Kriegsmarine Deutchse Werke Kiel Shipbuilder's Grouping

[Erik Krogh]

Here is a small grouping to a worker at the Deutsche Werke Kiel shipbuilding facility. The grouping consists of a lapel pin, the holder's ID card, and a "gift set" of photos given out at Christmas 1939. Here is the pin/ID card.

[Erik Krogh]

Pin obverse

[Erik Krogh]

Pin reverse

[Erik Krogh]

Cover of the "gift set"

[Erik Krogh]

Photo of the main hall - part of the gift set

[Erik Krogh]

Monument

[Erik Krogh]

Schnellboot Harbor

[Gordon Williamson]

Super set Erik. That pin is absolutely gorgeous !!!

[Peter BL]

I agree...absolutely superb set Erik . Love the photo's and the badge isn't to bad either.

[Erik Krogh]

Thanks Gordon and Peter! Does anyone know if the lapel pin was some sort of award for outstanding performance or long service?

[Martin W]

That pin is absolutely gorgeous !!!

I agree Gordon,

the first of it's type that i have seen but i do not know the reason for it's issue other than being employed in the shipbuiling facility?

Outstanding grouping Erik.

Regards,Martin.

[Paul R]

Very rare and special grouping. I like the factory ID and badge quite a bit.

[Gordon Williamson]

Thanks Gordon and Peter! Does anyone know if the lapel pin was some sort of award for outstanding performance or long service?

That would be my guess. A pin of this quality, in real silver, would not just have been given out willy-nilly to all employees. Most likely it was a reward for a certain number of years of loyal service to the company. I would have suggested it is the type of thing maybe given to an employee after 20 or 25 years service but as the firm was only created in 1925 that couldn't be the case. The 20th and 25th anniversaries would have been after the war ended . The firm did not survive the war's end, its surviving facilities being taken over by Howaldtswerke.

Could be for 15 years service though 15 isn't an anniversary that would normally be considered special enough for such a reward.

Alternatively, although 1925 is usually quoted as the foundation year for the firm, this could be incorrect as I have also seen 1919 and 1921 quoted ( the firm was created when a number of private firms were amalgamated under state control) so it is possibly a 20th anniversary pin from 1939 or 1941 if these earlier foundation dates are correct.

The other possibility is that it was given to those who had performed some particularly meritorious service during the construction of one of the major warships that DW constructed ( the pocket battleship Deutschland, heavy cruiser Blücher and battleship Gneisenau.)

By the way, some won't have realized, but the "D" emblem of Deutsche Werke represents the emblem of the firm, a Lion with its tail curled back up over its head. Often people think it is a dragon of some sorts ( due to the similarity of the head part of the emblem to the Viking longship dragon head bow emblem used often used as a nautical symbol).

Every time I look at that image of your pin Erik, I like it even more. Absolutely fabulous.

[Erik Krogh]

Gordon,

As always, thank you very much for your thoughtful analysis and additional information about the DW logo. Understanding the history behind the artifacts makes this a fascinating hobby.

Cheers!

Erik

[all1knew]

Hello there Erik,

I had never seen tihs pin before, thank you for sharing! Some real history behind this one!

William Kramer