This is the so-called 2nd Type manufactured by C.E. Juncker Berlin. Non-ferrous metal fire-gilded with polished edges. Reverse side with a round recess for the needle hook, wide gilded needle, burnished iron plate, fastened in the center with a small round-head rivet, with the suspension hook above it. Worn piece in good condition. Complete in matching presentation case, interior with black velvet inlay and white silk lining, magnetic snap closure and hinges.
Furthermore, the following documents:
Award certificate for the Medal for the Winter Battle in the East, issued August 12, 1942.
Certificate of ownership for the Infantry Assault Badge in Silver, issued November 9, 1942, with original signature “Hesse” Colonel (special employment) and Regimental Commander.
Certificate of ownership for the Wound Badge in Black, issued February 13, 1943.
Certificate of ownership for the 1st Grade of the Close Combat Clasp for 15 days of close combat, issued September 16, 1943 with original signature “Vogelsang” Lieutenant Colonel and Regimental Commander.
Certificate of ownership for the Wound Badge in Silver for 3 wounds, issued January 12, 1944.
Certificate of ownership for the III. Grade of the Close Combat Clasp for 50 days of close combat, issued October 31, 1944, with original signature Major and Regimental Commander.
Identity card for trench fighters, issued October 1, 1944 with signature Captain and Battalion Commander of 1st Company Grenadier Regiment 505.
3 insert sheets for the Soldbuch with a total of 57 (!) confirmed days of close combat from the period August 29, 1941 to August 18, 1944, all Russian Campaign, stamped and confirmed by the respective Company Commander or Company Leader.
Discharge certificate from American prisoner of war captivity, dated May 24, 1945.
Replacement certificate regarding the award of the Iron Cross II. Class 1942, Iron Cross I. Class 1943, German Cross in Gold 1945, issued by the City of Stolberg, September 20, 1966.
Certificate of service period for service from October 31, 1944 in 1st Company/Grenadier Regiment 505, issued by the Federal Archives, dated April 21, 1966, with cover letter.
Furthermore, the military passport, Soldbuch and military service record of the father from World War I.

Mathias Klaes, born March 20, 1918 in Eschweiler, belongs to the 619 recipients of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold, arguably the highest bravery decoration of the German Army. Klaes is listed in the reference book by Manfred Dörr “Die Träger der Nahkampfspange in Gold” on page 248. Klaes was among the 83 soldiers who received their Close Combat Clasps in Gold on December 12, 1944 from Reichsführer-SS H. Himmler in the town hall of Ulm.

Infantry Regiment 505 was established on February 6, 1940 at the Arys training ground in East Prussia. Together with the also established Infantry Regiments 504 and 506, Infantry Regiment 505 belonged to the 291st Infantry Division.

In mid-May 1940, rail transport to Aachen took place. From there, the regiment marched via Laon to the Aisne south of Chamouille. During the second phase of the French Campaign, the regiment had to advance against the most stubborn resistance at the Oise-Aisne. Despite heavy losses, the regimental commander was wounded, a battalion commander was killed, IR 505 succeeded in forming a bridgehead on the opposite bank. After these heavy battles, the regiment participated in the division's advance via Fismus to the Marne. From here it continued fighting via Aube, Seine, Yonne, Loire to the Bourges area.

After the French Campaign, the regiment was transferred with the division to the East. At the beginning of the Russian Campaign, the regiment advanced on the left flank of the Eastern Army along the coast. On the first day of advance, 70 km (!) were covered. After the march through the Baltic region and the battle for Reval, the regiment advanced west of Peterhof to the Baltic Sea. The regiment stood deep in the Soviet defensive position near Leningrad when the order to halt came. In winter 1941/42 it came to the Volkhov Front and then participated in the battle in spring.

Throughout 1942, the regiment was stationed with the division on the Volkhov Front and participated in November in the offensive battles at Velikiye Luki. Later the regiment stood in heavy fighting at Novo Sokolniki and Nevel. At this time, the regiment still had a total strength of 14 officers and 244 non-commissioned officers and enlisted men.

In late summer 1943, the regiment participated in the southern sector in the Battle of Kiev. From there it went via Korosten, Rovno, Pripyat region, Shepetovka, Vinnitsa to Chernivtsi. Then followed the battle for the Hube Pocket at Kamenets-Podolsk. 1944 saw retreat battles to the Vistula, the defense in the mountainous terrain of Lysa Gora and at Kielce.

At the beginning of the Russian major offensive on January 12, 1945, the regiment stood at the Baranow bridgehead and was completely annihilated by the Red Army by January 23, 1945.

