They Keep Trying !

These three "gems" were posted on our web site today by a dealer in Europe. Do these European dealers think all Americans are morons? He also posted a Nazi ring which was so obviously fake I'm not even going to bother putting it here. Four items posted, all fakes. Below is a brief analysis of these items. Don't look for them on our site, they have been remove, the seller's membership cancelled and his money refunded.

This piece of garbage would not fool a 6 year old kid. In fact, it looks like the inscription was done by a 6 year old kid. I can't say for sure, but I don't think the "Florian Geyer" SS cufftitle was ever produced in an embroidered officer version. Only ones I know of are the enlisted type. If there is such a thing as an embroiderd version, it certainly wouldn't look like this.

It looks to me like the wearer of this Luftwaffe helmet ran into some enemy solders armed with wire brushes and rotary buffing tools. A rather poor attempt at giving this helmet an "aged" look. Helmets are one of the toughest things to collect in this hobby.... as far as fakes are concerned. If you are not an expert, be sure you have a friend who is.

I like the touch of putting the HJ diamond on this helmet. Makes it "rare". I can't really tell about the eagle in the condition it's in. All that aside, the thing about this pic that's interesting is the rust. Note how nice and red and fresh it is after 60 years! Obviously recently done "ageing".

Lots of nice stamping on this fake helmet strap. Why fake you say? Look at the holes, they are always oval on real German straps.

The seller of this cap was careful not to show the SS skull too closely, but it was close enough. It's an obvious fake. Surprisingly, from what I can see, the eagle doesn't look too bad. Go figure!

Notice the button hole on the "inside" of the SS cap. What does this tell you? Ok, it should tell you that this cap was made from an old overcoat or jacket. It's possible that they might have done this during the hard days of the war, but let's not forget that fake skull. If the skull is fake we can safely assume the cap is fake.

Don't post fakes on our web site!

Bob Treend, "They Keep Trying", Militaria Blog, 2009

Compost Piles, Ninja Pilots and Other Silliness

Oh, Okay

At a 500 table gun show in Ohio last year, a collector asked to examine a Luftwaffe gravity knife in a dealer's case. On releasing the blade, he noted that the blade had been shortened by over an inch and repainted."That's special Heer issue" the dealer said,"they shortened them all like that so they could tell them apart."

Ninja Pilots

A collector in California found a pair of flightsuit type rank patches done on black wool at a local event and took them into a dealer's shop to find out more about them. "Oh" said the dealer, "those are special rank patches for Luftwaffe night fighter pilots -they had special black flight suit's." If dealers in other hobbies were such buffoons, they'd be laughed out of business.

Maybe Darwin Was Wrong

Every wonder how people so stupid have so much money? One of my favorite sink holes lately for the rich and fatuous is the current crop of "Sepp Dietrich" personal items - like the so- called Sepp Dietrich sword, engraved with the initials "SD". How can people this dumb have survived into the 20th Century? Why weren't their slow-witted ancestors trampled by mastodons? SS Oberstgruppenfuhrer Dietrich's given name was Josef. "Sepp" was a nickname, like "Ike" for General Dwight Eisenhower, and no one uses the initial of a nickname in a monogram.

Georgia On My Mind

Aren't all the mint Army daggers fascinating? You know the Germans made millions of combat helmets during the war - every Gl's favorite souvenir. Yet today you can't open any catalogs and find a wide selection of clean, tight, sharp, unscrewed-with helmets. Fascinating.

Gee, They Smell Right

It still amazes me that people don't take the time to read and research what they're doing before wasting large sums of good money on ridiculous garbage. German WWII Paratrooper boots are a classic example. During WWII, German paras often referred to their side-lace boots as "gangster shoes", because unlike hobnailed boots, their all rubber heels and soles made for very quiet walking on city streets. But the guy making them now with the silly rubbish on the bottoms (like metal heel irons) can't turn them out fast enough to keep up with demand. He puts them in his compost pile for two weeks, has his dog visit them a couple of times, and for $350 bucks we have another pair of "VG unissued" boots and another happy collector.

From Pakistan With Love

Lately we've been hearing a lot of garbage about how righteous it is that some repro dealers tell you right up front that their near perfect insignia are reproductions. After all, it's not their fault that they're used by the unscrupulous to make phony hats and tunics, is it? Well, Aman Khosogi probably doesn't loose any sleep over selling thousands of "Bouncing Betty" mines to lunatics all over the world either. What I want to know is, if these honest repro dealers are so noble, then why don't these stalwarts permanently mark the backs or insides of the pieces in some way, so they can't ever be used as fakes to rip people off? Because their buyers are fakers, and nobody would buy them, that's why. If you're not a part of the solution, you're part of the problem, and I don't care how you rationalize it.

Der Maulwerf ,(The Mole), "Compost Piles, Ninja Pilots and Other Silliness", Der Gauleiter, 1990

There's One Made Every Minute

SS Bullion Collar Tabs

In this installment on repro cloth insignia I want to show you some examples of the currently imported fake SS collar tabs. You may think l'm overly concerned with the SS, what with last month's installment on SS cufftitles and now this one on SS collar tabs, but the fact is that SS insignia is a favorite not only with collectors. but with the fakers. And considering the money at stake I think everyone should be aware of what's happening.

It's said a picture is worth a thousand words, and this couldn't be more true any where than in militaria collecting. Therefore, I'm devoting most of the space available for this article to the pictures.

All of the retros shown here are good enough to fool a novice collector, and there is no way that I can make an expert out of everyone with this article. The best thing to do to protect yourself is to remember that originals of these are almost always made with extreme precision. If you look closely at a quality bullion SS collar tab, one that is of the usual type, not some weird variation made in "Lower Slabovia", and you notice any sloppiness in the workmanship, then be careful. Studying originals is also a must. Visit a collector friend who knows his stuff and study the pieces in his collection that you're sure of.

Above: Detail of some tabs. One the left is an original and in middle is the repro. Arrows points to the edges of the oakleaves showing the obvious difference in quality of the embroidery. "Tight", this the word I use most often to describe SS embroidery. On the right is detail of the back of an original tab. Note the pattern of the backing material. It is of a milky white and somewhat shinny. Almost all original tabs have this type of backing, only the size of the opening in the black material varies.

In the above pictures; at first glance they look pretty good. They're fake. Notice on the "Ost" tab (No. 1) that the upper tip of the "t" is very sloppy and on the tabs with the crossed lances (No. 2&4) there is a lack of precision in the embroidery, the lance poles are almost crooked. The oakleaf tab (No. 5) is VERY well done. The shape of the oakleaves in almost exactly like that of an original SA Gruppenfuhrer. This piece is in silver bullion on black and was offered as an SS tab, even thought the SS did not use this shape leaves. If the maker can do this in silver on black then he can do it in other colors as SA tabs. No. 7 is so well done it's spooky! I suggest great care when buying these types of tabs, as these fakes can be real tough to identify.

In the above pictures the left are original tabs, on the right are fakes. Note the fine quality of the embroidery on the originals, the strands of thread are sewn very evenly with almost perfect spacing (tight), whereas on the fakes there is an unevenness and lack of precision to the embroidery. Notice the pips on the two originals are slightly different. This is fine, because variations do exist.

