Early Nickel Silver Hitler Youth Buckle – M4/27

Product Description: This very nice and desirable early Hitler Youth Buckle is from the estate of US veteran John J. Lawson, a member of the 80th Infantry Division during World War 2. It has never been in a collection before. This is a high quality piece, made of nickel silver. It never had any painted finish, which is how these were issued, and is complete and sound, with typical evidence of daily wear. The obverse retains great detail, with an even, mellow age patina and some minor scattered marks. The reverse also shows patina from age and wear as well as some small areas of verdigris. The soldered catch for the hook on the belt is intact, and the functional roller bar and prongs assembly is made of plated steel, with light surface rust. This Hitler Youth Buckle is nicely marked on the back near the catch with the round RZM emblem as well as the maker code “M4/27” indicating manufacture by the firm of Overhoff. This untouched piece has outstanding eye appeal. The condition rates as excellent plus.

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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