{"product_id":"original-german-weimar-period-der-stahlhelm-1924-commemorative-membership-badge-with-l-v-mitteldeutschland-unit-badge-der-stahlhelmbund","title":"Original German Weimar Period Der Stahlhelm 1924 Commemorative Membership Badge with L.V. Mitteldeutschland Unit Badge - Der Stahlhelmbund","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Items: Only One Set Available. \u003cem\u003eDer Stahlhelmbund\u003c\/em\u003e (The Steel-helmet-league) was conceived as a national veterans’ organization by Franz Seldte in November of 1918, and was officially founded on Christmas day of that year. It was mostly comprised of WWI veterans trying to assimilate back into what was then a devastated society. The Stahlhelm became the largest of the post-war veterans’ groups, incorporating many of the smaller Freikorps groups into it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of its members were assimilated by the SA in 1933, and it was disbanded in 1935, with its remaining members absorbed by the DRKB (\u003cem\u003eDeutscher Reichskriegerbund\u003c\/em\u003e), which, in turn, was absorbed by the NS-RKB (\u003cem\u003eNationalsozialistische - Reichskriegerbund\u003c\/em\u003e) in 1938.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first part of this set is a very nice 1924 Commemorative membership badge (\u003cem\u003eErinnerungsabzeichen\u003c\/em\u003e) for \"Der Stahlhelm\", which is 30mm in diameter, with a black enamel background. It features a stahlhelm at the top, over crossed oak leaves and a \u003cstrong\u003e1924\u003c\/strong\u003e date. The stahlhelm has an Iron Cross where the vent should be, and is embossed in German blackletter type with \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDer Stahlhelm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rear of the badge features an \u003cstrong\u003eS T H\u003c\/strong\u003e makers mark, as well as \u003cstrong\u003eGES. GESCH.\u003c\/strong\u003e, indicating it is a protected design. The badge is also marked with the membership number \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVI. NS. 3903 \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eas well as with the date \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e22. 3. 24.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, both of which are scratched into the rear of the badge. It features a functional pin and catch on the rear, and is in overall very good condition. There is some tarnishing to the silver, and the enamel does show some minor chipping near the edge, but it still looks great.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other item is a very nice BeVo embroidered \u003cem\u003eStahlhelm Ärmelabzeichen\u003c\/em\u003e (Stahlhelm Sleeve Badge), which were used to differentiate the various regional associations in the organization. The badge is shaped like a shield and is marked on the top with \u003cstrong\u003eL.V. MITTELDEUTSCHLAND\u003c\/strong\u003e in red, over a black \u003cem\u003eTatzenkreuz \u003c\/em\u003e(cross pattée). This would indicate membership in the Landesverband Mitteldeutschland (Landesverband Mitteldeutschland). It shows a lovely aged look, with the edges folded under, as they would have been when it was still installed on a shirt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA very nice small set of Weimar period German Der Stahlhelmbund items!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Weimar Republic (\u003cem\u003eWeimarer Republik\u003c\/em\u003e), officially the German Reich (\u003cem\u003eDeutsches Reich\u003c\/em\u003e), also referred to as the German People's State (\u003cem\u003eDeutscher Volksstaat\u003c\/em\u003e) or simply the German Republic (\u003cem\u003eDeutsche Republi\u003c\/em\u003ek), was the German state from 1918 to 1933. As a term, it is an unofficial historical designation that derives its name from the city of Weimar, where its constitutional assembly first took place. The official name of the republic remained the German Reich as it had been during the German Empire because of the German tradition of substates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough commonly translated as \"German Empire,\" Reich here better translates as \"realm\" in that the term does not necessarily have monarchical connotations in itself. The Reich was changed from a constitutional monarchy into a republic. In English, the country was usually known simply as Germany, and the Weimar Republic name became mainstream only in the 1930s.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44798645993541,"sku":"ONAC25SD1336","price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONAC25SD1336__01.jpg?v=1773932771","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-weimar-period-der-stahlhelm-1924-commemorative-membership-badge-with-l-v-mitteldeutschland-unit-badge-der-stahlhelmbund","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}