Interwar insignias and equipments have always been my main collecting area, here you will only see original items from my personal collection, will update occasionally.

 

INSIGNIAS

 

 M1934 Breasteagle ( Unfolded )

Used from 17th February 1934. BEVO made, using white thread on light Feldgrau background, each manufacturer had its own shade and pattern.

M1920 Collar tabs

Used from December 1920. Large size litzen ( around 8.5cm x 4.5cm ) on Reseda green ( Resedagrün ) wool backing.

M1927 Collar tabs

Reichsheer  visor eagle

M1934 EM/NCO visor eagle

Used from February 1934. Stamped metal with silver finish.

 

M1919 EM/NCO visor wreath set

Used from 1919. The wreath was made from stamped brass with silver finish. The Reich colours’ cockade was made from two pieces of materials ( Brass with silver finish and cardboard ), with red wool fabric in the center.

M1934 Officer visor eagle

Used from February 1934, hand embroidered bullion eagle on Reseda green ( Resedagrün ) wool backing.

 

M1919 EM/NCO visor wreath set

Used from 1919. Hand embroidered bullion wreath on Reseda green ( Resedagrün ) wool backing. The Reich colours’ cockade was made from two-pieces metal with red wool fabric in the center.

 

Gebirgsjäger Sleeve Patch

Pre/early war Gebirgsjäger embroidered sleeve patch. 

On 2.5.1939, the OKH ( Oberkommando des Heeres ) authorized the Edelweiss sleeve patch to be worn on the upper right sleeve of the Gebirgsjäger uniforms. The pre and early war version was Bottle green ( Dunkelgrün ) base, with both embroidered and BEVO pattern, in the early 1940, the Feldgrau wool base started to distribute.

 

 

EQUIPMENT

 

Reichswehr Mess Kit

Reichswehr model, the pattern is between the M1910 and M1931. Black painted alu. Manufacturer marked B&F.L., dated 1928.

Very late production of the RW pattern, Feldgrau painted Alu, made by ESB ( Eduard Sommerfeld, Berlin ) in 1934.

 

M1931 Mess Kit

Early Feldgrau painted Alu, made by C.F.L. (  Carl Feldhaus Aluminium-und Metallwerke, Lüdenscheid ) in 1935.

Spork ( Göffel )

Aluminum executed eating utensil, made by G&CL. ( Gehardi & Co, Lüdenscheid ) in 1939.

M1931 Canteen

Made by S.S.L (  Sieper & Sohne, Lüdenscheid ) in 1936.

 

Made by ESB ( Eduard Sommerfeld, Berlin ) in 1939.

 

Made by DMN ( Deutsche Metallwerke AG, Neustadt ) in 1939. Upper strap had been restored, probably for Luftwaffen due to the brown leather colour.

M1931 Breadbag

Made in 1935 by Albin Scholle, the manufacturer was located in Zeitz. Grey-green fabric and leather parts, with Alu hardwares.

Pre war Breadbags. With leather reinforcements, Grey-green fabric and leather parts, Alu hardwares.  

RAD M1931 Breadbag

Early Breadbag for RAD, Dated 1939, with R.A.D.B.A.F ( Reichsarbeitsdienst ).

M1934 Tornister

Made in 1937 by Wittüp & Co, the manufacturer was located in Bieldeld. Unissued condition.

Halsbinde M1914

Size 43cm, made in 1938 by Richter & Rohrlapper which located in Brandenburg an der Havel. This early pattern was used during the First World War but also in the 1930s, the design was same, but made in a wide variety of fabrics and colors.

Pre war Heer EM/NCO Belt

Pre war Heer Alu buckle, made in 1939 by L. Gottlied & Sohne which located in Onerstein, still have some original Feldgrau paint on the front ; the belt was made in 1936 by Böttcher & Renner which located in Nürnberg, with Alu hook.

Equipment Strap

Equipment strap for Zeltbahn and Mantel, which can tie them on the Tornister. The manufacturer stamps are unidentified, but located in Westfalen, there has a depot marked E 38, which means this strap was stored in the depot at Erfurt in 1938, and later belonged to a member from the Infanterie Regiment 31.

 

M1911 Ammunition Pouch

Made in 1939 by LAGO which located in Wien/Vienna. May used by Luftwaffen or Tropical troops.

 

Made in 1939 by Gebr. Hast, which located in Dresden.

Ammunition battle pack ( Trageschlaufe )

Made in 1937. This type of cardboard ammunition box can contain 20 of 15 round-boxes, filled with 300 rounds of 7.92mm Patr. s. S. ( Patronen schweres Spitzgeschoß ), which is regular steel ball ammunition.

The label shows the ammunition informations in the box :

Patr. s.S. : Patronen schweres Spitzgeschoß - heavy spitzer cartridge.

P.25  7.L.  38 : P25 is the manufacturer ( Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzen ) which located in Pomerania. This was from Lot 7 made in 1938.

Nz. Gew. BI. P. (2-2-0,45) : Rdf. 98. L. 37. : Nitrocellulose Rifle Flake Powder ( 2mm x 2mm x 0.45mm ), made by Rdf, from Lot 98 in 1937.

