Original Items: Only One Available. This is an excellent condition Silver Grade General Assault Badge (Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen in Silber) with a Solid Back and functional pin. The badge measures approximately 2 1/8" x 1 5/8", and is in very good condition. Unlike most that we have seen, this example still has more than 90% of the original silvering intact, and is very attractive! Usually most of the plating flakes off, showing the zinc alloy base, but that has not happened to this example. There is just a bit of plating loss on the head of the grenade, and on some raised areas.

The semi-hollow back has a very nice steel pin and brass hinge, which lock into a hook. There is a very small box marked with LDO number L/53 on the back, which represents Hymmen & Co. of Lüdenscheid, a city with a large garment accessories industry. The The LDO, (Leistungs Gemeinschaft der Deutscher Ordenshersteller - Administration of German orders Manufacturers), was a self-governing organization formed in 1941 which regulated the manufacturing of all German awards. The firm Hymmen & Co. was fully licensed in the organization, entry number 53.

An excellent maker marked example, ready to add to your collection!

The General Assault Badge (German: Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen) was a military decoration awarded during World War II to personnel of the German Army, Waffen-SS and Ordnungspolizei (order police) who supported an infantry attack but were not part of specific infantry units and therefore did not qualify for the Infantry Assault Badge. It was instituted by General Walther von Brauchitsch on 1 June 1940.

Design
The decoration, designed by the Berlin-based firm of Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus, was an oval disk that measured 5.3 cm (2 in) by 4.2 cm (2 in) by .6 cm (0 in) wide. A wreath of five oak leaves runs around the circumference on each side of the medal with a pair of acorns at the base. Inside the wreath is a large Wehrmacht-style eagle with folded wings grasping a swas which itself surmounts a crossed bayonet and stick grenade. The medal was held in place on the uniform with a pin and catch.

From 22 June 1943, the medal was adapted with a small plate at the base with either 25, 50, 75 or 100 to recognize those soldiers that had taken part in numerous attacks. These were known as grades II through IV, accordingly. On the Class IV badge, the oak leaves which run around the circumference on each side of the medal, along with the bayonet and hand grenade were larger in size. Further the wreath was gold in color.

Criteria for award
The medal was originally designed for presentation to combat engineers, as well as members of the artillery, anti-aircraft and anti-tank who supported infantry units in combat. It could also be awarded to medical personnel attending to battlefield casualties in "close combat conditions". Prior to the introduction of the Tank Destruction Badge, the General Assault Badge could be conferred for the single-handed destruction of tanks or armored vehicles.

Other determining factors for award:
- Ineligibility for the Infantry Assault Badge
- Participation in three infantry or armored attacks on three different days; or
- Participation in three infantry or armored indirect assaults on three different days.