Heer Tropical Web Tab Buckle – N&H 1941

Product Description: This Heer Tropical Web Tab Buckle is a very nice example of this extremely desirable Army buckle type. This variant was the standard enlisted issue tropical buckle for soldiers stationed in Africa and elsewhere where tropical uniforms were issued. It is made of stamped steel. The front of this outstanding tropical buckle still retains nearly all of the original factory applied green paint. Slight wear to the high points reveals bare steel, which has toned dark with age. The buckle has a pleasant, uncleaned patina. The reverse of this buckle is complete and sound, with a steel roller bar and prongs assembly and a spot-welded catch for the belt hook. The buckle is marked near the catch with “N&H 1941” indicating manufacture by the firm of Noelle und Hueck in Lüdenscheid in 1941. The roller bar retains the original tropical tab which is made of tan cotton web. This tab is textbook in material and weave, and remains affixed to the buckle with the original factory stitching. This choice Heer Tropical Web Tab Buckle displays very well, and remains in excellent plus 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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