Patrh : S*   P.25 6.L.38. :  The cartridge case ( Patronehulse ) made from 72% copper ( S* ), also made by Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzen ( P25 ), from Lot 6 in 1938.

Gesch. : P.25   17.L.37 : The cartridge - Geschosse, which were also made by Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzene ( P25 ), Lot 17 in 1937.

Zdh. 88: SKD. 401. h. L. 38 : The primers ( Zundhuetchen ) which were type 88 and made by Selve Kronbiegel Dornheim ( SKD ), Lot number 401h in 1938.

 

Exercise Practice Ammunition 

Pre war training rounds ( Exerzierpatronen ), made from a single piece of brass and held no powder. The brass clip was made in 1938, by Metallwarenfabrik Treuenbrietzen ( P25 ) which located in Pomerania.
The exercise rounds ( Exerzierpatronen ) were made in 1939, with S*, which means 72% copper, by the manufacturer Polte Armaturen-u. Maschinenfabrik A.G., Werk Magdeburg ( P ), which located in Sachsen.

MG34 Bipod

1st pattern MG34 bipod, made by BSW ( Berlin Suhler Waffen und fahrzeugwerke ) in 1939, with manufacture Waffenamt code ( 4 ) and serial number 966. unlike the later pattern, 1st pattern doesn’t have the reinforcements stripes on the outer edge.

MG Ammunition belt

50 rounds ammunition belt for the MG, dated 1939.

M34  ammunition box

The M34 ammunition box ( Partonenkasten 34 ) was first developed to be an ammunition carrying box for the MG34, the early ones were manufactured in aluminum and the steel version was produced starting in 1938 and ended in 1942, the steel Partonenkasten 34 was improvement on the aluminum version but it’s more heavier. And on this sample, it was made by BSW ( Berlin Suhler Waffen und fahrzeugwerke ) in 1938, with their Waffenamt code ( 4 ), factory painted Feldgrau and Dunkelbraun ( Dark brown ), it’s difficult to notice from the picture due to a nonexistent difference in contrast. This is the second paint finish variation started in 1937, right after the Three-tone Reichswehr camouflage pattern, in July 1940, the Partonenkasten 34 changed to use Dunkelgrau ( Dark grey ) till 1942.

RG34

Made by G.Appel ( Gustav Appel Maschinenfabrik ), which located in Berlin. In 1934, the founder of this factory patented this kind of ” Behälter “ to become the ” Reinigungsgerät 34 “. G.Appel marked their RG34 with their name and year from 1935 to 1938, in some cases, there are some cases with name and Waffenamt only, which believed to be the 1939 production, and on this sample, there only have the name ( G.Appel ) and the WaA61 waffenamt marks, may be dated back to the 1939. The contents ( oiler, cleaning chain, and take-down tool ) have G.APPEL 1935 marks, means these tools were all made in 1935.

K98 bayonet ( SG 84/98 )

The K98 bayonet was officially named SG 84/98 ( Seitengewehr 84/98 ). This matching bayonet ( serial nr. 7201 f ) was made in 1939, by Gebr. Heller ( Gebrüder Heller ) in Marienthal. This bayonet has a rare red-blueing blade.

K98 Muzzle cover

 Early muzzle cover for K98. Made by J.P. Sauer ( Waffenamt number 214 ), with serial number 887.

Cross straps 

Used from May 18, 1934. For Heer Officer, brown leather straps with matt silver buckle to attach on the Belt, it was stopped using after the war started in September 1939.

Bandage

This type of first aid bandage was issued by every soldier, inserted into left lower inter tunic packet. This bandage was made by W. Solingen in Wiesbaden. Another side has the production year ( 1938 ), and instructions for house of using it : Stripping the thread and steam sterilized at 120°C.

Heer Officer dagger

 Early Heer Officer dagger by Gustav Spitzer, oranage slant celluloid grip with early hand enhanced eagle cross guard.

  

NCO Saber

Heer NCO saber made by C.E ( Carl Eickhorn ) in 1935 ( G date), with serial number 14816 and Weimar eagle stamps.

 

EM Saber

Dress saber for EM, made by Anton Wingen in Solingen.

 

Saber hanger ( Gehänge )

Under-belt saber hanger for EM/NCO and Officer, unmarked.

 

 

PERSONAL ITEM

 

Skat Nr.88 Cards

Skat Nr.88 playing cards, made by ASS in 1932 to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Skat is a 3-player trick-taking card game using a 32-card deck, one player ( the declarer ) plays against two defenders to reach a score of at least 61 points out of 120.

WELT-HÖLZER Matches 

Box of wooden safety matches, by the company named WELT-HÖLZER, with tax number ( Steuernummer ) 295 on the top-left corner.

The Deutsche Zündwaren Monopolges ( Monopoly for Safety Matches ) began in 1930, with a bill named Zündwarenmonopolgesetz ( Safety Matches Monopoly Law ), which allowed the Deutsche Zündwaren-Monopolgesellschaft ( German Society for the Safety Matches Monopoly ) exclusive rights to distribute safety matches within the borders of the German Empire. The only brands could be distributed were Welthölzer and Haushaltsware. Other German match manufacturers obtained licenses to produce preassigned volumes and sell domestically but not allowed to export or establish new firms.