Crank Catch Hitler Youth Buckle – M4/39 (Assmann)

Product Description: This Crank Catch Hitler Youth Buckle is a very desirable variant, by a maker associated with top quality pieces. It’s an early, prewar buckle, made of aluminum. It appears that this buckle once had a silver finish over the aluminum, as some traces remain in the recesses of the design, but most of the surface has reverted to bare metal. There is a pleasant, light age patina throughout, and lots of detail to the central roundel with “Blood and Honor” motto. The reverse of this buckle shows the sought-after variant “crank” style belt catch. It looks like this catch may have been repaired at some point in the past, as the appearance of the two solder joints differ slightly. The buckle is nicely marked near the catch, with the round RZM logo, the stylized “A” maker mark of F. W. Assmann & Söhne in Lüdenscheid, and the Assmann RZM code “M4/39.” The Crank Catch Hitler Youth Buckle is a rare buckle to find. This one is in very good condition.

Historical Description: The belt buckle was an important part of the regalia worn by all uniformed military, civil, political and paramilitary organizations during the Third Reich. The belt (“Koppel”) was part of the uniform and would always be worn while on duty. The belt buckle (“Koppelschloss”) was generally specific to each organization, with many organizations having separate belt buckles for officers and for enlisted personnel, sometimes with different colors and finishes to further denote specific purposes. The buckles were adorned with various mottos and designs specific to the organizations for which they were intended. Many designs used the German national eagle emblem, in a variety of forms. Belt buckles were worn with uniforms ranging from finely tailored officer parade uniforms, to the issue uniforms of enlisted soldiers in combat. Generally speaking, most German belt buckles of the Third Reich were made with two prongs on the reverse, to allow the buckle to be worn and adjusted on a belt. The buckle had a catch that would mate with a hook on the belt, when worn. The earliest Third Reich buckles were often made of brass, or nickel silver. Later, aluminum became very common, and was used on private purchase as well as enlisted buckles of the German military, with or without a painted or plated finish. After WWII began, most enlisted military buckles were steel. Nazi belt buckles were popular souvenirs for Allied troops who served in Europe. Some types were made by the millions and remain quite common today. Others were made in limited numbers and are very rare.

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