One last point. The bullion wire of SS tabs is made up of a round center core thread around which is wrapped a flat aluminum thread. On every "original" SS bullion tab I've ever seen, the center core thread is white. I have encounted some good looking fakes that had a black center core.

Bob Treend, "There's One Made Every Minute", Der Gauleiter, 1990

Fake or Real

THE DAGGER BLADE

It has been said that the ingredient that is supposed to be most difficult for countedeiters of money to get is the paper. On the other hand, the people who counterfeit money say it's easy -they bleach the ink off $1.00 bills and print $100.00 bills on that paper. The same is true of the blade fakers: an abused original blade can easily be re-worked into an undetectable fine fraud worth many, many times its cost.

Fakers usually don't think small so let's say you wish to create a dagger which will be worth $1500.00 to $2000.00. Naturally, it will need to be a rare type, perhaps the only known example extant. The faker's rule number 1 is: don't start with an obvious Pakistani or Slavish copy of a dagger. Start with the real thing or with some "warehouse-find" parts from Solingen which can be intermingled with a few genuine dagger parts to create the illusion of authenticity.

If a faker is going to create a dagger intended to sell in the $1500.00 to $2000.00 range he (or she!) is perfectly happy to pay $500.00 for a dagger to start with. At the time this book is written one can still buy a good SS dagger in the $500.00 range, so why not start there?

After purchase of a subject dagger to be altered, a decision is made as to whether the new creation will be marketed as a pristine original in very fine to mint condition, or if it will be sold in good to excellent used condition. The original dagger is then stripped down and the parts are simply added to bins of similar parts from other broken down daggers (unless of course, the original parts are marked in some special way).

The blade to be used must be 1) used as it is, 2) fixed up slightly, or 3) refinished entirely. To add the greatest value to the end product, the faker will usually select option 3 and refinish the entire blade. Commercial metal finishers (see your Yellow Pages) or people working inside the metal finishing business can duplicate the original Third Reich finish on a dagger blade quickly and cheaply and at the same time remove the original etching on the blade. This is not a job to be done at home, as any unevenness is easily detectable. A factory finish is perfect, and removes very little metal from the blade. Fakers almost always remove the original etching from the blades of daggers they are working on because it is so easy to replace. The process is known industrially as "photo-engraving" or "photo resist etching'" and it is used every day to make things like printed circuit boards. It is easy to do at home.

A photo resists is a liquid lacquer-type substance to which photo sensitive material like ammonium bichromate has been added. It is applied to the blade of a dagger by dipping the blade in it or pouring the resist directly on the blade. The blade is then suspended or stood on end in a dark place so the excess resist can flow off and the remainder can dry. When dry, the blade looks like it has been varnished.

A film positive of the inscription to be etched on the blade is then positioned where it belongs on the blade, and is taped in place with transparent tape. The blade is placed in a plastic bag with a vacuum hose attached. When the vacuum is turned on the film negative is sucked tightly against the blade. The side of the blade with the film on it is then positioned in front of a carbon arc lamp (plain sunlight will also do the trick) for about one minute while light hardens the photo resist where it shows through clear film. Naturally, no light reaches the photo resist under the black pad of the film, so those photo resist spots remain soft and can be removed with a chemical developer. When the soft photo resist is removed it erases bare steel.

After baking the hardened photo resist to make it durable the blade is washed or sprayed with a solution like ferric chloride which removes exposed steel very quickly. To duplicate logo etching on a steel blade may require 2 or 3 minutes. To get a very deep etch as seen on the motto on some blades, or to replicate damascene work may require 5 to 10 minutes of etching depending on the temperature of the ferric chloride.

When the etch is correct the blade is removed, rinsed in clear water and then the hardened resist is removed with lacquer thinner. If it is desired, the etched spots can be chemically blackened prior to removal of the resist.

This type of etching is capable of reproducing extremely fine detail which has critically sharp edges and corners, even when examine dunder a powerful glass. A cheaper method which is capable of reproducing good, but not fine detail, is to silk screen a resist (likepaint) on the blade leaving some areas of exposed steel. When silk screened resists and their resulting etchings are viewed under a useful glass, the checkered edges (usually 220 checks per inch, or 9 per mm) left by the silk screen are perfectly evident.

The least expensive method, but one often used by the fakers is to hand paint the resist on the blade leaving open areas to be etched. An excellent example of a blade etched with hand painted resist is shown on page 216 of volume I of T. M. Johnson's book "Collectingthe Edged Weapons of the Third Reich".

There is absolutely no way to tell a good etched blade made in 1940 from a good etched blade made yesterday. Anyone who says he can is vastly over estimating his ability. The best experts in the field are fooled by new blades everyday. The processes can be identical to those originally used and the technicians of today are at least as good as those of 50 years ago. All facilities and equipment are better.

Interestingly, there are now people promoting the service of making"undetectable" repairs to Nazi edged weapons. These repairs including painting, covering with leather, the replacement of missing parts,etc., etc. Such repairs do not increase the historical value of the piece at all (if they did the Venus di Milo would have been restored years ago). All they really do is increase the value of the weapon for resale to someone who is unaware of the repairs made.

The salvation of the blade fakers are those collectors who seek a rare and unique piece - a one-of-a-kind knock-out of a blade, to exhibit for the even more gullible to look at. The best advice I can give is to BE VERY SUSPICIOUS OF ANY NON-STANDARD EDGED weapon. NEVER buy any edged weapons impulsively.

Ray R. Cowdery, "Nazi Militaria, Fake or Real", Author Published, 1993

Repros are Big Business

May. 16, 1983

A Bull Market in Phony Naziana

Ever the dictator the last days of Hitler in April 1945, when the defeated dictator wrote his will, married his mistress Eva Braun and put a bullet through his brain the a 7.65-mm Walther pistol, phony Hitleriana —including the will, the marriage certificate and the pistol—have flooded the worldwide market for Nazi memorabilia. In 1981, for example, an avid collector asked the noted West German historian Werner Maser to authenticate what he claimed was the suicide pistol of Maser last week: "I told him there existed a whole suitcase full of Hitler of firearms, all forged with Hitler's initials and the correct number of Hitler's pistol permit." The "collector" was Stern Reporter Gerd Heidemann.

Though Heidemann's Hitler diaries have proved to be the most audacious of all the Third Reich forgeries so far, other major scams have often bemused or confounded the experts. The first large-scale postwar forgery surfaced in 1947: a diary allegedly kept by Eva Braun during her affair with Hitler. According to Maser, Trenker, of the authors turned out to be a prominent film actor, Luis Trenker, who had known Braun. Right-wing Author David Irving ruefully recalls that in 1973 he nearly bought diaries purportedly written by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, Nazi Germany's chief of military intelligence until 1944. On the scent of sensational revelations, Irving and the British publishers William Collins Sons deposited $120,000 in a West German bank for the privilege of examining a twelve-page extract from the typewritten documents, which bore a signature that was allegedly Canaris'. When tested by a London laboratory, the signature proved to have been written with a ball point pen, an instrument that came into use in Germany after Canaris was executed on Hitler's orders in 1945.

