Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII NSDAP Political Leader Standard Bearer gorget, or Politischer Leiter Ringkragen, complete with its bronzed and gilt aluminum suspension chain. Both the gorget attachment clips and the chain are RZM marked for F. W. Assmann & Söhne of Lüdenscheid, making this an especially cohesive surviving ensemble.

Gorgets originated as protective neck armor and later developed into ceremonial and identification devices used by military, police, and political organizations. During the Third Reich period, decorative gorgets were worn to identify specific duties and functions within several organizations.

This example is associated with NSDAP Political Leader standard bearer use. The gorget itself is constructed from bronze and bronzed aluminum and features a large applied Party eagle at the center, surrounded along the outer border by an overlapping oak leaf motif.

The rear chain attachment clips are each marked with the RZM insignia and:

M5/8

identifying F. W. Assmann & Söhne of Lüdenscheid under the RZM uniform accessories classification.

The reverse retains its golden brown felt protective backing. The felt remains largely intact and is unstained, though it shows moth damage and areas of old adhesive towards one side, which could be period or post war. The bronzed finish on the gorget remains well preserved overall, with only light wear along the edges and raised areas.

The central eagle has been reattached in the past. On the viewer's right side, the original securing nut remains exposed, while the left side has been repaired with solder and later adhesive. The eagle is presently secure, but the gorget should be handled carefully because of this prior repair.

The suspension chain measures approximately:

24 1/2"

and is constructed from bronzed and gilt aluminum links. The decorative panels alternate between wreathed hook cross devices and stylized Art Deco eagle motifs, terminating in squared end loops.

Both end panels are marked on the reverse with the RZM insignia and:

M1/17

also identifying F. W. Assmann & Söhne of Lüdenscheid, this time under the RZM insignia classification. The presence of Assmann markings on both the gorget hardware and chain is a notable feature, as suspension chains were frequently separated or replaced over the years.

Overall condition is good and very displayable. The bronzed and gilt finishes remain well represented, the chain is complete, and the felt backing is still present. The principal condition concerns are the moth damage and adhesive repairs to the felt liner and the previous solder and glue repair securing one side of the central eagle.

With its Political Leader standard bearer configuration, large applied Party eagle, oak leaf border, original felt backing, complete decorative suspension chain, and matching F. W. Assmann & Söhne RZM maker attribution across both gorget and chain components, this is a particularly interesting example of German WWII political organization regalia. The felt damage, old adhesive repairs, light finish wear, and repaired eagle attachment are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in an NSDAP political uniform, standard bearer equipment, RZM marked insignia, Assmann manufacturer, or advanced German WWII ceremonial accoutrement collection.

The National Socialist German Workers' Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei , abbreviated NSDAP), commonly referred to in English as the NSDAP Party, was a far-right political party in Germany that was active between 1920 and 1945, that created and supported the ideology of National Socialism. Its precursor, the German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei; DAP), existed from 1919 to 1920.

The NSDAP Party emerged from the German nationalist, racist and populist Freikorps paramilitary culture, which fought against the communist uprisings in post-World War I Germany. The party was created to draw workers away from communism and into völkisch nationalism. Initially, NSDAP political strategy focused on anti-big business, anti-bourgeois, and anti-capitalist rhetoric, although this was later downplayed to gain the support of business leaders, and in the 1930s the party's main focus shifted to anti-Semitic and anti-Marxist themes.