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H085762 EM/NCO'S BELT & BELT BUCKLE.
(Koppel und Koppelschloß)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 24TH 1936 a new pattern EM/NCO’s belt buckle was officially introduced to replace the previously worn Weimar era, (Circa 1919-1933), Reichswehr, (National Defence {Force}), 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. Originally all EM/NCO’s belts were produced in a blackened leather until late 1940, with the impending German entrance into the North African campaign, tropical uniforms and equipment were quickly developed and issued in time for DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps, (German Africa Corps), personnel’s arrival in Tripoli in February 1941 and included a canvas web construction waist belt. Eventually, due to leather shortages the canvas web belts were also issued to personnel serving in southern areas of continental Europe and other theatres of battle. Another later war expedient was the production of preßstoff, (Pressed Cardboard), and other ersatz material belts. The ersatz construction belts were only issued in limited quantities.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early, (circa 1936-1940), injection molded, natural 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 reverse of the buckle is a mirror image of the obverse, excluding the pebbled background. The reverse of the buckle has the integral, raised, slotted buckle catch and separate prong bar and prongs all intact. The buckle has no visible manufacturer’s markings. The buckle comes complete with a roughly, 45 wide, 100cm long, M44 pattern, blackened leather belt with a painted steel buckle catch and buckle retaining tongue both intact. The buckle catch end of the belt is folded over to the reverse and stitched down to secure the buckle catch. The rounded off end of the belt is well marked with the impressed size numeral, "100". Belt is also Rbr# number marked.
Of Note: The RB numbers, Reichsbetriebnummer, (National factory code numbers), were introduced in late 1942 and were intended to replace the manufacturers marks on garments and equipment to conceal the manufactures name and location from the allies, to prevent bombing raids on German industrial factories. The M44 version did not have the separate leather retaining tab, but rather had its eight sets of holes punched directly into the belt as a material on time saving measure. The belt is in excellent condition and is still fairly supple. The belt would fit sizes ranging from a roughly, 81cm (32") to 98cm (38.5") waist.GRADE **** PRICE $215.00
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