Introduction to Gorgets

The gorget, or 'ringkragen', comprising a metal shield hung by a chain around the neck, was worn during the Third Reich by selected members of uniformed organisations to denote special service or duty.
Two distinct styles of gorget existed, the heart-shaped and crescent-shaped (see Fig 15). both descended from similar regalia used by the Imperial German army. The obverse of each shield bore an appropriate badge and/or inscription, while the reverse was covered in cloth or stiff card and featured a protruding central prong. This prong was hooked through a convenient buttonhole in the tunic during wear, thereby holding the gorget plate firmly in position.

The first official Nazi gorgets wrere produced in the late 1920s for SA standard bearers. It took the form of a heart-shaped nickel-plated shield, sporting a gilded brass sunburst on which was superimposed a disc enclosing an eagle holding a sonnenrad swastika (the same motif as that seen on early SA belt buckles - see Plate 161). The neck-chain was made from tight-fitting nickel-plated wire links, and the backing cloth was of dark-co loured wool. Post-1935 examples were RZM stamped. This gorget was used only when the wearer was actually engaged in the specific function of carrying his regimental feldzeichen or battalion flag. Individually-designed ringkragen were subsequently created and manufactured for standard bearers of the SS, NSKK, NSFK, RAD, HJ, Political Leadership, RLB, TeNo, Polizei, Reichsbahn, DRK, Army, Luftwaffe and ex-servicemen's associations. Each bore insignia relevant to its own organisation.

By 1945, gorgets were being worn as badges of office by numerous categories of uniformed personnel, including military policemen ('Feldgendarmerie' - see Plate 165). train guards ('Zugwache') and those on paramilitary street patrol service ('Streifendienst'). All told, more than 40 different patterns existed in a variety of sizes. Metals used in their construction ranged from tombak bronze to zinc, with finishes ranging from fine enamel to rough paintwork. Indeed, limited resources meant that some gorgets, like those for the Bahnhofswache, were eventually withdrawn completely and replaced by armbands.

Nazi gorgets are not widely collected in their own right, normally being sought merely to supplement other exhibits. The 'Feldgendarmerie' pattern, for instance, can often be found amongst displays of military or police uniform items. Nevertheless various gorgets have been reproduced. Fortunately, copies are easily spotted by virtue of the fact that their quality is nowhere near that of even the latest originals. The following comparison between genuine and fake 'Feldgendarmerie' ringkragen should provide the reader with a general idea of what to look for.

Originals:

(i) The gorget plates were stamped from hard sheet steel or zinc alloy, with smooth semi-rolled edges.
(ii) The National Emblems were each affixed by three round pins or flat prongs.
(iii) Details were crisp.
(iv) The backings were offield-grey wool or stiff card.
(v) The pieces were usually completely devoid of makers' marks. Only a few early originals had their central rear prongs stamped with one of a small selection of company trademarks, the most common being' A' and an "M" inside a diamond.

Reproductions:

(i) The gorget plates are of very thin lightweight aluminium, which can easily be bent by hand. The edges are poorly finished.
(ii) The National Emblems are often glued into position.
(iii) Details are blurred in places.
(iv) The backings are of shiny black PVC-type paper or black felt.
(v) The central rear prongs usually bear spurious RZM or DRGM marks.

Robin Lumsden: "A Collector's Guide to Third Reich Militaria", Ian Allan Ltd., 1987