Heer Belt and Buckle – RODO

Product Description: A particularly appealing and well-preserved Heer Belt and Buckle – RODO, exhibiting the sort of honest age, originality, and completeness highly sought after by dedicated collectors of wartime German militaria. The steel buckle presents with approximately 60% of its original field-grey paint on the obverse, the remaining finish showing gentle softening and expected losses along the edges and prominent relief points, subtle evidence of authentic period use that enhances rather than detracts from its character. The reverse is crisply marked RODO and retains an impressive amount of its factory-applied paint, a detail not often encountered on surviving examples.

The accompanying leather belt, marked for size 98 and measuring a full 38 inches along its length, remains supple with an attractive patina developed over decades. The maker’s marking at the opposite end, now partially faded with time, appears to read cng6/42, aligning it with desirable early-war production. Together, the components form a highly collectible, untouched set that reflects both quality craftsmanship and the unmistakable aura of genuine service use, an excellent addition for the discerning collector seeking authenticity and visual presence.

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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