{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-daf-aluminum-belt-buckle-by-overhoff-cie-of-ludenscheid-with-rzm-tag-m4-27","title":"Original German WWII DAF Aluminum Belt Buckle by Overhoff \u0026 Cie. of Lüdenscheid with RZM Tag - M4\/27","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is lovely unissued WWII \u003cem\u003eGerman Deutsche Arbeitsfront\u003c\/em\u003e (German Labor Front or DAF) Aluminum \u003cem\u003eWerkschar-koppelschloß\u003c\/em\u003e (Factory brigade belt buckle), showing light wear from service. The front is embossed with a fourteen tooth cogwheel encompassing a swas in the center. The buckle also has a small embossed circular bead to each corner. This example has a two piece buckle, with stamped aluminum single piece box construction with a soldered on hook loop. The hooked \"claw\" is made from plated steel, attached to the buckle body by a peened over securing pin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe back of the buckle near the securing loop is marked with an \u003cstrong\u003eRZM\u003c\/strong\u003e circle next to supplier code \u003cstrong\u003eM\/4\/27\u003c\/strong\u003e. The Reichszeugmeisterei, or RZM, was was based at the Brown house in Munich and NSDAP party headquarters in Berlin. The RZM ensured that the manufacturers of military items were consistent in design, quality of materials and other characteristics of the items. It also defined standards of design, manufacturing and quality and published an authoritative color chart for textiles. The M4 in the code stands for buckles, and registrant 27 is \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverhoff \u0026amp; Cie.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, of Lüdenscheid, a German city which had a large number of companies who made buckles, buttons, and other clothing items.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example shows no signs of having been issued, and still has the original paper tag around the claw, which identifies it as a\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Werkschar-Koppelſchloß\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, and is also marked with the \u003cstrong\u003e(RZM)\u003c\/strong\u003e and DAF logos. The bottom has lot \u003cstrong\u003eNr. 15720\u003c\/strong\u003e listed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition is excellent, with light wear from from storage on the exterior. The paper tag shows some folding, as well as age toning, but is still solid. This would make a great addition to any German belt buckle collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the dissolution of all Free Trade Unions in Germany in May 1933 the Deutsche Arbeitsfront, (German Labor Front), was established to replace the unions and to educate the workers in industry and commerce for smooth and efficient operation of all labor in the Third Reich. In October 1934 the DAF was given official status as a sub-section of the NSDAP and in March 1936 it was recognized as an independent NSDAP affiliated association and granted control of its own monetary budget. In 1934 the first pattern of DAF uniform was introduced for DAF Werkscharen, (Work Squads), and a belt buckle was introduced in late 1935 for wear by all ranks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44894304043077,"sku":"ONSV26GTGS011","price":450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONSV26GTGS011__01.jpg?v=1776697559","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-daf-aluminum-belt-buckle-by-overhoff-cie-of-ludenscheid-with-rzm-tag-m4-27","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}