WWII German Army General Assault badge with an eagle on an oak leaf wreath acquired by a US soldier
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 2.125 inches (5.398 cm) | Width: 1.625 inches (4.128 cm) | Depth: 0.250 inches (0.635 cm)
Creator(s)
- Ernst Peekhaus Company (Designer)
- Harold B. Goldberg (Subject)
Biographical History
Harold B. Goldberg (1922-2011) was born in Brooklyn, New York to Samuel and Rose Goldberg. Samuel and Rose were born in Russia and immigrated to the United States before the birth of their children. Samuel worked as a presser in a tailor shop. Harold had six siblings and the family spoke Yiddish and English at home. As a young adult Harold worked as a mail carrier and attended City College in New York. On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The following day the United States declared war on Japan, and on December 11, Germany declared war on the United States. On October 31, 1942 Harold was drafted into the U.S. military. He entered the army on October 31, 1942 as a private, and received serial number 32613738. He served in Europe until the end of the war. Harold then returned home to New York where he married his wife Rita in 1952. The family lived in New York for the rest of their lives.
Archival History
The pin was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 by the family of Harold Goldberg.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the family of Harold Goldberg
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
Wehrmacht General Assault badge with the cutout of an eagle with retracted wings on an oak leaf wreath brought back from the war by Harold Goldberg, an American soldier who served in Europe, circa 1945-1946, during and after World War II. The badge was instituted by General von Brauchitsch on June 1, 1940, as an award for soldiers who took part in 3 separate combat actions on different days, and was not eligible for infantry or armored assault badges.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Oval, silver colored badge, possibly steel, in the shape of an oak leaved wreath with acorns, with a cutout Wehrmacht-style eagle with folded wings in the center. The right facing eagle has textured feathers and grasps a swastika in its talons. Below the swastika and overlapping the wreath is a cutout stick grenade with a swastika crossed by a rifle bayonet, tip leftward. The solid, flat back has a vertical straight pin for a missing catch.
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
- Jewish soldiers--United States--Biography.
- Soldiers--United States--Biography.
- Souvenirs (Keepsakes)--Soldiers--United States--Biography.
Genre
- Military Insignia
- Object