A former archivist of the Nazi Party, August Priesack, last year offered Irving 800 photostats of Nazi documents, including parts of a diary supposedly kept by Hitler and a letter from Rudolf Hess to Hitler about his projected 1941 flight to Scotland. Irving brought 400 pages to Britain, but after scrutinizing them pronounced them forgeries. Irving now believes that the Stern 1930s and those he studied last year came from the same source, though he had earlier considered the Stern material to be authentic.

Maser and other specialists believe that a network of fanatic German Nazis in Latin America have conspired to spread forged documents designed to white wash their Führer and revive interest in the Nazi period. According to Maser, there is close cooperation between the Nazis in Latin America and forgers in Communist East Germany who are producing Hitler-era material that is intended to create bad feelings among the NATO partners while it brings in much needed dollars and other hard currency.

Charles Hamilton, the U.S.'s largest dealer in Nazi mementos, spots one or two fakes a month among the thousands of Third Reich items he handles every year. Many are signed photos of Hitler, which, if genuine, are worth from $350 to $ 1,000 to collectors. Such photo forgeries are often simple to detect because Hitler rarely signed a picture unless it had been taken by his personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann, who stamped a distinctive seal on his photos.

Even more common are forged Hitler inscriptions in books, usually Mein Kampf. Careless forgers occasionally fail to research the relationship between Hitler and the alleged recipients of the books, thus committing detectable errors like using inappropriately flowery language. For the forgers, potential rewards are high. A genuinely inscribed two-volume first edition of Mein Kampf sells for $10,000. A handwritten letter from Hitler to a top Nazi leader can fetch as much as $25,000.

Will the exposure of the phony Hitler diaries and other forgeries of Nazi mementos deter buyers? Hamilton thinks not. "Evil seems sexy," he observes. The world's estimated 50,000 collectors of Naziana, he says, find "the monstrosity and evil of Nazism to be strangely exciting.

January 3, 2001

Sickos and forgers

While the interest of many collectors is harmless, however, there remains a distinctly unsavoury side to the whole Third Reich souvenir industry.

"Unfortunately there are an awful lot of sickos around," says Quarrie. "People who collect the stuff because they feel an ideological affinity with it."

Dutch army surplus supplier Willem, 36 -- he refuses to give his surname for fear of reprisals -- has first hand experience of such characters.

Three months ago, while at a militaria fair in Belgium, he remonstrated with a man walking around in full SS regalia only to be beaten up by four of the man's friends.

"A lot of these people are pretty nasty," he says. "It can be an extremely aggressive scene. Not everyone who collects this sort of thing is a Nazi, but many of them definitely have leanings that way.

"And even if they don't, it still seems indecent to want to own something associated with a regime that slaughtered so many innocent people, and so recently."

There is also a problem with forgeries, with most experts agreeing that a substantial proportion of the items on the market are fake.

"The industry is dominated by fake stuff," says Nigel Hay of Milweb.com, a portal for militaria collectors and dealers. "During the 1950s people in East Germany started forging Nazi memorabilia and it's been flooding the market ever since."

"You have to be careful," agrees Quarrie. "Unsuspecting people can spend a lot of money on something that was knocked up in someone's shed last week."

Despite this, however, and the efforts of certain governments to clamp down on the trade in such materials, the interest in all things Nazi remains undiminished, especially in Britain and the U.S.

"There is a genuine historical interest in this sort of thing," says Michael Whine, of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, "And to that extent we have no real objection to people buying and selling it.

"Where we do object, however, is when it is used to promote or glorify Nazism and the ideals of the Third Reich. That's when it becomes dangerous."

October 14, 2006

Polish firms carve out niche with Nazi uniforms

Andrzej Frankowski runs one of handful of companies in Poland that make copies of Nazi uniforms. Firm sells mainly to film companies and history buffs, but some fear uniforms he offers via internet may be falling into hands of far-right extremists.

Andrzej Frankowski holds up a Nazi-era German army jacket and says the officer who wore it must have fought in the hot deserts of North Africa.

"You can tell by the thin fabric it has been made from," Frankowski says, running his hand over the faded olive green jacket.

It's an original that he uses as a model for the replicas meticulously crafted in his cramped workshop.

Frankowski runs one of a handful of companies in Poland that make copies of Nazi uniforms - for many Poles a surprising business in a country subjected to six years of brutal Nazi occupation that cost millions of lives during World War II.

His firm sells mainly to film companies and history buffs, although some people fear that uniforms he offers via the internet may be falling into the hands of far-right extremists.

On one recent day, a few women in his workshop in the western city of Poznan hovered over sewing machines making copies of the uniforms worn by Poland's despised wartime occupiers. They also make related paraphernalia, including Nazi cuffbands saying "Der Fuehrer."

"This is my idea for business and for offering jobs to people," said Frankowski, 36. "I could also make Chinese uniforms, no problem, if only there were a demand for them."

The German invasion of Poland in 1939 started World War II, during which Poland lost more than 6 million citizens - half of them Jews. Today, bitterness toward Germany still resonates in day-to-day politics and among older Pole. Complete uniform sells for USD 820

Frankowski insists there is no ideology behind what he produces in his little work space, squeezed into an attic above a car repair shop that his family owns in a neighborhood of warehouses and empty lots.

He said the uniforms he makes - some 5,000 annually - include replicas of British, Polish, Russian and American army uniforms and are used in films and historical re-enactments, a popular activity for history buffs.

He says his clients come from Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain and the Czech Republic. A complete uniform sells for about USD 820, he said.

Officially, there is no market in Germany since displaying Nazi regalia is illegal there, but Frankowski said he buys originals at armaments fairs in the German cities of Bremen, Stuttgart and Kassel.

Boguslaw Woloszanski, a popular script writer of state-produced TV documentaries about the war, said businesses like Frankowski's help reconstruct history faithfully.

"You could not make a historic film or a re-enactment scene without them," said Woloszanski, who has bought historical uniforms from Hero Collection, another producer in Poznan.

Perhaps reflecting the sometimes strongly negative reaction to the work, Hero Collection declined to talk about its products. The company's Web sites says it has supplied uniforms for such movies as the Oscar-winning "The Pianist," the TV film "Hitler: The Rise of Evil" and the Italian movie "Karol, the Man Who Became the Pope."

To make uniforms requires great historic knowledge and accuracy, Woloszanski said.

Sept. 3, 2008

Polish Firm Investigated for Producing Nazi Memorabilia

Prosecutors in Poland have opened an investigation of a firm producing Nazi-era memorabilia for a buyer in Germany.

Polish prosecutors said Tuesday, Sept 2, that they have started investigating a jewelry firm producing Nazi memorabilia. The Internal Security Agency searched the company's headquarters, spokeswoman for the Polish prosecutor, Malgorzata Klaus, told the PAP news agency. The firm's headquarters was searched by the Internal Security Agency.

Among the items found in the raid were Nazi replicas including swastikas, military insignia and rings with skulls like those worn by Nazi Germany's SS troops. According to the Polska newspaper, the items were produced for a German citizen from the former East Germany. The distribution or wearing of Nazi-era symbols is banned in Germany.

"It is legal to produce such items for the needs of film producers or collectors," Klaus said.

