Kriegsmarine Frontreif Stickpin

[Erik Krogh]

The Frontreif U-Boat badge has been controversial, to say the least, with many collectors categorically pronouncing them as fakes. Has anybody seen another one of these Frontreif stickpins? I purchased this pin from one of the major German dealers, and I would be quite interested in opinions regarding originality. Thanks!

[Erik Krogh]

Obverse Detai

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[Erik Krogh]

Reverse

[joetauchretter]

In my opinion I feel this stick pin and badge are post war fakes . True, there are few war time pictures showing men painting this emblem onto the their conning tower after completion of training there are no original war time pictures of this badge . There are many, many pictures of crews after training and commissioning but none show this badge . In my opinion these look like post war construction and plating , almost everyone that I have seen look like they were made only last week ! I cannot believe that a badge and stick pin would be produced for completing u-boat training and now ready for front line fighting . I cannot see a u-boat man who joins an elite unit such as the Ubootwaffe would want to wear a badge as this when going on the front line and showing every tom , dick and harry he had just passed his u-boat training class ! A fantasy badge/ award in my humble opinion .

Joe

[Chris Boonzaier]

I cannot see a u-boat man who joins an elite unit such as the Ubootwaffe would want to wear a badge as this when going on the front line and showing every tom , dick and harry he had just passed his u-boat training class !

Joe

That seems logical... every soldier wants to look like an old salt... I would think the "real" u-boot men would have really taken the pss out of a newbie with a badge like this!!

Although maybe they would have put it on to great the new, NON Frontreif folks?

Either way, dodgy to say the best IMHUO

[Gordon Williamson]

That seems logical... every soldier wants to look like an old salt... I would think the "real" u-boot men would have really taken the pss out of a newbie with a badge like this!!

Although maybe they would have put it on to great the new, NON Frontreif folks?

Either way, dodgy to say the best IMHUO

I don't think anyone has ever seriously suggested these were for wear by U-Boat crews. Even with the propensity of U-Boat men to wear unauthorised stuff, that would be ridiculous.

The theory that goes with these is that they were commemoratives for the shipyard people who built them and got them ready for service, not the KM men who crewed them.

Amongst U-Boat collectors I know as many in the "for" camp as in the "against" camp, so until someone comes up with firm evidence one way or the other I'll keep an open mind, but consider them as said in my book as "speculative".