Hitler Youth Buckle

Product Description: This Hitler Youth Buckle is a high-quality and scarce early nickel silver type. The obverse never had any paint or finish applied, and shows the beautiful, slightly golden-tinged base metal. There is light wear, and a few scattered small marks. The reverse of this attractive buckle shows a likely period done solder repair to one side of the belt hook catch. There is an uncleaned, old patina, with some light verdigris. The roller bar and prongs assembly is intact and functional, and is made of plated steel. This Hitler Youth buckle is well marked, with the stylized “A” and “A&S” marks of the firm of Assmann & Söhne in Lüdenscheid, as well as the “RZM 17” code for this maker, and “Ges. Gesch.” indicating a legally protected design. This appealing early piece was no doubt actually worn by a member of the Hitlerjugend, and it displays beautifully. The overall condition rates as a strong very good 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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