BACKGROUND: Military belts and their corresponding buckles date back centuries and were initially designed for attaching swords and daggers. In 1847 a new innovative box buckle with a quick release catch and corresponding belt were introduced which resulted in a Prussian, Hauptmann Virschow, initiating a new method of carrying personal equipment with the belt and shoulder straps supporting the majority of the weight. This system, with modifications, remains in use in most of the armies in the world to this day. During the Third Reich there was a prescribed form of wear of the belt and buckle with the buckle being positioned on the right side and the corresponding buckle catch on the left side. On January 24^TH 1936 a new pattern EM/NCO’s belt buckle was officially introduced to replace the previously worn Weimar Reichswehr era, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), belt buckle. The basic design of the Reichswehr buckle was retained with the addition of the new Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), style national eagle. This pattern buckle was worn through-out the Third Reich period with minor manufacturing variations and different colored finishes. The colored finish was determined by regulations depending on what form of uniform it was to be worn with. Of Note: Originally military buckles produced under government contract had the addition of a leather, (canvas web for tropical buckles), tabs which were designed to help support the ammunition pouches and prevent slippage but regulations in 1942 discontinued the tabs to preserve leather although the directive was not completely adhered to. When issued the belts were equipped with an integral buckle retaining tongue and buckle catch. The buckle catches came in a couple of different patterns with one being riveted to the belt and the most common being secured to the belt bay a fold over machine stitched panel.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early, (circa 1936-1940), field-grey painted, injection molded, aluminum construction box buckle with a pebbled background field and a slightly domed, embossed central motif. The central motif features an embossed Wehrmacht style eagle with down swept wings, clutching a canted swastika in it’s talons, on a subtly pebbled field to the center, encompassed by an embossed oak-leaf cluster to the bottom and script, "Gott Mit Uns", (God With Us), to the top. The oak-leaf cluster and script are on a ribbed background field and are encircled by both an inner and outer simulated twisted rope border. The obverse of the buckle only retains hints of it’s field-grey paint and shows some light chafe wear which has resulted in loss of detailing to the eagle. The reverse of the buckle is a mirror image of the obverse and retains about 80% of it’s heavily applied, field-grey paint. The reverse of the buckle has the integral, raised, slotted buckle catch and the separate prong bar and prongs all intact. The buckle has no visible manufacturer’s markings. Also included is a separate, injection molded, natural aluminum buckle catch. The catch has a central, rectangular cut-out, a bent, hooked catch to the front section and small, raised side panels. The catch is well marked with the impressed manufacturer’s initial/logo and date, consisting of a stylized, "A", and, "39", indicating manufacture by F. W. Assmann & Söhne of Lüdenscheid in 1939.