Collecting German Toy Soldiers - Part I

Collecting pre-war German composition figures and related tin-plate vehichles has become increasingly popular over the years. The proliferation of reproductions and fakes that seem to touch nearly every field of 3rd Reich memorabelia has made collecting these quality toys from that ear an attractive alternative. It has been estimated that the number of serious collectors in both America and Europe has increased over ten times since 1975! Current dealer sales lists and toy soldier sales reflect increasingly higher prices being paid for quality pieces.

This is the first in a series of articles in DG aimed at expanding the military collector's knowledge and awareness of this little understood buy increasingly popular hobby.Since the turn of the century a number of German toy manufacturers produced, in addition to regular toys and games, a line of composition military figures in mainly 6.5cm and 10.5cm sizes. The best and most prolific of the manufactuers were the firm of Hausser (their figures were trademarked "Elastolin") and they were located in Ludwigsburg and the firm of Lineol located near Brandenburg.

In 1933 Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in German and it suddenly became expedient (and profitable) for manufacturers to expand their lines to include not only military but political figures. The scale was standardized to 7cm. in size and increasing importance was placed in figure production during the 3rd Reich ear. Successive Hausser and Lineol toy catalogs of that period devoted more and more pages to military and political figures at the expense of their other non-military toys. Realistic figures were created of 3rd Reich and Axis personalities such as Hitler, Goring, Mussolini, Hess, Gobbles, Lutze and Roehm. Beautiful Elastolin figures in various poses were made of Hitler, Goring, Mussolini, Franco and Hindenburg with finely detailed porcelain heads and movable saluting arms. Figures representing nearly all branches of the military and political spectrum were produced, such as the Army, Luftwaffe, Navy, SS, SA, Labor Corps, Hitler Youth, German Youth and even the little girls of the BDM, each with their respective flagbearers and musicians. Numberous posses were made that reflected nearly every aspect of military activity, from marching bandsmen to action figures, mounted cavalry, artillery, pioneers and Lager (Bivouac) figures.

During this period both firms greatly expanded their line of qualiy tin-plate military toy vehichles and guns, reflecting the latest designs of real German military equipment. Wonderful trucks, staff cars, tanks, armored cards, cannons and motorcycles were produced, all in either the early camp brown, tan and green or wartime gray colors. Many had working electric lights, cap firing guns, clockwork motors, direction turn signals, cloth folding tops and seated crew figures. The rarest and most desirable of these that survived the war is the large and wonderfully detailed Hausser half-track with eleven seated figures and the eight-wheeled "Panzerspahwagen" armored car. Both measure over 13 inches long and, in 1939, cost the average German worker almost a full weeks wages! Like the composition figures, these vehichles and guns, in good original condition. command top dollar. In future articles I'll discuss in greater details specific groups of figures and tinplate toys. In addition I plan one article devoted to recognizing repaired, repainted and reproduction pieces.

Fred Ramm, "Collecting German Toy Soldiers - Part I", DER GAULEITER, 1988

Political Badges of the NSDAP

Huffman's 10 Axioms On How To Examine A German Badge

1. ALWAYS COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES. You now have this book in your hands. Use its photos to help you study a badge you find at a show if you do not already have a real one with you. It is sometimes difficult even for experienced collectors to note discrepancies if one badge is standing alone, with nothing to compare it.

2. REMEMBER GERMAN CRAFTSMANSHIP. The badge must be well crafted with intricate details. The political badges were made in quieter times, before the War, and this was not "trench art", but deliberately planned and monitored craftsmanship at all levels.

3. EXAMINE THE OBVERSE FIRST. Obvious, but true. If the obverse of the badge doesn't look right, it doesn't matter whether it has the right pin on the back or not. Every badge has some tell-tale "roadsigns" (which are mentioned in this book). Examine them critically.

4. EXAMINE THE REVERSE A LITTLE MORE CASUALLY. Pins broke off during wear and were resoldered. Some wearers had their own types of "IDs" or numbers stamped in the back for personal identification. Not that the reverse isn't important. . . it is, but it is secondary to the obverse.

