tyanacek

Hi guys, Here are four Luftwaffe badges that I bought at the MAX Show. I wasn't particularly looking for Luftwaffe badges, but I couldn't pass these up as they were priced right. Hope you like them. Best regards, Tom The badges are: Paratrooper Badge by G.H. Osang of Dresden Paratrooper Badge by Berg & Nolte of Lüdenscheid Air Gunner/Flight Engineer Badge by Wilhelm Deumer of Lüdenscheid Flak Badge by E.Ferd. Wiedmann of Frankfurt am Main (wide-pin variation)

Hi Pierce, Both a very nice medal bars. I especially like your seven-placer with the NSDAP 10-Year Long Service Decoration. I remember when you first acquired that one and how envious I was. Best regards, Tom

The flawed area, circled in the image below, is interesting. I don't think I ever saw that before. Also, the tops of the letters in "FÜR" are pretty messed up. Best regards, Tom

Berg & Nolte zinc wreath- tombak eagle:

Paul Meybauer zinc:

Paul Meybauer zinc:

Steinhauer & Lück zinc:

Assmann L/64 zinc:

Berg & Nolte zinc:

Hi guys, Here is my mediocre collection of Paratrooper Badges: all zincers I'm afraid. Top row (L-R): Berg & Nolte zinc; Assmann L/64 zinc; Steinhauer & Lück zinc Bottom row (L-R): Paul Meybauer zinc; Paul Meybauer zinc; Berg & Nolte zinc wreath- tombak eagle Best regards, Tom

Did a little more checking and found some more examples of Luftschutz Decoration documents on Helmut Weitze's website. one to a Postamtmann in Kassel, dated 21 October 1943 one to a Zollsekretär in Hamburg, dated 30 September 1944 and one to a Oberhelferin im Flugmeldedienst in Schwerin, Erika Möller, dated 26 June 1942 So it appears that they did continue to award these during wartime. Best regards, Tom

I see that in Forman's book on documents, volume 2, page #226, there is a Luftschutz Decoration Second Class document to a Büroangestellten Anna Harders in Hamburg. The document is dated 30 May 1944. (Document credited to Kay-Max Brüggemann) Best regards, Tom

Thanks for all of that information, Ulsterman. I should have told the dealer that this medal bar was in violation of a Führerbefehl. Then maybe I could have gotten that 50% discount. Best regards, Tom

Hello John and Joe, Beautiful Paratrooper Badges. Thanks for showing them. This might sound crazy, but the one I like the most is that Berg & Nolte, with the dark zinc wreath and gilded tombak eagle. That shade of gold is terrific and I really like the Paratroop Badges that have darkened wreaths. Seeing these badges makes me want to pull out my Paratroop Badges. Maybe I will take some pictures and post them one of these days. Don't worry, though! I can't compete with those wonderful Buntmetall examples. Best regards, Tom

Thanks for the comments, Ulsterman and Chris. I never once considered the demographic trends of Westwall Medal recipients, but it would only make sense that they would utilize units in close proximity to the area rather than bringing in units from out of the way places in the Reich. So I bet that the majority, by far, of Westwall Medal recipients were from areas bordering France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Likewise, I have a feeling that most medal bars having a Westwall Medal were assembled in shops situated along the Rhein River, in places such as Mannheim, Wiesbaden, Köln, Koblenz, and (of course) Frankfurt am Main. Best regards, Tom

I realize that Austria became part of Germany in March of 1938, but I don't believe elevating the status of an Austrian commemorative medal would have taken place immediately. I'm referencing the January 1939 regulations: Die Reihenfolge der Orden und Ehrenzeichen an der Ordensschnalle, as found in the Steinhauer & Lück catalog. There is no specific mention of the WW1 Commemorative Medal for Austria so it seems to me that, at this time, the medal was still lumped in the category of foreign orders and decorations, worn at the end of the medal bar and placed by date of award. Or, as the category states, "Ausländische Orden und Ehrenzeichen in der Reihenfolge ihrer Verleihung." The first specific mention I see for the WW1 Commemorative Medal for Austria is in the 1940 regulations for Wehrmacht, Polizei, u. Beamtenuniform (effective August 19, 1940) and found in Doehle. The Commemorative Medal for Austria is specifically placed after the 1914-1918 Cross of Honor and before long service decorations, state awards and decorations of the NSDAP, annexation medals, etc. So I do see a possibility that this bar was assembled during the war in 1940, but more likely it was assembled before the war in 1938 or 1939 as you mentioned. Best regards, Tom

Hi Ulsterman, I think you are correct. I have a feeling that this bar was assembled sometime between 1938 and mid-1940. The placement of the Luftschutz Decoration is correct for that time frame. After August of 1940, the WW1 Commemorative for Austria would take precedence over the Luftschutz Decoration. Best regards, Tom

Thank you, Paul! Although it is nothing out of the ordinary, the condition was so nice that I couldn't pass it by. Best regards, Tom

Thank you, Paul! Here is another medal bar by ECK,, showing the consistency in their method of assembly. Best regards, Tom

Hello guys, I bought this all-Third Reich three-placer over the weekend. The bar was assembled by ECK and it is always a nice bonus when you can find a medal bar with a label of the assembler. The bar is very typical of ECK's work, with light gray wool backing cloth, squared-off ribbon rosettes, and their label affixed centered and along the lower edge of the backing cloth. Also typical of ECK's work was the use of suspension hooks for the medals, rather then sewing them down to under-wrap ribbons. In this way the medals could be removed if necessary. Best regards, Tom

Hello to all, I just bought this five-placer over the weekend at a small militaria show. I like the subtle aging on this bar and the Luftschutz Decoration in the center really makes it stand out. Hope you like it! Best regards, Tom

Hello to all, Here is an unmarked '30' Gold Wound Badge that I won in an auction recently. This one is really bright and it was hard to get some decent pictures. The badge has the initials ' H H K' scratched into the reverse. Best regards, Tom

Here is the same piece on a black background:

Hello guys, Here is a Fire Brigade Decoration that I won in a recent auction. Hope you like it! Best regards, Tom

This excellent condition "broken stem" Infantry Assault Badge was another gun show find from a few months ago.