1st Pattern Luftwaffe Officer’s Brocade Dress Belt Buckle

Product Description: This 1st pattern Luftwaffe officer’s brocade dress belt buckle is a great and nearly pristine original example of this scarce and desirable type. This was a private purchase buckle that was worn on the officer’s brocade belt (Feldbinde) for dress and formal purposes. It dates from the 1930s. The body of the buckle is made from aluminum which never had any finish applied. The surface of the aluminum is clean, with minimal if any wear, and has a factory-fresh, matte look. The front of the buckle is adorned with a first pattern “drooptail” Luftwaffe flying eagle and swastika emblem, made out of a separate piece of aluminum and affixed to the buckle with a threaded post. The eagle emblem retains virtually all of the original attractive gilt finish. The details on this buckle are sharp and crisp. On the reverse, the original nut holding the eagle in place does not appear to have ever been messed with. The fitting for affixing this to the belt is aluminum and intact. The buckle is marked with “D.R.G.M.” on the catch, indicating a legally trademarked design. This eye-catching 1st pattern Luftwaffe officer’s brocade dress belt buckle displays beautifully and is in excellent 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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