RDK Reichsbund der Kinderreichen

[JNoble]

This badge isn't an award for having a lot of children like the Mütters Cross. I believe it's more on the order of an organization badge like the triangle badge for the NS-Frauenschaft org. These came in three colored borders Black, Blue and Red most likely to indicate ones place in the org.

The RDK Reichsbund der Kinderreichen (State Federation for Large Families) was in place until at least 1937 when it was replaced by the RDF (State Federation for German Families). It was administrated by the Eugenics Office (das Rassenpolitische Ant) which looked after families with three or more children.

Eugenics: a science that deals with the improvement ( by control of mating) of hereditary qualities of the race or breed.

[BURGERHAUS]

James Thanks for showing these. Here is an example I have. I have another and will post it later. Robert

[Avitas]

Very interesting member badge, I have never seen one before. These must be very rare I would guess. Thanks for showing the different types and adding to the database.

Cheers,

Pat

[JNoble]

I wonder if the Reichsbund der Kinderreichen was linked with Himmler's Lebensborn, or "Source of Life," program that's in the news this last week?

Here's is a link to that news story if anyone is interested.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/1,1518,k-6695,00.html

Edited November 8, 2006 by JNoble

[benten]

James, an interesting link ! Thanks.

Cheers

Benten

[Scowen]

Sorry for my late reply. I wanted to fully read the article before I did so & have only just had the time to do so.

You may well have a good point there James. It may also explain why there is so little known about the RDK. I've often wondered about them, the mothers cross was in place to reward large families so why have another organisation?..... Perhaps the members where the ones who took the adopted children in?

Cheers

Don

[JNoble]

Don,

Here is what I think was going on with this organization. The Mütter Cross was issued to all good German mothers as an out in the open for all the world to see how well the Third Reich was taking care of them. Then you have the Reichsbund der Kinderreichen a little less talked about branch whose members were also married and met the special hereditary qualities of the Aryan race. And then you have the more closely guarded Lebensborn branch overseen by the SS whose members also met the hereditary qualities but were not required to be married to have children for the Reich including the occupied Nordic counties as stated in the Spiegel article.

James.

[Scowen]

Thank sounds logical. So who took in & brought up the adopted children & those Aryan looking ones "kidnapped" from occupied territories, the RDK?

Here's a beauty of a cup on display in the Imperial War Museum in London.

Cheers

Don

[--dj--Joe]

I wonder where in the hierarchy the rarely seen two piece badges come in play?

--dj--Joe

[Scowen]

A good question Joe. I'll give Mijke a nudge as he has a nice collection of these including the two piece, perhaps he'll post them for us.

Cheers

Don

[JNoble]

Don,

The single mothers had the choice of keeping their babies or giving them up for adoption. The Lebensborn took care of these babies until they were able to find families that met the qualifications set forth by the SS.

[Alexey Smirnov]

He/Hu 9001

[Scowen]

Here's a new one

[Scowen]

Rev

[Scowen]

I managed to find one of the two piece ones the other day, blue version.

Cheers

Don

[Scowen]

Marked for Steinhauer & L?ck

[--dj--Joe]

Congrats, Don. I am envious. Nice find.

--dj--Joe

[Andy H]

A useful history of the RdK is outlined by Jill Stephenson entitled Reichsbund der Kinderreichen, The league of Large Families in the Population Policy of Nazi Germany-European Studies Review Vol9 pp351-75

The RdK was not the creation of the Nazis but emerged in 1923 as a pronatalist organisation which concerned itself with campaigning to promote marriage at a time when the birth rate was falling and established religious organisations were concerned about permissiveness and a move away from parents having large families.

After 1933,the Nazis supported the organisation and despite political wrangling by Frick and Hess it developed calling upon all parents with 4 or more children,and widows with at least three,to join the Rdk. However, only families which were racially and hereditarily sound were admitted.Honour books were issued{200 initially in Dec 37}

In April 1940 the Rdk became the RDF [Reichsbund Deutsche Familie]One of its main tasks being to act as a so called Letter Centre co-ordinating letter writing as a means of promoting relationships during wartime.

The organisational detail may help establish the significance of the coloured badges.I have an Honour book which I will try to post if this helps further your insight into this fascinating area.

Andy

[Scowen]

Thanks Andy, coincidentally, I had just read this interesting artical this very day!

Cheers

Don

[BURGERHAUS]

Gents Would you happen to know the exact title of this publication so I could try to lay my hands on it. The only title I have is WOMEN IN NAZI GERMANY by this author. Thank You Robert

[Scowen]

Came across a mini recently, not in such a good condition, all of the silver wash has worn away.

Cheers

Don

[Scowen]

Reverse marked to Steinhaur & Lück

[Scowen]

Thought it might be helpful to have a size comparison.

[--dj--Joe]

A hatchling! I was not aware they came in different sizes.

--dj--Joe

[Andy H]

Hi Burgerhaus

The European Studies Review is an academic journal with the volume I discovered the RDK info in being from 1979(I think).

Jill Stephenson is now a Professor of Modern History at the University of Edinburgh. She has produced other work which is valuable to the collecter including the Nazi Organisation of Women and most recently in 2006 a regional study of Wurtttemburg under the Nazis which is entitled Hitlers Home Front.

Her work offers a useful insght into organisational developments and as such includes membership numbers and priorities which can help to make sense of the grades of badges and the numbers which may have been produced by the regime.

Best of luck

Andy