397171

Close Combat Clasp in Gold: Estate from the possession of Staff Lance Corporal Mathias Klaes, 1st Company/Grenadier Regiment No. 505

The Close Combat Clasp in Gold, officially designated as Grade III, ranks among the most exceptional valor decorations awarded by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War. Instituted on 25 November 1942 by Adolf Hitler through official decree, it was intended to recognize the most brutal forms of military combat: direct hand-to-hand fighting on the battlefields of the Eastern Front, where warfare had assumed increasingly merciless characteristics.

The present example represents the so-called Type 2 presentation version, manufactured by the renowned Berlin firm C.E. Juncker. This presentation variant differed markedly from regular issue pieces: constructed from fire-gilded tombac (non-ferrous metal) with polished edges and equipped with a more elaborate attachment system. The reverse shows a round recess for the needle hook, a wide gilded needle, and a blackened iron plate fastened with a small round-head rivet. These high-quality presentation versions were first awarded at the major ceremony on 12 December 1944 in Ulm City Hall.

The design of the Close Combat Clasp came from military artist Wilhelm Ernst Peekhaus of Berlin, whose signatures typically appear on the reverse as “FEC. W.E. PEEKHAUS BERLIN,” where “FEC.” represents the Latin “Fecit” (made by). The obverse displays the Wehrmacht eagle with swastika in its talons above crossed bayonet and stick grenade (Model 24 grenade and K98 bayonet), flanked by oak leaves and acorns with a sunburst ray effect. The slightly curved clasp measures 9.7 cm in length by 2.6 cm in height.

Award criteria were extraordinarily stringent. Close combat was defined as man-to-man fighting using bayonets, grenades, pistols, rifles, entrenching tools, or rifle butts at distances under 25 meters, with each qualifying day requiring at least three hours of continuous close-quarters engagement. The Bronze class was awarded for 15 close combat days, the Silver class for 25 to 30 days (sources vary on this figure), and the Gold class for 50 or more days. Severely wounded soldiers qualified under reduced requirements of 10, 20, and 40 days respectively. Combat days were counted from 1 December 1942 but could be retroactively credited for Eastern Front veterans back to 1 June 1941, with prior Eastern Front service assessed in blocks: 8 months equaled 5 days, 12 months equaled 10 days, 15 months equaled 15 days.

Of the estimated 18 to 20 million Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS soldiers, the Bronze class was awarded approximately 36,400 to 37,000 times, and the Silver class approximately 9,500 to 10,000 times. The Gold class reached only a tiny elite: the most commonly cited figure is 631 awards. The first Gold class ceremony occurred on 27 August 1944, when Hitler personally decorated 14 soldiers at Führer Headquarters. From 26 March 1944, Hitler had reserved the right to personally present the Gold class; later, Hitler, Himmler as Commander of the Replacement Army, and Guderian as Chief of the Army General Staff shared this authority.

The most significant ceremony took place on 12 December 1944 in Ulm City Hall, where Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler presented the Gold clasp to 83 soldiers, including Stabsgefreiter Mathias Klaes of the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Regiment 505. Klaes, born 20 March 1918 in Eschweiler, had accumulated 57 certified close combat days during the period from 29 August 1941 to 18 August 1944, all during the Russian campaign. He is listed on page 248 of the standard reference work by Manfred Dörr, “Die Träger der Nahkampfspange in Gold,” which cites 619 recipients. Additional ceremonies included presentations by Hitler on 5 September 1944, by Himmler on 23 October 1944 at Führer Headquarters to 7 recipients, on 16 February 1945 at Bernau to 16 recipients, and by Guderian on 10 March 1945.

Among Gold class recipients, 522 belonged to the Heer (Army), 126 to the Waffen-SS, and 7 to the Luftwaffe. The highest known number of close combat days was achieved by SS-Hauptscharführer Hermann Maringgele with 84 days, followed by Major Georg Wenzelburger with 78 days. The clasp enjoyed higher prestige among German infantrymen than the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and at military receptions, Gold clasp wearers held salute precedence even over Knight's Cross holders. From 30 August 1944, Gold class recipients automatically received the German Cross in Gold, and from 8 October 1944, an additional 21 days special leave. Ninety-eight Gold class recipients also received the Knight's Cross.

After 1945, the Federal Republic of Germany initially banned wearing of Nazi-era awards. The law of 26 July 1957 permitted veterans to wear the Close Combat Clasp in denazified form, with the eagle and swastika removed. Bundeswehr members wore small replicas on field grey ribbon bars. These regulations remained in effect after reunification in 1990, while original versions bearing Nazi symbols remain prohibited from public display. The Close Combat Clasp served as a model for the GSG 9 (German Federal Police special unit) activity badge and influenced the design of the U.S. Army Combat Action Badge.