Early SS Officers Belt Buckle

Product Description: This Early SS Officers Belt Buckle is a choice piece of regalia. This very early and extremely sought-after buckle type is missing from most collections. It’s an extremely high quality buckle, made of die struck nickel silver. The obverse of this round, officer style buckle features a German eagle and swastika emblem over a banner with the motto “Meine Ehre heißt Treue” (My Honor is Loyalty) in Gothic script. It shows minimal wear, and only slight age, with an appealing, light, even patina overall. The reverse of this rare SS (Schutzstaffel) Koppelschloß für Offiziere is nicely marked, with the round “RZM” emblem of the Reichszeugmeisterei, the runic emblem of the SS, and the maker code 35/36 indicating manufacture by the firm of Overhoff & Cie. in Lüdenscheid. The left side of the reverse (as viewed) features an integral hook, and the right side has a nickel silver fitting with a plated roller bar and prongs assembly that is intact and functional. This Early SS Officers Belt Buckle would be extremely challenging to upgrade, and could be a highlight in an advanced collection. It displays exceptionally well, and remains in an extremely strong, 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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