Original WWII German Militaria Insignia Lot – RLB, DAF, Ribbon Bars & WHW

Description

The WWII German Militaria Insignia Lot offered here is a varied historical grouping comprising German stickpins, miniature decorations, ribbon bars, organizational insignia and period Winterhilfswerk ephemera from the Third Reich era.

Rather than representing a single military branch or award, this collection provides an interesting cross-section of the small badges, lapel insignia and miniature decorations that could be encountered in German civilian and veteran life during the 1930s and Second World War period.

Several pieces can be identified with confidence from their characteristic designs.

WWII German Militaria Insignia Lot – RLB and DAF stickpins

Among the most recognizable items is an RLB Reichsluftschutzbund stickpin, displaying the characteristic silver sunburst device against dark blue enamel together with the RLB initials and political emblem.

The Reichsluftschutzbund was the German Air Raid Protection League. Period membership badges and stickpins were produced in several patterns and were intended for wear on civilian clothing. Surviving examples are known with long stickpins and blue enamel decoration.

Also included is a classic DAF Deutsche Arbeitsfront membership stickpin. Its openwork design consists of the characteristic cogwheel surrounding the central emblem.

Period DAF stickpins were manufactured in aluminium, zinc and other metals and generally measure around 18–19 mm across the badge portion, mounted to a long lapel pin. Specialist examples frequently carry RZM or Ges. Gesch. markings on the reverse.

The Deutsche Arbeitsfront, or German Labour Front, used the cogwheel as one of its principal identifying symbols.

German miniature awards and ribbon bars

The grouping also contains several pieces connected with miniature award wear.

One multi-place ribbon bar incorporates a blue ribbon with miniature cross device, together with additional black, white and red ribbons and a crossed-swords device.

The blue ribbon and miniature cross are consistent in appearance with the German Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen, or Faithful Service Decoration. The official decoration was worn from a cornflower-blue ribbon and existed in silver and gold grades.

Other ribbon elements in the grouping carry miniature swords and period German colour combinations associated with military and veteran decorations.

Because several of these miniature devices are extremely small and their reverse fittings are not visible in the supplied photographs, individual attribution of every ribbon is deliberately avoided rather than assigning an incorrect decoration.

The lot additionally contains three button-mounted red ribbon pieces with black buttons, another two-place ribbon bar and a long miniature combination stickpin displaying several award-style devices.

Additional German organizational and veteran insignia

A silver-coloured elongated badge with a central sword, wreath and cross device is also included.

Its design belongs to the broad family of German veterans’ and former-servicemen organizational insignia seen during the Third Reich period. German veterans’ organizations were progressively consolidated under the NS-Reichskriegerbund during the later 1930s.

Because no readable reverse maker marking is shown for this particular piece, I would list it conservatively as a German veterans / association insignia rather than assigning it to a more specific organization without additional evidence.

There is also a long stickpin combining several miniature devices, including an Iron Cross-style element, giving the grouping additional visual interest.

WHW “Das Deutsche Lied” miniature booklet

One especially interesting piece is the miniature illustrated song booklet titled:

DAS DEUTSCHE LIED

The cover lists:

• Volkslieder
• Lieder der Bewegung
• Soldatenlieder
• Feierlieder
• Liebeslieder
• Kinderlieder

These small Das Deutsche Lied booklets formed a recognized Winterhilfswerk / WHW donation series. Period examples were issued during the 1942/43 campaign in several numbered themes and were supplied with cords allowing them to be hung or attached.

Examples survive for Volkslieder, Lieder der Bewegung, Soldatenlieder, Feierlieder, Liebeslieder and Kinderlieder. Specialist dealers identify them as small WHW donation receipts or collectible tokens.

The booklet included here still displays its attractive period illustrated cover and printed musical material internally.

A separate red lion-shaped hanging piece is also present in the grouping and is shown exactly as supplied.

Condition

The WWII German Militaria Insignia Lot displays varied age-related condition consistent with a mixed collection assembled from individual pieces.

Visible characteristics include:

• age toning and oxidation to metal surfaces
• minor finish loss
• scratches and handling wear
• ageing to silvered and plated surfaces
• wear and slight fraying to ribbons
• age-related wear to the miniature WHW booklet
• complete long pins visible on several stickpins
• enamel remaining attractive on the RLB example
• intact cogwheel form on the DAF stickpin
• miniature devices remaining attached to the ribbon bars

No attempt has been made here to invent manufacturer information that cannot be read from the photographs.

The photographs show the actual items offered and should be considered an integral part of the condition description.