5. IF IT LOOKS RIGHT EXCEPT FOR "JUST ONE THING": Read the discussion on "Variations" on following pages.

6. DEALERS ARE PEOPLE, TOO. Be kind to the dealer selling you the badge. He doesn't know everything. No one does. This hobby is filled with honest collector/dealers. It also has some dishonest ones. Your dealer may honestly feel the badge is real, based on his own personal knowledge. The honest dealer will also tell you he's not certain, if indeed he is not, and will encourage you to check it out elsewhere. He should always offer you a money-back guarantee, at least for a short period of time while you do your research.

7. WHAT DOES VET-PURCHASED MEAN? It means someone bought it from a vet who may have bought it from someone else. A notarized letter from the American sergeant who took it off Dr. Ley in 1945 is something else, however.

8. USE COMMON SENSE. You find a Golden Party Badge in pristine condition, and it is numbered "8", and is offered for $350. I don't think this point needs to be belabored, do you?

9. IF YOU ARE ABOUT TO BUY. Take your time. Examine it carefully. Check it with others whom you believe might know about it (always remembering they could be dead wrong). Ask for a money-back guarantee for a short period of time. Buy it if you like it and don't lose any sleep over it.

10. IF YOU ALREADY OWN IT. You now check it over and it doesn't look right. Don't panic. Don't rush to sell or give it away. Continue the checking process. If you actually like the badge, if you feel good about it even though you now question it, keep it in your collection. The world will not end.

A Word About "Variations"

In all of the discussion about Third Reich badges and decorations - whether or not they are real or fake or "variations" - I think there is one person everyone is overlooking... Adolf Hitler.
Some historians say Hitler was the world's greatest orator. Some say he was the greatest politician. (The word "great" does not connote "good" but "exceptionally successful".)
I have a different thought. I believe he was the greatest "Rewarder of Men."
The children of the 1960s claim they founded the "me" generation. Adolf Hitler founded the "we" generation. He, alone, made the Nazi movement a "we" movement. In doing so, he discovered the idea of badges and decorations as rewards - as substitute religious objects - and he pinned them on the chest of everyone in sight: the big man (Goering), and the little man (the anonymous SA man in the rally.)

And like the lonelyheart who says to a lover "Whisper in my ear and I'll follow you anywhere," Hitler did just that to his followers. He pinned his badges on their chests and they followed him everywhere, even to Gotterdammerung. These badges and decorations were important to Hitler. He wanted them made with precision, with magnificent Germanic flair for exquisite detail. And, considering the fact that he thought of himself as one of the greatest artists of the world, he not only reserved to himself the right of veto on the design of most decorations, he actually personally designed some of them.

To further illustrate this point, an issue of ORDEN-MILITARIA-MAGAZIN, published in Germany and the authentic historical German medal and order journal, in 1982 presented the complete history of the creation of the Coburg Badge. It was originally designed by the Burgermeister of Coburg in 1932 and the design was submitted to Hitler for his "ideas" and "changes, if any". Hitler did make changes and notations and the design of the Coburg Badge you see today was his final version. This drawing has been preserved.

And that brings us to today's militaria collector or dealer in the U.S. who says he has a variation of any of these finely detailed badges. A variation? What can he mean? Does he mean some idiot in a manufacturing plant - a plant authorized by Hitler's regime to produce the badge to a specific design - decided, on his own, to change the design of the leaves on the Golden Party Badge? Perhaps to put a little ridge on them to make them fancier? Or is he thinking of some small-time Nazi politician, who, passed over for a Blood Order, has his jeweler brother-in-law design one for him - slightly different, of course- so he can wear it in the parade down the streets of Munich?

The above questions are not facetious! Where, we must ask, do today's collectors, 50 years after the events, think their "variations" come from? It is a very real question!

The collector today who insists his "variation" is correct, solely because he thinks it is so, reminds me of the Ugly American Tourist. (I was on a visit to Germany a few years ago and saw some of those types of American tourists. We arrived at the ancient and magnificent city of Worms, on the Rhine, and as we stood silently in awe, admiring the ancient architecture and thinking of the city's history, we heard one absurd cameraclad tourist make this statement: "Seems like they could have chosen a different name other than Worms. . . ugh.")
Americans sometimes think they have the only answer to language.

And sometimes they think they have the only answer to the Third Reich decorations. If they don't like what they hear, they invent a reason to differ. (One well-known [but sometimes not highly regarded] collector/dealer in the U.S. cleverly coined a new phrase for me when I questioned some of his badges. He called them "non authorized versions, but real, O.K.)