Poland is Europe's biggest producer and exporter of Nazi memorabilia. Most of the items are sold to neo-Nazis in Germany or Scandinavia, Polska said. Buying Nazi symbols is illegal in those countries, but allowed in Poland. SS emblems and swastika armbands can be purchased at markets in Poland's larger cities.

Business is also booming on the Internet, with one Polish auction Web site offering some 600 items. A complete SS officer's uniform goes for 3,000 zloty ($1,400 or 890 euros), while iron crosses cost 15 zloty and are often sold in bulk, Polska said.

Polish law forbids promoting Nazi ideology, said Klaus, but not selling historic mementos or reproductions.

"But it is illegal to publicly promote a fascist state system," she said, adding that those convicted of publicly promoting fascism face a prison term up to two years.

April 27, 2008

Czech sales of Nazi memorabilia growing

Czech auction Web sites are offering thousands of Nazi-related items that have been growing in popularity.

For instance, Aukro.cz had 1,335 items in its “Germany 1933-1945” section on Wednesday.

“We have recently sold a Nazi dagger of the National Socialist Motor Corps for 80,000 crowns,” or $3,188, auction operator Oto Obdrzalek told the daily newspaper Mlada fronta Dnes Thursday.

Klara Kalibova, from the nongovernmental organization Tolerance and Civic Society, said neo-Nazis are among the buyers of the memorabilia.

“A Hitlerian wing has recently won in the extremist National Resistance movement and its members buy these items to strengthen their identity,” Kalibova said, referring to an extreme-right movement.

Some buyers indicate their support for neo-Nazi ideas with their nicknames, such as Fritz88 and Pavel88, using the two numbers symbolizing the Heil Hitler salute.

Oto Lustig, who runs the auction site Odklepnuto.cz , told Mlada fronta Dnes that Holocaust survivors often send him letters complaining about the sale of Nazi-related items.

A police officer specializing in right-wing extremism said the Czech police monitor the auction sites.

January 6, 2008

Collectors can find Iron Cross or uniform, but watch out for fake relics

The Nazi war medal looked so authentic it could fool an obedient soldier of the Third Reich. But the gimlet eye of F. Patt Anthony suspected a forgery.

Anthony, a Greensboro vendor of military relics, rotated the Iron Cross against the light, critically rubbing the metal underside with his thumb. He announced his verdict with a scowl.

"When you see this swiveling pin, always be suspicious. That's just typical of India and Pakistan and what they make today," Anthony declared Saturday. "I'm a doubting Thomas, and you need to be in this business."

Anthony is holding court at the State Fairgrounds this weekend, selling military memorabilia and dispensing friendly counsel at the Old North State Antique Gun and Military Antiques Show. The traveling flea market features enough uniforms, canteens, compasses, lighters, lanterns, watches, medals, helmets, bayonets and firearms to stock a military museum and outfit a unit to defend it.

"There is a buyer and collector for everything," said vendor George Walls Jr., a retired Marine general from Cary. "The hardest thing is getting the buyer and the item in the same place and the same time. When you can do that, it's magic." Or flim-flam, if you're not careful.

In the world of antiques, replicas and forgeries abound, especially as demand drives up prices. Fellow vendors defer to Anthony as the high priest of military memorabilia, and collectors pass his table frequently to ask whether they've been bamboozled.

The Civil War is all the rage now, Anthony said, pricing artifacts out of reach for many collectors. Many are switching to more affordable items from World War II. Most collectors are former members of the military and history buffs, the vendors say.

The memorabilia sale, in its 21st year, is held three times a year in North Carolina, said promoter Richard Shields. Some vendors travel from city to city every weekend; others are occasional traders.

Tony Beasley of Raleigh dropped by to sell a Boy Scout tin canteen and mess kit from the early 1970s, for which he got $10. Beasley also brought a 1972 double-barrel 12-gauge shotgun for sale, hoping to attract a buyer by carrying the gun around with two index cards affixed that proclaimed: "For sale." But timing is all, and Beasley did not cross paths with anyone looking to invest $250 in his 36-year-old shotgun.

Each artifact has a story, some revealed only by a trained eye. One of Anthony's cases displayed Nazi combat medals, apparently identical. But, he explained, earlier editions were nickel-plated iron, gleaming with the might and confidence of the fascist war machine. Toward the end of the war, with metal in short supply, the limping Nazi regime was forced to hand out forlorn-looking versions made of cheap, dull zinc.

Collectors stopped frequently among tables strewn with patches and armbands and other colorful markers of military merit. Racks of freshly polished guns released the rich scent of linseed oil. Uniforms hung motionless not far from a wicked display of Japanese swords.

John Austin of Raleigh came looking for the communications squadron patches he wore during his six years in the U.S. Air Force. After leaving the service in 1992, Austin lost his patches somewhere between his moves to California, Texas, New Jersey, Delaware and Raleigh. For $6, Austin found two of the three patches he was seeking.

"They've got some pretty good stuff here," he said, noting the selection of Hitler Youth knives and other World War II artifacts.

Each new military campaign yields a new batch of memorabilia. Amid Anthony's vast assortment of 10,000 pieces: Iraqi military shoulder patches from Operation Desert Storm, brought back by some unknown soldier.

"Soldiers bring this stuff back as souvenirs," Anthony said. "Some of it is trash, and some of it is treasure."

November 4, 2008

Hitler wine is a £4,000 fake, say historians

The £4,000 bottle of wine that Adolf Hitler allegedly presented to senior officers to mark his 54th birthday is almost certainly a fake, say leading historians.

The red "FÅhrerwein' attracted bids from around the world when it was sold at auction eight days ago.

It was billed as a rare piece of wartime memorabilia - a fascinating relic of the Third Reich which reflected a previously unknown side of Hitler's character.

And with its portrait of the Nazi leader on the label, the Schwarzer Tafelwein certainly looked authentic.

It was allegedly discovered in a garage in France and sold to an anonymous buyer in Ivybridge, Devon, who then decided to sell it on.

Few expected it to fetch more than £500 when it went under the hammer at the auction in Plymouth, so there was some surprise when it went for £3,400 - or £3,995 including the buyer's premium.

The purchaser, who bid by telephone, was a collector who did not want to be identified.

But now it turns out he may have made an expensive misjudgment.

Sir Ian Kershaw, Professor of Modern History at Sheffield University and author of an award-winning two-volume biography of Hitler, said he had been 'immediately sceptical' when reading reports of the sale.

"For one thing, a Tafelwein, a low-class table wine, was, even in 1943, not a particularly dignified present, even allowing for Hitler's scant knowledge of wines," he said.

"Beyond this, an earlier wine bottle carrying a picture of Hitler - or at least a Nazi emblem - had been banned as kitsch.

"I doubt that Hitler, with his strong sense of prestige, would have wanted his mugshot on a wine bottle. In any case, whoever paid £4,000 for this must be mad."

Historian Felix Pryor, who catalogues historical manuscripts for major auction houses, said: "The idea that Hitler went around giving soldiers bottles of wine is utterly farcical.

"He wasn't teetotal - he liked to sip the occasional glass of champagne with his mistress Eva Braun - but he hardly ever drank."

