Original Item: Only One Available. This is a scarce original Imperial German WWI Prussian Telegraph Troop enlisted/NCO belt buckle, or Koppelschloß, of the wartime steel pattern. At approximately 105mm wide, the telegraph buckle is considerably broader than the standard Imperial German enlisted belt buckle and is immediately recognizable by the pair of riveted steel attachment loops positioned at either end of the face.

These specialized buckles were associated with Prussian Telegraphen-Truppen, whose personnel were responsible for establishing and maintaining the extensive field communications networks required by the German Army. The unusual side fittings were designed to engage with corresponding attachments on telegraph wire-reel equipment, helping support and distribute the load while cable was being laid. This functional construction makes the telegraph buckle one of the more distinctive specialized Imperial German equipment buckles.

The buckle is constructed from stamped steel in the characteristic wartime style. Earlier Prussian telegraph buckles were produced principally from brass with a separately applied white-metal insignia, while wartime material-conservation measures led to the introduction of painted steel construction during 1915. This example retains traces of its original gray-green or feldgrau finish, particularly on the reverse, though the majority has worn away through age and service.

The center of the buckle displays the traditional Prussian crowned device surrounded by the raised motto:

GOTT MIT UNS

or “God With Us,” with decorative foliage below and a rope-pattern border surrounding the design. Despite considerable age and surface oxidation, the central device remains clearly identifiable, with the crown, lettering, and surrounding details still readily visible.

Both of the distinctive riveted attachment loops remain present on the face. The reverse retains the original belt hardware, including the rotating bar with its dual retaining prongs and the opposing belt catch. The steel surfaces exhibit substantial oxidation,scattered pitting, and general wear consistent with a piece of field equipment more than a century old. There is also some waviness and distortion to the thin stamped-steel body, though the buckle remains substantially complete and presents very well.