I think it is time for all militaria collectors to grow up in this hobby and admit that perhaps it is time to go back to basics. If we continue to insist on "variations" then we are only kidding ourselves.

This does not mean there were not different types of the same badge - it does mean that once a design was standardized for a Type, rarely, if ever, did it vary. (Yes, I'm aware the "variations" actually began in Europe as the War ended. I'm just disgusted with the fact that so many American collectors have blindly followed the "variation" path without taking the time and trouble to do any research on the subject.)

The only variations I agree to believe in are variations caused by wear. In the case of the Golden Party Badges, there is some justification in the fact that the silver may wear off of the border around the swastika revealing the brass underneath, but even in this instance I believe it is reaching to believe it happened often. And of course while on the GPBs, it is true that the pins broke on the back and were replaced with sturdier ones.

We must remember that the Nazis were so serious about order, discipline, and following the rules, that they invented the RZM (Reichszeugmeisterei) for that very purpose in 1934, to exercise strict controls over the manufacture and quality control of Party items. One must also remember that these political badges were not created during the War - they were not trench art - and were designed by careful artists (Hitler notwithstanding) and manufactured according to the most strict procedures.

So if no one approved of variations, where does one go to find out what the badges really looked like? I decided the best place to find out about the real Nazi badges were in the period books and documents of the time, where the badges were actually reproduced in detail.

Mickey Huffman "Hitler's Favorite Political Badges and Decorations", The Promethian Press, 1990

Gestapo Disc Number 8455

The U.S. National Archives is home to one of the few known surviving copies of S.H.A.E.F.manual E.D.S./G/l0, printed in late 1944. Titled "The German Police", and once marked "SECRET", it contains a photograph )f GESTAPO warrant disc number 8455.
This manual was prepared jointly by Military Intelligence Research Section (London Branch) and Evaluation and Dissemination Section, in consultation with the War Office.

Due to its extreme rarity, it is little known to most collectors of World War Two militaria, Even those who specialize in the German Police. It contains a wealth of information unvailable from any other source.

This manual shows what is probably the only "period" photograph of the Geheime Staatspolizei (GESTAPO) warrant disc. The disc was almost never photographed in Nazi Germany because of fear of counterfeiting.

GESTAPO disc number 8455 fell into the hands of British Intelligence (circumstances unknown) sometime before the publication of the manual in late 1944. It was photographed from both sides, shown with the carrying chain attached. Also pictured in the manual is both sides of a DIENSTAUSWEIS (I.D. Card), that always accompanied the disc.

Many years later, the same disc appeared in Jack Pia's book "SS Regalia", published by Ballantine in June, 1974. The photograph used in Pia's book was made some thirty years later than that used in the S.H.AE.F. manual, and shows considerable "wear and tear" to the disc, when compared to the earlier photo.

Circumstantial evidence points to the fact that disc number 8455 was "autopsied" by British Intelligence in order to produce "fake" disc number 8486, which was used to extricate Hans Bernd Gisevius from Germany after the plot to kill Hitler went awry in July, 1944.(See the book by Nigel West, "MI 6", and Hans Bernd Gisevius' book "To the Bitter End", for the full story.
Disc number 8455, now in the Author's collection, shows file cut marks in three locations, as well as discoloration from fire and/or acid. Most likely this was done in trying to ascertain the correct metallic composition for making the planchet blank for the false disc.

While the purpose of the duplication was commendable, (it almost certainly saved the life of Gisevius) it is still difficult for al collector to have charitable thoughts toward the unknown British "spook" who found it necessary to file cut this once pristine disc in "three" different places!

The disc remained in England until recently, when acquired by the Author, after much negotiation. It has been in two different British collections for the past thirty years.Before that time it was owned by an unnamed British veteran, who very well may have been the gentlemen who performed the "autopsy" in 1944.

This disc is very unique in the fact that it is the only known GESTAPO disc to be photographed by Allied Intelligence during the war.