Another specialist, Frank Litz, who has studied Nazi memorabilia, said: "On his 54th birthday in 1943 Hitler was trying to come to terms with the catastrophic loss of the 6th Army at Stalingrad, the bombing war on Germany and the rout of the Afrika Korps.

"Handing out carpetings was more the order of the day than handing out wine."

Reproduction? Recognition!

Preface

During the three decades since the endof World War II there has been growing interest in the military technology of Hitler's Germany. This is especially true of the edged weaponry of the Third Reich.The unparalleled enthusiasm expressed by collectors for German WWII edged weapons continues to reach new heights. Scarcity and increased demand by collectors and investors have produced greater interest in this field of collecting than in any time in the past. Unfortunately,this increase in demand and subsequent increase in value has surfaced a real culprit to intimidate collectors- the reproduction Third Reich edged weapon.

As mentioned in my own text on Third Reich edged weapons, the one subject which collectors request information on more than any other is the subject of reproductions and how to accurately identify them. Indeed, finding a collector who has never purchased or traded for a reproduction or "parts" edged weapon is harder to find than a chained SA dagger! I know of no more disheartening experience in this hobby than to learn that oneself has squandered a sizeable sum of money on what later turns out to be a reproduction. It definitely behooves every collector to become an expert indistinguishing spurious pieces.

To date only the mere surface has been scratched on this vital subject. What is sorely needed, and has been needed for years, is a separate definitive study on reproductions.

Reproduction Nazi daggers first made their appearance immediately following World War II. Enterprising Solingen manufacturers recognised the souvenir demand for their edged weapons and hastily assembled the first "parts" daggers out of war-time surplus part sand, where needed, post-war parts. However, the major deluge of reproductions was not witnessed until the values of authentic pieces had escalated to a high enough plateau to make the manufacture of reproductions economical. Although the establishment of an exact date when the plateau was reached is an exercise in futility, the majority of collectors will place this date during the early sixties. During that time frame, the values of many authentic Third Reich edged weapons had reached the critical point making reproductions a very profitable venture. The floodgates were opened and bogus pieces were soon to be manufactured in England, Spain, and the United states, as well as in Germany. Several of the original WorldWar II Waffenfabriken (arms factories) resorted to assembling and manufacturing spurious edged weapons as a source of additional income.

Initially, the quality of these edged weapon reproductions was definitely substandard, and even the novice collector/researcher had little difficulty in segrigating the "wheat from the chaff". Unfortunately, the reproduction manufacturers refined their processes to where a highly experienced eye is now required to identify their wares.

Little has been done to turn the tide against the unscrupulous occupation of marketing spurious collectibles. It is doubtful that any future international legal restraints will hamper this operation, and reproductions will continue to be dumped into the market place in ever increasing numbers. Thus, the only rational course of action is to identify reproductions in their true relationship to the original pieces rather than ignore and, subsequently, mistake them for originals. The only defence against the reproduction onslaught is to arm oneself with full knowledge of reproduction manufacture, types, etc.

In sum, an erudite reference devoted solely to the subject of reproduction Third Reich edged weapons is long overdue, and, in my opinion, my good friend Fred Stephens is the most qualified individual on either side of the Atlantic to author such a text. This reference, which has been compiled over the past several years should more than fill the void in this all-important area.

Thomas M, Johnson,LTC, US Army.

Author's Forward

This book has been designed to serve as an identification handbook covering the basic range of reproductions of German Third Reich blades. It does not, of course, cover every reproduction - let alone every variation of reproduction -but I hope that it will equip the interested collector with enough facts and information to be able to approach the subject with some degree of confidence and competence, and that he can probe the far dark corners of this arcane subject without the unpleasant experience of getting his fingers burnt.

I have not undertaken this work in a crusading spirit - hell-bent upon destroying the market in reproduction daggers. Such an ideal would not only be impossible, but also impracticable. The moral and ethical considerations of the subject are beyond the scope of this books. The emotive in researching it has been to note that there are differences between original and reproduction daggers and because there are such differences it is worthy that they be identified and annotated.

The most important consideration that arose whilst researching this book (over a period of some ten years), was that there has never been a more propitious time at which to undertake such a study. The mass-production of reproductions has evolved through a period in which the originals have been becoming scarcer. Having had an opportunity to study the originals under conditions which held no doubts regarding authenticity, it has been an advantageous position to hold whilst sorting out reproductions to study for comparison. If this book had not been attempted now there would have been less likelihood in the future of having had the best opportunity to study with complete assuredness. In the more distant future, say 50 years hence, such a study would have been for the most part conjecture, and for the lesser part provable facts.

It is for the collectors and researchers of future years that I have really written this book - hopeful that I will give them a source of information upon which they can rely and a solid base from which to extend. It is the collectors of the present age, however, who have made the compilation of this book possible and I am indebted to a great many people for their time, effort, and sincere interest in helping me bring this work to fruition. It has been their interest, and genuinec oncern for the recording of true facts and worthwhile information that has maintained the stimulus to keep on at this work until it has emerged as a useful work of reference.

Apart from being a work of reference, this book is also something of a tribute to my dear friend, Andrew S. Walker. It was Andy who originally promoted the idea of the book to me, and whose superb photographs are to be noted in this work. Unfortunately, Andy will not see this completed book, having died in a tragic accident in June, 1975. His contributions, however, have remained valuable inclusions.

Gordon J. Whlte of Rugby, Warwickshire, has had the problem of coping with hundreds of my ham-fisted negatives, and producing the vast volume of prints from which the final selection was made.

My good colleague, and noted authority, Lt. Col. Thomas M. Johnson, US Army, responded immediately to my request for photos and information at a time when he was immersed in his own outstanding work. Tom has been an unending source of encouragement, and was kind enough to write the Preface for this work.

Andy Southern Jr., an outstanding photographer from California generously contributed his time and photographs, and they are superb.

Many other people have contributed generously to this work, and I would particularly like to single out for thanks : Thomas W. Pooler ; Joseph P. Curry; Herman A. Maeurer; Hugh Page Taylor; Andrew Mollo ; David J. Hemmings ;Mike Bassett; Peter G. Grane ; David Delich ; Leslie Cox; Lt. Col. John R. Angolia ; Carl Fermor; John Cash; Sgt. James G. Selcan USAF ; Eric Campion; Dr: Julien Milestone ; R. Moses ; Roy Butler and staff of Wallis and Wallis; Doug Nie and staff of Weller and Dufty; Wolfgang Herrman of Count Kleman Ltd. and John Lindop.

Apart from the above, a great many other people also contributed generously to this work, but elected to do so under the proviso of remaining anonymous. To all who have given me help and encouragement, I extend my warmest thanks and gratitude.

Frederick J. Stephens, 1976

Frederick J. Stephens, "Reproduction? Recogintion!", Published by the author, 1976

Fakes, Repros and Such...

I still get e-mails from members asking me why I don't allow repros of our web site. Often they suggest that we set up a special section for the fakes, frauds, re-enactment supplies, or what ever they want to call them.

Believe me I considered it. I'm sure we could get more members and have a lot more ads. But then again, I would hate to take that business away from ebay...

I created this site for serious collectors, not for a bunch of bikers and screwballs who buy Nazi junk to stick of their jackets or like to "play" at collecting. And that's the way it's going to stay.

