Condition: Excellent
Base Material: Brass
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Product Description: This Smaller HJ/SA Buckle is an uncommon piece. This pattern of buckle was worn by the NSDAP Jugend, the predecessor to the Hitler Youth organization. The front of this buckle is adorned with a silvered brass roundel bearing a political style eagle and swastika. The roundel shows some wear, with wear to the silvering that reveals the brass base metal at the high points of the design. The surviving silver finish in the recesses shows attractive age toning. The buckle body is made of brass, with pleasant, uncleaned age patina and toning throughout. The reverse of this Smaller HJ/SA Buckle shows typical age patina and light wear. The integral catch for the belt hook is intact, and the solder joints affixing the roundel show no signs of alteration or repair. The roller bar and prongs assembly is made of plated steel, with some surface rust. There is no maker mark, as is typical for these. This is a nice example of this buckle type, 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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