gebirgsjäger
''Gebirgsjäger'' () is a German language, German military term for light infantry trained in mountain warfare. Currently used in the militaries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the term includes the word ''Jäger (military), jäger'', anot ...
References
Sources
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{{List of military decorations of the Third Reich , state=collapsed
Military awards and decorations of Nazi Germany
Awards established in 1936
1936 establishments in Germany
Mountain warfare