If you want fakes, you're on the wrong site. If you're a re-enactor, I wish you well, but you'll have to find your repro stuff elsewhere. If you want original Thrid Relics just click here.

We do everything we can to keep the fakes off the site. Unfortunately, some do pop up from time to time and we remove them as soon as we're sure they're bogus. The down side to this is we have made some people mad. Usually they thought the piece was original and they don't like to have someone tell them it's fake. They know they are probably going to loose money on it, and no one likes to hear that. That's the price we pay for trying the keep the site "clean". It's a real damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. We just have to live with it.

If you see something bad posted for sale let us know. I don't guarantee we'll remove it, but it will be brought to the attention of guys who have volunteered to help us police the site. They all know the hobby very well and the decision will rest with them. The buck has to stop somewhere.

Bob Treend

p.s. If you get the impression I'm fond of cartoons... you're right!

Reproduction Diplomatic and State Official's Daggers

Here are some observations concerning the large number of well-made reproductions of the silver plated Diplomatic/State service Official's series daggers, currently being offered as originals. These specimens are becoming more and more prolific at gun shows and on dealers lists. Their sophistication is attested to by the number of knowledgable collectors being "burned" by them.

The earliest reproductions of this series of blades can easily be identified by checking the features listed in the following references under their respective headings; EDGED WEAPONRY OF THE THIRD REICH, Maj. John R. Angolia, 1974, pages 198-99. BLUEBOOK OF IDENTIFICATION OF REPRODUCTION NAZI EDGED WEAPONS, R. McFarlane, 1969, pages 24-25. The latter more deceiving and sophisticated repros have every single feature in these 2 references corrected.

There are, however, still a few salient characteristics that the prospective buyer of one of these blades can look out for. Those that I've noticed are:

1. The phonies generally show a highly polished, tinny chrome-like finish to all plated parts. This plating is very thin on the repros and appears to wear through easily. Underneath is a yellowish-colored base matal which shows through on many of them. Originals retained a much deeper, darker silver-like lustre which I have never noticed to wear through to the base metal.

2. Every late model reproduction I've seen to date has had a very pronounced ridge or outline running along the outer edge of each oak leaf that goes to make up the scabbard bands. Originals had no such cutline on the leaves. Also make sure there is an acorn on the lower left section of the scabbard bands, when facing the scabbard frontaly. All originals have this feature, repros don't.

3. While the crossguard eagle is cast very well, the newer phonies will sometimes show distorted head detail. In such cases, the eagles beak and eyes are somewhat misshaped and show poor casting. Originals generally showed good detail in this.

4. Notice the tang-nut which holds the entire piece together. Original specimens incorporate 2 small holes to accomodate a spanner. The reproductions I've seen generally have 2 larger size holes that those on the good pieces. Many times these holes are out of round due to assembly and disassembly with improper tools, and their subsequent effect on the inferior base metal is noticeable.

5. The small leather washer fitted to the ricasse of the blade is usually very thick in width and unevenly cut on the bad pieces. New appearance is obvious. Originals have a fitted, thin oval washer which, regardless of use, invariably shows its age.

6. Lastly, examing any accoutrements that may be present with the dagger. The hangers should consist of a silver, patterned facing sewn to a black velvet backing on each strap, with 2nd Luftwaffe buckles and retainer rings, and Army officer type suspension ramps and top snap fastener. These are very rare and originals will not generally be seen with a bad dagger. Beware if the backing is anything other than black velvet, or if the top fastener and suspension ramps are 2nd Luftwaffe fittings, probability is that they are bad. Also take note of the portepee, if one is tied to the handle. It should consist of a thinner than normal cord with about a 2/3rds normal size acorn. Only this type of knot was used on this series and, like wise, are very rare and never seen on reproductions. They will usually have a standard Army officer's 16 1/2 inch aluminum portepee tied to the handle, in lieu of the proper trappings.

I hope these findings will keep prospective buyers from throwing away their hard earned cash on a worthless reproduction. Don't discount the information contained in the above listed references, but don't let a fast-talking shyster convince you to spend $800. or more for a phony by citing how his "gem" doesn't have any of the characteristics noted in the references. Most blade collectors know the painful experience of showing off their prize pigs ticker to a knowledgeable enthusiast who subsequently informs them that the only good thing about that piece of junk on the wall is that it can perform its intended function on the posterier of the crook who sold it to them.

D.G. Pape Jr..: "REPRODUCTION DIPLOMATIC/STATE OFFICIAL'S DAGGERS", "Der Gauleiter", 1977

Beware the Burgdorf

Wilhelm Burgdorf was born February 15, 1895 in Furstenwalde/Spree. He served as an officer in both WWI and in the Reichswehr. He was promoted to Oberstleutnant August 1, 1938; to Oberst September 1, 1940; to Generalmajor October 1, 1942; to Generalleutnant October 1, 1943; to General der Infanterie November 1, 1944. Most of his military career was spent in administrative positions. So, why would any collector today care about a paper pusher? Burgdorf's signature appears most frequently on Knight's Cross preliminary documents for Army recipients.

As of late, there has been a rash of "bad" Burgdorf signatures appearing on supposed original Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross, Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and other high award documents that were awarded by the Heerespersonalamt. There has even been a Burgdorf signature spotted on a Luftwaffe recipient's Knight's Cross preliminary document. Every knowledgeable collector knows the Army Personnel Office never made Air Force awards. If a collector is forewarned and knowledgeable about the specific signers on preliminary Knight's Cross award documents, then he won't be fooled by an altered or fake document.

Fortunately, whoever has attempted to imitate Burgdorf's signature on award documents has not done his homework (isn't that almost always the case?). One document dated September 1943 has a bold Burgdorf signature with "Generalieutnant" preprinted on the document, beneath his signature. Burgdorf became a Generalleutnant on October 1, 1943. At the time of this signature he was a Generalmajor. The only Generalleutnant in the Heerespersonalamt in September 1943, was Rudolf Schmundt. Another preliminary document for the Knight's Cross has a 1941 date and also a Burgdorf signature as a Generalleutnant. In 1941 Burgdorf was an Oberst and was not even working in the Army Personnel office! That document should have been signed by Bodewin Keitel, who at the time was the only Generalleutnant working in the Heerespersonalamt. Burgdorf didn't come to Army Personnel until May 1, 1942.

Burgdorf's rank and position should always be correct for the date on the award document. Even if the award was made postumously, it wouldn't effect Burgdorf's signature or position. (Nor would it have any effect on the document itself. There is no such thing as a special form for a posthumous award of the Knight's Cross.)

This June 23, 1944 Burgdorf signature appears' on an award of the Oakleaves to the KC of the IC preliminary document. At that time he was a Generalleutnant and still an assistant to Rudolf Schmundt.

This September 15, 1944 Burgdorf signature appears on a posthumous Iron Cross First Class award document. At the time he was still a Gereralleutnant and 16 days away from assuming the position of the Chief of Army Personnel. The signature is a little less open than others, but the letters are still readable, the tail of the "g" remains a straight line and the "u" remains over the "U".

