Verwundetenabzeichen Schwarz Award Doc: Infanterie-Regiment 257 (83. Infanterie-Division)

An authentic wartime award document issued to Gefreiter Reuter, serving with the 12. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 257 of the 83. Infanterie-Division.

• Award: Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (Wound Badge in Black)

• Date of Wound: 29 January 1942

• Unit: 12./Infanterie-Regiment 257, 83. Infanterie-Division

• Condition: Folded in the past, otherwise well-preserved, as seen

Historical Context

The 83. Infanterie-Division was raised in December 1939 and initially deployed in the Western Campaign of 1940 before being transferred to the Eastern Front in 1941. During the harsh winter fighting of 1941/42, the division held positions under constant Soviet pressure, where heavy casualties were sustained.

Gefreiter Reuter’s wounding on 29 January 1942 places him at the height of these brutal battles, where frostbite, artillery barrages, and infantry assaults took a devastating toll on German divisions.

The Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz was awarded for the first wound sustained in combat, marking Reuter’s sacrifice in one of the most grueling phases of the war.

Collector’s Note

A historically significant award document, directly tied to the 83. Infanterie-Division’s winter campaign on the Eastern Front. Its specific dating and unit assignment give it strong research and collector potential.