Steel Luftwaffe Buckle

Product Description: This steel Luftwaffe Buckle is a great example of the classic wartime belt buckle issued to enlisted men of the German Air Force. It is made of steel, which was used for all enlisted buckles from around 1940 through the end of the war. The obverse is very nice, with over 90 percent of the original factory applied Luftwaffe field blue paint. Some light wear has exposed bare steel at the high points of the eagle and wreath, resulting in pleasant contrast. All of the original blue paint is present on the reverse. The catch for the belt hook is spot welded in place, with no repairs, and shows wear from having been worn on a belt. Under the catch, this steel Luftwaffe buckle is maker marked “E.C” indicating manufacture by the firm of Ebberg & Co. in Lüdenscheid, a less common maker of these. It’s also dated “43.” The steel roller bar and prongs assembly for affixing this to a belt is complete and functional. This is a beautiful example of a typical midwar buckle, showing honest wear, and remaining in very good 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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