Don Bible, "GESTAPO Disc Number 8455", DER GAULEITER, 1993

The Humor of Duane Pfister

SS-Heimwehr Danzig

"DEARER DEATH THAN TO BECOME POLISH" The SS-Heimwehr Danzig
Danzig, one of the largest ports on the Baltic Sea was founded in the 13th century as the capital of Pomerania, it became a part of the Hanseatic League in the 15th century. Being of primary importance as an open water port, the Russians took Danzig early in the 18th century, later in this same one hundred year span Prussia made the city a part of its empire. From 1807 to 1814 Danzig was a free city, being reclaimed at the end of that time by Prussia to become the capital of West Prussia. Danzig remained the capital until the Treaty of Versailles in 1918 made it a free city again until such time as it could be given to Poland.

On January 22, 1920 the last large military parade was held in the Danzig Square, marking the end of German rule in the city. By February 17th all the German troops, including Danzig's own regiment, the "Liebhusaren" were out of the city. The dictates of the Versailles Treaty had stipulated that there were to be no soldiers within the city, it was to be a completely neutral "Free City". By June of 1921 a German "Freikorps" had been formed to prevent the Polish government taking over the city. Like the other Freikorps groups in Germany at this time, the "Danziger Freikorps" had no legal basis for its existence and like the others, it was composed of beerhall toughs, exsoldiers and malcontents. The only thing that held the members in common bond was the fact that they were all intensely nationalistic.

From the time Hitler came into power in 1934 until the outbreak of war in 1939, he raged about the peace treaty, the loss of German territory around the world, and the "Polish Corridor". The ban on rearmament was of course openly flaunted. It became quite evident that Hitler was not going to admit the loss of Danzig when he made it a Gau of Nazi Germany under the supervision, of Gauleiter Albert Foerster. A "Gau Abzeichen" was ordered struck and consisted of an oval badge with an outline of oakleaves, inside this border was found the Danzig crest, consisting of two Maltese Crosses with a crown at the top, behind this emblem appeared the swastika. The words "Alter Kampfer" were also on the badge.

Through all the years since the end of the war in 1918 the German people were led to believe that Danzig was under constant harrassment and pressure by the Polish government. Poland could do nothing to stop this propaganda because Hitler had complete control of the German news media.In early 1938 Hitler ordered Totenkopf Standart III to be formed and to be headquartered in Danzig, under the direct command of the Berlin office.. In the summer of 1938 Standart III was nicknamed "Goetze" after its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Goetze.
In the middle of 1939 men and equipment began to come into Danzig from the East Prussian areas. Inside the city a company of men was formed and called itself "SS-Heimwehr Danzig". The uniforms were Waffen-SS and the arms were modern. They paraded openly in the streets in full military regalia, defying the Versailles Treaty .

On August 18, 1939 Gauleiter Foerster presented a unit flag to lieutenant colonel Goetze with the slogan "Dearer death than to become Polish". This flag was one of a kind, in the center, over the front of the swastika was an SS skull, two diagonal black rays crossed the flag, one with the SS insignia, the other with the Danzig crest. This flag was to be "Flown in honor at the head of the SS-Heimwehr Danzig" On September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, the 1500 men of the SS-Heimwehr Danzig fought in and around the city until the 5th when they were transferred to the Westerplatte area where they saw action until the 19th when they became absorbed by the Totenkopf division.

From the time of its conception in 1938, the SS-Heimwehr Danzig left no question as to its allegiance. Unlike some Polish units which were composed of Volksdeutsch and went over to the German army at the first opportunity, the SS-Heimwehr Danzig was openly pro-German.

Deeter/Odegard, "The SS-Heimwehr Danzig", "Militaria" 1969

Insignia Construction Techniques of the SA

Some of the finest hand and machine embroidered uniform insignia ever produced was made in Germany between 1930 and 1945. A great deal of this very attractive and functional insignia was produced for the SA.

The SA grew rapidly in both size and power. Between the time of the first standardization of SA insignia in 1923 and the first insignia regulations in 1929, it was very difficult to readily determine the difference between the numerous SA units. This was due primarily to the lack of uniformity between units and to the loose control of the organization itself.

