27″ Railway Eagle

Product Description: This 27″ Railway Eagle is an absolutely beautiful and extremely impressive piece, that is completely untouched and unaltered, and is exactly as it was when it was brought home from WWII. This amazing GI souvenir hung over a work bench in the veteran’s garage for years, as can be seen by the steel wire that is still wrapped around the upper center stud on the rear. It recently came out of the woodwork, and can be seen in the Tom Wittmann video on Youtube for the OVMS November 2020 show. The front of this aluminum eagle retains wonderful original luster, with uncleaned patina in the recesses. It is crisply detailed and totally undamaged. The reverse of this eagle shows heavy original patina. It’s maker marked, and all four threaded studs are intact; it shows evidence of having been cut from a rail car. This 27″ Railway Eagle has tremendous visual appeal, and could be the centerpiece of a collection display. It is in a very strong excellent condition.

Historical Description: During the Third Reich, all rail transport was nationalized and organized under the German Reichsbahn. Reichsbahn rail cars were state property and included everything from the locomotives used for transporting freight, to passenger cars, street cars and trolleys. In the Nazi era, and during WWII, the Reichsbahn adorned their locomotives and passenger rail cars with large metal decorative German eagle and swastika national emblems. These were made in various sizes and had a variety of finishes to suit different purposes and vehicle types. Generally, these eagles were manufactured from aluminum or zinc alloy, with integral threaded studs on the reverse that were used to affix these to the fronts of rail cars. These eagles had a striking and imposing appearance and were an iconic part of Nazi regalia. After the war, Allied denazification policies required these to be removed. Many were destroyed, though these were eagerly sought after by Allied troops hunting for souvenirs. They are extremely collectible and desirable artifacts today.

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