Original Item: Only One Available. Perhaps no other collectible is so shrouded in myth, misinformation and mistaken identity as German regimental steins. These pieces have been steadily reproduced since the 1960s and most experts agree reproductions far outnumber authentic examples. Yet few buyers other than stein specialists know how to identify the fakes. We have examined this stein thoroughly, with reference to several websites such as RealorRepro and SteveonSteins, and this one has all of the correct aspects for being original.

The majority of authentic German regimental beer steins were produced between about 1890 and 1914. During this time, military service was compulsory in Germany. Most men would take basic training between 17 and 20 and then enter the reserves until age 40. A group of men would enter a unit together, stay in the same unit for training and be discharged as a unit. This sense of togetherness fostered the custom of buying souvenirs with the unit name, insignias and decorations as a keepsake of military service. Many souvenir items were available such as pipes, clocks, flasks and especially steins. Rosters of names from your unit, or regiment, could be added to the steins and these became known to collectors as "regimental steins."

Authentic ca. 1890-1914 steins were available in pottery, porcelain, glass and metal. Regardless of what the stein was made of, almost all had pewter lids. The most common sizes are half-liter and one-liter. The beginning of WW I effectively ended the production of regimental steins as labor and materials were diverted to the war. After the War Ended, the much reduced German armed forces now had ample resources to produce steins, and production was restarted.

During the build up to WWII, Steins once again gained popularity, though they were generally much more utilitarian than the ornate steins made prior to WWI. They were shorter, with much less ornate glaze, and did not have the level of fit and finish seen earlier. However they were just as cherished by the owners who purchased them to commemorate their service.

This is a very high quality original stein, unit-marked on the side:

14. (schw.) / G.J.R. 100
14th Company / Gebirgsjäger (Mountain Infantry) Regiment 100

Under this is the depiction of a German mountain gun crew manning a camouflage-painted gun. Under this reads BAD REICHENHALL, a spa town, and administrative center of the Berchtesgadener Land district in Upper Bavaria, Germany. It is located near Salzburg in a basin encircled by the Chiemgau Alps (including Mount Staufen (1,771 m) and Mount Zwiesel (1,781 m)). The side is named Gefr. Schödel Emil, a good research project.

Adolf began vacationing in the Berchtesgaden area in the 1920s. He purchased a home in the Obersalzberg above the town on the flank of the Hoher Goll and began extensive renovations on his Berghof in the following years. As other top Third Reich figures, such as Hermann Göring, Joseph G, Martin B, Heinrich H, and Albert S, began to frequent the area, the Party began to purchase and requisition land in the Obersalzberg.

To serve as an outpost of the German Reichskanzlei (Imperial Chancellery), Berchtesgaden and its environs (Stanggass) saw substantial expansion of offices, security, and support services, mainly on the Obersalzberg. Included in the town were a new railway station, with a reception area for der führer and his guests, and an adjacent post office. The Berchtesgadener Hof Hotel, where famous visitors such as Neville Chamberlain and David Lloyd George stayed, was substantially upgraded.

Berchtesgaden was where Adolf met Neville Chamberlain in 1938 before the Munich Agreement; see Berchtesgaden meeting.

Even though a feared Alpine Fortress last stand of the regime in the Alps failed to materialize late in World War II, the Allies launched a devastating air raid on the Berchtesgaden area in the spring of 1945. The April 25 bombing of Obersalzberg did little damage to the town. On 4 May 1945, forward elements of the 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division arrived and received the town's surrender.

This town is where the stein was made during the war. The hinged lid of the stein bears a wreath surrounding an Alpine soldier cap. The stein is stamped 0.5 for half of a liter, and measures 6 inches tall and 4 inches wide. The stein really is quite lovely, and also in great shape, with lovely checking in the clear glaze, and a great lid.

A very nice Genuine German Beer Stein from the WWII Period. Ready to display!