There is a tendency among collectors who view Nazi era insignia as unique. In reality the only unique part was the proliferation of insignia and the wide use of relatively few symbols in many forms (Swastica, national eagle, wreath, oak leaves, etc.) . All SA insignia was initially strictly handmade. As the membership of organization grew it rapidly became difficult to hand produce enough insignia for all the units. The following is a brief description of the development and techniques used in insignia construction.
Hand Embroidery, the oldest form of embroidery produced beautiful cloth insignia. Materials used to hand embroider SA insignia were, for the most part, already available at the time the insignia was introduced. These materials consisted of: Tresse (woven metalic tape), Bullion (Coils of fine wire or celofane which were cut to size and sewn to the fabric by a needle and thread passing through them), Spinst (metallic and celofane wrapped thread called wire) Cotton, Silk, and Rayon (artificial silk). It should be noted, as some unfortunate collectors have found, that some of these materials are still in use today. In the past few years there has been panic among collectors over copy insignia which may have been made in Austria, Germany, or India. Copied insignia is a problem, but the best way to overcome this is to examine all the original insignia which one can examine and become knowledgeable of material types, construction techniques, and insignia designs which were used. Collectors often give reproductions too much credit. Materials which are produced today are exactly that. Current bullion is usually coated with a plastic film where it was not in the Third Reich. Most copy insignia is produced with thread that has a different twist and size than that of the Third Reich threads. These are just a few of the things which can help a collector make a decision on a piece of insignia which he wants to purchase.

Some insignia was made, in whole or part, with layered pieces of cloth sewn together, for example, some Tyrrune, collar tabs, and party brassards.

The first machine-made SA insignia were produced on individual Chain stitch sewing machines. This method goes back to Imperial Germany.Common chain stitch machines were produced by Singer and Cornelly for the purpose of decorative sewing. These machines are still in use today. The chain stitch was the most common method for sewing unit numbers and designations on collar tabs, sleeve bands, and some flag designs. These machines were relatively cheap and ideal for short run production. operators were easily trained.

A single head "vibrating needle" sewing machine was used to produce satin stitches. These machines, however, required a good deal of operator skill and were not readily available.
A machine which was peculiar to Germany's pre-war insignia development was the multi-headed "Wurker sewing machine" which was invented in 1927. The Wurker combined four single sewing machines connected together by a punch card reader. The reader followed the punch card patterns and produced four different insignia at one time. The workers were widely produced until the end of the war and are still in use all over the world. The worker was more expensive to operate than chain stitch machines but was more flexible and did not require a large amount of operator skill.

The oldest embroidery machine is the "Schiffli" which was invented in Switzerland to make lace. This machine had a series of sewing needles spaced along the length of the machine with each doing the same stitch pattern. In the production of collar tabs, for example, the needles might be spaced 3" apart, about 12 per yard. This equaled 120 collar tabs per 1 0 yard machine. Driven by punched cards the needles stitched through stretched cloth and made their movements according to the punch card. The machine could make faily large movements and longer stitches, thus it was more flexible than the worker. Another advantage was that the Schiffli did not require stretching hoops as did the worker. A large quantity of SS insignia was produced on Schiffli machines.

A certain amount of SA insignia was machine woven. There are two similar methods. One is complete weaving of the basic threads to produce a continuous ribbon or fabric. Sleevebands and some sleeve insignia were produced this way. The second method is weaving selected threads into a previously woven plain ribbon or fabric. Brassards, sleeve badges, sports shirt emblems, etc. were made this way. Both methods were controlled by Jacquard cards punched with a certain pattern. 'Bevo' was a well known company which used both methods. Woven insignia could be quickly produced, well detailed, and was economical in mass production. A good deal of SS insignia was produced by this method.

Like the SS there was some insignia which was silk screened but this was done primarily in the early days.

SA Unit Identifiers 1934-1942

12 mm cyphers represented Sturm and Sturmbann numbers.

18 mm cyphers represented Standarten numbers.

22 mm cyphers represented Brigade staff numbers.

22 mm cyphers were also used as symbols for specialized units and honor units.

A gothic L represented the Honor unit in Berlin 'LIST'. A script L represented the SA Liebstandarte in Munich. A script J represented fusilier (Jager) units and a script S represented security (Sicherheit) units. 80th Jager and Sicherheit (Security) units designation's were embroidered in light or dark green thread depending upon the unit cloth color. Dark green for light colored fabrics and light green for dark colored fabrics. Theses special designation letters existed in stamped metal as did some unit numbers both of which were attached to the collar tabs by prongs.

Information on Construction techniques prepared by William Renner
David Fuller: "Collectors Guide to Sturmabteilung Insignia" Matthaus Publishers, 1985