Blockade Runner Badge

The Blockade Runner Badge or the Badge for Blockade Runners (Abzeichen für Blockadebrecher) was a World War II German military decoration awarded for service on warships or merchant vessels that attempted to break through the British Blockade of Germany (1939–1945). It was instituted on 1 April 1941 upon the order of Adolf Hitler and first awarded on 1 July of the same year to Hugo Olendorff.

Design
The badge was designed by Otto Placzeck in Berlin. It was in either tombac or zinc and featured a ship with a large German eagle grasping a swastika on its bow. Around the circumference of the badge is a chain, through which the ship is cutting. The eagle was silvered whilst the rest of the badge was a dark gray colour.

The badge was worn on the left breast pocket of the uniform. A smaller half-size version was awarded for use by civilians and members of the merchant marine.