Introduction to Belt Buckles

Most of the regulations cited in the pages that follow deal primarily with the introduction of the buckle, the condition for wear, the nature of the belt, sometimes reference to type of metal construction and design, but rarely definitive information concerning manufacture or marking. Most of this latter information has been derived from observation and admitted conjecture. During my travels throughout Germany visiting some of the still existing firms, I found that manufacturing techniques, while usually consistent throughout the industry, varied as did the metals used, depending on the year of production.

The text relative to specific buckles is broken down into sub-sections dealing with military, political, civil and unidentified/prototype/points of interest. A code precedes each buckle for the purpose of continued identification. The structure of the code is as follows, reading from left to right: the first number at the left identifies which of the four sub-sections the buckle falls into, eg., 1- military, 2 - political, 3 - civil and 4 - miscellaneous. The second number (and possibly the third) represents the specific organization with the sub-section, eg., under military 1 - Army, 2 - Landwehr (alleged), 3 - Navy, 4 - Air Force. The number within the parentheses represents the pattern sequence within the specific organization. The number after the period represents the Reid reference number as found in German Belt Buckles 1919-1945. For a more detailed breakdown, refer to the index.

I do not wish to give the impression that this buckle coverage is the "be all and end all" on the subject, as there are other buckles that were produced for which we have no data, variations that are yet unencountered, information that has yet to be made available, etc. If you should have a pattern that is not described here, or information that might serve to further inform or correct, it would be greatly appreciated if you would provide it for future release. Any material provided will be credited.

I will remain consistent as with my previous references by not placing a current value on buckles. Values vary from one location to the next, and are subject to increases with inflation. I have indicated, however, the relative rarity of buckles in some 6 cases.

It becomes rather obvious that there is little or no discussion relative to reproductions. Except in obvious cases, I do not consider myself "expert" enough to provide a scholarly discourse on the subject. The best advice regarding this matter is to know your source, and "let your gut feeling be your guide."

BUCKLE MANUFACTURE

Belt buckles produced during the period 1933-1945 were not unique in concept, but were unique in many cases in the manner in which they were produced. The German states and some organizations had long used the belt buckle to partially identify the wearer with the organization or state to which he belonged. Hitler expanded considerably on this practice with virtually every military, political and civil organization given authorization to wear a uniquely designed buckle. This attention to detail where a uniform accouterment was concerned was not without purpose since it was Hitler's intent to use every device possible to further advance the recognition and cause of national socialism. Hitler's grasp of psychological motivational techniques was astounding. Considerable attention to detail went into each design, often with Hitler playing an active role. Buckle production and resultant sales, as with virtually every aspect of Nazi regalia, provided a much needed infusion of capital into the German economy which had been reeling under heavy unemployment and unchecked inflation. Lack of controls coupled with a relatively simple production technique gave rise to many "mom and pop" operations - those family operations that produced with a minimum of equipment and overhead, and serving either as a retail source or providing the finished work to a retailer. In 1933 the creation of the Reichszeugmeisterie (RZM) served to allow controls over the production of NSDAP uniform material. The headquarters of the RZM, located in Munich, assembled regulatory notices and distributed them in the weekly journal Mitte/ungsblatt der Reichszeugmeisterie. Specific details were provided as to the exact measurements, pattern design, metal construction, etc. Pattern pieces were produced and made available by the RZM by which the manufacturers could compare their finished products.

With the established firms, production was largely one of mass production where dies, presses and assemblers were brought into play. Smaller jobbers often had to resort to a greater degree of hand work, turning out fewer finished pieces in a long work day. As techniques improved and raw materials became more difficult to obtain as a result of the war effort, metals transitioned from the basic brass and iron, to aluminum to pot metal, and the presses later shared production with the injection molds. The drop forge and die technique was used until the end of the war. The following study in the buckle reverse gives some insight as to the degree of hand work and the changes that took place from 1933-1945.

J.R. Angolia: "Belt Buckles & Brocades of the Third Reich", 1982, R. James Bender Publishing

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