Original Item: Only One Available. Der Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten ('The Steel Helmet, League of Front-Line Soldiers'), often shortened to Der Stahlhelmbund (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.

Most of its members were assimilated by the SA in 1933 after the NSDAP takeover, resulting in a name change to the Nationalsozialistische Deutscher Frontkämpferbund Stahlhelm (National Socialist German Front Fighters Association Steel Helmet), abbreviated to N.S.D.F.B.St.. This was then disbanded in 1935 after only 17 months of existence, with its remaining members absorbed by the DRKB (Deutscher Reichskriegerbund), which, in turn, was absorbed by the NS-RKB (Nationalsozialistische - Reichskriegerbund) in 1938.

This is a very nice 1931 Commemorative membership badge (Erinnerungsabzeichen) 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 1931 date. The stahlhelm has an Iron Cross where the vent should be, and is embossed in German blackletter type with Der Stahlhelm.

The rear of the badge features an S T H makers mark, as well as GES. GESCH., indicating it is a protected design, and there is a 935 marking as well. The badge is also marked with the membership number and date L.V.W. over 1027 / 31, scratched into the rear of the badge. It features a functional pin and catch on the rear, and is in overall very good condition, though it is definitely quite tarnished compared to some others, which makes the markings on the back hard to see in photos.

A very nice piece of Weimar period German militaria!

The Weimar Republic (Weimarer Republik), officially the German Reich (Deutsches Reich), also referred to as the German People's State (Deutscher Volksstaat) or simply the German Republic (Deutsche Republik), 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.

Although 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.