Aside from the rank and position, the signature itself should be scrutinized. The newly done signatures are easily recognizable as "Burgdorf'. However, that's where the similarities end. Wilhelm Burgdorf signed in black ink and with a fine point pen. Most of the newly done Burgdorf signatures have been done with a wide point (felt-tip looking) black pen. Original signatures have distinct open characters. A collector can easily read each letter. The newly done signatures have closed letters, which makes it a little difficult to discern each letter. The tail of the "g" is almost always a straight horizontal line on original signatures. It is almost always arched on the new ones. And, the biggest give-away? Burgdorf always put a "U" shaped line over the "u" in his name. It's a straight line on all the newly done signatures.

Could Burgdorf have signed these after the war, perhaps as an old man? Nope! He died in May of 1945. Armed with a little knowledge, the collector who wants to buy a Knight's Cross preliminary document should not be apprehensive. There are still original, unaltered documents to be found.

Emilie Caldwell Stewart, "Beware the Burgdorf", Der Gauleiter, 1993

Detecting Reproduction Cloth

There's one thing about this crazy hobby we're in - there's always something new. The other day I happen to come across a group of cloth items which were available for sale or trade and like all true collectors I couldn't resist taking a look. They were mostly very common items, a few Luftwaffe specialist patches, some low ranking collar tabs etc... nothing to get excited about. I was however immediately struck by the fact that they all appeared to be in perfectly mint condition, with the original glossiness of the thread still quite bright. Seeing so many pieces in such nice shape and also noticing that they all seemed to be from the same manufacturer, I immediately became suspicious.

Closer inspection revealed several flaws in the designs. In many cases the maker had taken some shortcuts in the sewing of the designs and had allowed the excess threads, which should have been on the back of the patch, to simply run accross the face of the patch. Thus when the sewing machine reached the end of a propeller blade, instead of disappearing under the surface and the resurfacing at the proper place to start on the next blade, it simply ran back accross the top of the first blade to the hub and then started from there on the next blade. Our friends back in the old country would never have been so untidy.

There were also the usual slight variations in design from which any fake will invariably suffer, and of course there was that indefinable, abstract quality about any fake which a collector with a few years experience learns to "feel". Up to this point I didn't notice anything unusual, just another group of trash to add to the tons already in circulation. Then I noticed something that was not expected. All of a sudden I had the impression that I was sitting behind the wheel of a brand new car - right in the dealer's showroom: It was the smell.

This little cash of supposedly thirty year old cloth smelled just like the inside of a new Ford. I took a closer sniff, yep: that was vinyl upholstery without a doubt. I don't know anything about chemistry, but I do know that the Germans didn't make insignia out of vinyl. What had happened is that somebody out there in the happy world of swindlers used a modern fabric to make antique insignia. The color, texture, thickness and grain were considered, but he forgot to take into account the odor.
Use your nose!

Bob Treend, "Original Nazi Relics Anyone", Der Gauleiter, 1977

Tips on Detecting Fake Uniforms

A fake uniform is one which is simply not what it appears to be: It is not a uniform made for the Wehrmacht, Party etc. but is a modern made uniform made for the purpose of deceiving the collector. A made-up uniform is one which is put together from original and/or reproduction parts, with the insignia added after 1945 by a collector or dealer for the purpose of deceiving the collector.

It is almost impossible to write out a list of things to watch for in buying a uniform, but there are some guidelines which I would like to bring to the collectors attention. By using these and by applying some common sence a collector with little experience can guard himself from being swindled.

1. HAVE A REFERENCE LIBRARY: If you are going to collect SS uniforms, you should own some good books on the subject. How else are you going to learn and where can you go for quick information? No collector can have too many references.

2. IF YOU ARE NOT AN "EXPERT" YOU SHOULD KNOW ONE: When you are in doubt, ask. Get a second opinion before you spend your money.

3. KNOW YOUR SOURCE: If the item is coming from a "vet" then there is little to worry about. If it is being offered by a collector or dealer consider the reputation of the person. Is he known to be honest, or does he have a reputation of selling fakes and pulling tricks on unknowning collectors.

4. LOOK AT THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF THE UNIFORM: Does it appear to be 30 years old? Even if in great condition it should not have that "brand new look and feel. Smell it! Strange as this may sound, your nose can detect age very well. Does the tayloring agree with what you find in your references? Is the style, cut and color correct? If your first impression is negative -- watch out!

5. INSPECT FOR LABELS: Remember, these can be fakes too, but a well marked tunic with correct labels is better than an unmarked one. Are the labels proper to this particular item? Are the RZM tags (if any) correct for this type of uniform? Did the person whos name appears inside the tunic, actually exist and did he hold this rank and belong to this unit? Use your references!

6. ARE ALL INSIGNIA PROPER TO THIS UNIFORM?: Check to make sure all the various insignia are correct. THIS CAN BE THE BIGGEST TIP-OFF TO A FAKE OR MADE-UP: First verify that the insignia is all original. Then check to see if they are all proper to this uniform. Do the collar tabs match the shoulder boards? Is the breast eagle proper to this type uniform? Are the buttons correct? Does the uniform have the proper size and color of piping around the collar?

7. LOOK FOR INSIGNIA ADDITIONS AND DELEATIONS: Check the way the insignia is sewn on the uniform, does it appear to be original or has it been changed? Is there evidence of any insignia being removed? Does the Waffen-SS tunic show signs of once having an Army breast eagle?? Does all the insignia look to be about the same age, or does the sleeve eagle look new while the tunic is well worn? Are the boards mint and the tabs shabby? Is the quality of all insignia about the same and is it the quality you would expect from a private or a general?

8. IS THE PRICE "TO GOOD TO BE TRUE?" If so--it probably is: No collector or dealer is going to offer you a $500. item for $200., unless there is something he knows about it that you don't: And what he probably knows is that the item is a fake. Beware of any "bargains". However, remember that some greedy crooks will hold out for an original price even though they are selling a fake.

9. CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS: I've stood by and wathced a collector (including myself) rationalize away all the flaws and signs of a fake simply because he "wants" to believe the item is real. If you have been looking for a certain item for years, it can be hard to have to tell yourself that the gem you just found is a beautiful fake. You want it to be real, so you convince yourself it is, regardless ofall evidence to the contrary.

I realize that the list is far from complete and that following these suggestions will not insure that you won't be fooled. But by using these guidelines your chances are greatly inproved over simply "taking the sellers word for it"!

Bob Treend, "Anything they could make then - They can make now", Der Gauleiter, 1976

Introduction to Medals and Badges

The Third Reich came into being on 30th January 1933, with Hitler's accension to power, and ended with the defeat of Germany in May 1945.

The number of new decorations, medals and badges of honour created during those twelve years may well appear prodigious, but it must be borne in mind that in the matter of national honours, the Nazis were obliged to start virtually from scratch.

The previous government, the ill-starred Weimar Republic, had at least in theory abolished all titles of nobility and awards of honour, although in practice the proscription was not absolute. The Order of St. John of Jerusalem (the Johanniter Orden) was permitted as was the civil grade of the Pour Ie Merite, at least to fill a vacancy in the permitted membership of 30. The decorations of the German Red Cross were not effected since awards in this case were made by the President of the German Red Cross and not the government. The various German states (Lander) still enjoyed a degree of autonomy under the Weimar Republic and could make awards of such things as Life-saving and Miner's or Fire Brigade medals within their own province. They even continued to do so for a short period under the 3rd Reich until the rigorous application of the Nazi "Gleichschaltung" policy swept away all such provincial awards and centralized them in the national government* .

This work deals only with official awards made at national (Reich) level. For this reason the long service awards of the National Food Estate Organization (Reichsniihrstand) have not been included. Although the organization itself was a national one, the awards were made on a regional basis. Also some interesting medallions awarded in connection with the battle of Stalingrad have been excluded as they were instituted only at regimental level ( piece of "private enterprise" on the part of a conscientious regimental commander).

With the exception of the Free City of Danzig, Nazi awards of German racial communities outside the Reich, such as the "Volksgruppe" in Roumania, have not been included. Similarly those of non-German Nazi movements, (for example Anton Mussert's Dutch Nazi Party) were by definition, precluded.

The well-known "Azad Hind" or "Free India" decoration, often found in Nazi collections, was instituted not by the Germans but by the Free India Committee in Germany and is, therefore, an Indian and not a German decoration.

"Day" badges issued to commemorate annual Party rallies, sporting or other events, of which there are vast numbers, have not been included except for those later granted the status of official Party awards (such as the Party Day badge for Nuremberg 1929).

The line between official and semi-official has not been easy to draw. On the whole, the authors have tried to be as comprehensive as possible even where this has involved slight violations of their own definitions. For example, rigid adherence to the "Reich-level-only" principle would have precluded all the Luftgaue plaques since these were instituted by the General Officers commanding the Luftgaue. Although they were awarded only within the limits of the Gau, they are of considerable interest and have been included. For basically the same reason the Lorient Shield, strictly speaking an un­official award, has been put on a par with official shield badges.

Quality and Markings

It has not been possible to indicate the quality of the metals used in the manufacture of the various awards described since a considerable diversity exists in this respect. On the whole, genuine silver or gold is rare.

*It is interesting to note that the present government of West Germany has reversed this policy and the German Lander once again award their own Life­saving and Fire Brigade, etc. medals.

Portable Nazi awards were never inscribed with the recipient's name. Where this is found, as on some war badges, it was certainly privately done. Even the numbering of badges or medals is unusual, which makes it very difficult to ascertain whether a particular item was ever issued or not.

All firms authorized to make official medals and badges had a manufacturer's mark (Herstellungszeichen). Those permitted to make Party awards (this included Youth badges) had an additional authorization number (Zulassungsnummer) which was prefaced by the letters R. Z. M. in a circle (standing for Reichszeugmeisterei or roughly translated Ministry of Supply). For example, the firm of Steinhauer & Luck of Ludenscheid who were large scale suppliers of medals and badges had the Herstellungszeichen L 16 and the Zulassungsnummer R. Z. M. M 11/1.
Some badges had the maker's name or initials on the reverse rather than a number. Medals and badges made in silver or silver-gilt carry the continental silvergrading number, usually a very small 800 or 900 which is sometimes found on the suspension loop.

Variants, Fakes and "Remakes"

1. Collectors may find that they have in their possession items which, although their authenticity is beyond doubt, vary slightly or even considerably from the descriptions given in these pages. This need not be regarded as remarkable. Unauthorized variations and "improvements" often appear in all countries during time of war. It was not uncommon for decorations to be produced in the field or even on board ship. It should also be remembered that there was no single Mint responsible for the production of all decorations. A number of private concerns contracted to supply medals and badges and their standards did vary. In the chaotic conditions which prevailed in Germany during the closing stages of the war, recourse had often to be made to improvisation, an example being the "Kurland" cuff band.

As many collectors are by now aware, Nazi awards have been remade in West Germany since the war on an ever increasing scale. It would not be strictly correct to term these as "fakes" since they come, in most instances, from the original dies and are made by firms formerly authorized to manufacture medals during the 3rd Reich era.

They are not, however, always accurate reproductions of the originals. The best word to describe these is "restrikes" or "remakes". Unfortunately, there is no easy rule of thumb by which the beginning collector can distinguish the genuine from the "remake". Experience is the only guide. The attitude that the collector should adopt towards "remakes" is a matter of personal choice.

Some may reject them all out of hand as worthless, while others may feel that they are useful in filling gaps where genuine examples would be very hard, if not impossible, to obtain. On the whole, collectors who do not wish to devalue their collections will probably want to avoid them. Where there is some doubt as to whether or not examples of a particular award were ever issued during the life-time of the 3rd Reich, has been made clear in the text. The authors do not wish to lend authority to badges, etc., which may have been produced since the end of the war.

Prestentation Cases and Citations

Citations actually signed by Hitler, although in some circumstances comparitively lowly awards were made personally by Hitler to special recipients.

Medal Ribbons

In view of the fact that many collectors specialize in medal ribbons only, some detailed remarks on this subject may be of use. The width of German ribbons varies, normally medals were issued on a 30mm or 35mm ribbon. When mounted for wearing, either singly or in a group, a 25mm ribbon could be employed. This was made up in a double length with the medal couched in the center*. Neck ribbons were usually 45mm wide, and in the case of certain long service awards such as the Police, Customs and SS.

Long service, a 50mm ribbon was used. Here it may be noted that originally these long service awards were mounted on the normal doubled 25mm ribbon with the Police (etc.) emblem on a separate piece of ribbon. This embroidered emblem, usually mounted on cardboard or metal backing, was attached to the center of the basic ribbon. Only later was the 50mm ribbon introduced and worn as such when mounted.

Ribbons without medals were worn on a metal bar mounting (Ordenschnalle) which is wider than the the usual Anglo-American type (17mm normally, although a narrower 9. 5mm bar was also, less commonly used. Two widths of ribbon could be used on a bar mounting, either full-sized (25mm) or halfsize (15mm). Actual full size, i. e. 30 or 35mm, was not used on the bar mounting. Where metal emblems were worn on the full sized ribbons, a reduced version was also worn on the half-size ribbons. In the medal ribbon chart, it has not been possible to show the diverse emblems which were worn on Nazi ribbons, but these have been described in the text.

*In Austria, the traditional Austrian "inverted triangle" style of mounting was sometimes used even for Reich awards. This style uses a 40mm wide ribbon.

When worn by ladies, medals were usually suspended from a bow, where this does not apply it is mentioned.

Miniatures have proportionally small ribbons, although it was more common to have miniature decorations attached to a fine chain without ribbons for evening wear (this is a normal continental practice). Miniature ribbons were made up in a variety of styles and could be worn in the button hole of civilian clothes. Metal tie-pin (Stecknadel) miniatures do not have ribbons.

Slight variations in the sizes and shades of ribbons are encountered, but collectors should note with caution that ribbons as well as medals and badges, etc., are being "remade" in modern Germany. Some of these are inaccurate not only as to quality and shade, but even in their proportions; others are perfectly accurate. It is entirely possible that some original ribbon stocks still exist.

The present-day West German style of wearing medal riboons is now similar to that employed in the Anglo-American forces. The above remarks apply only to the 3rd Reich period.

Littlejohn and Dodkins: "Orders, Decorations, Medals and Badges of the Third Reich", 1968.
R. James Bender Publishing.

www.bender-publishing.com

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