BACKGROUND: The SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), was originally formed in the August 1921 as a protective guard unit for the political leaders of the fledgling NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), and as with the NSDAP the SA was structure along para-military lines. The SA recruited most of its personnel from the ranks of the various, independent, Freikorps, (Free Corps) groups composed mainly of disgruntled ex-WWI soldiers and was first utilized at a NSDAP meeting in Munich in November 1921. In early October 1933 Hermann Göring in his positions as Ministerpräsident von Preußischen, (Prussian Minister of the Interior), Chef der Preußischen Polizei, (Head of the Prussian Police), and Oberster SA-Führer in Preußen, (Supreme SA-Leader in Prussia), established the SA-FJK, SA-Feldjägerkorps, (Storm/Assault Detachment Field Police Corps), in Prussia, as an auxiliary policing unit primarily drawing it’s personnel from SA, SS, Schutz Staffel, (Protection Squad), and former Polizei, (Police), personnel. The basic mandate of the SA-FJK was control of the general SA membership, the protection of NSDAP members and leaders and providing security services against opposing political organizations in larger German cities. The SA-FJK ranged in size from roughly 700 to 1,600 members which were divided into eight units with the main headquarters in Berlin, and other units stationed at Breslau, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hannover, Königsberg, Magdeburg, and Stetten. The SA-FJK had minor involvement in the purge of the SA in June 30^TH 1934on the "Night of the Long Knives", during which SA-Stabschef Ernst Röhm was executed. SA-FJK personnel worn basic SA uniforms with some distinctive insignia items including collar tabs, cap insignia, a gorget and a specific belt buckle. Most SA-FJK personnel utilized the standard, open rectangular, dual-claw, belt buckle but a unique box belt buckle was produced in limited quantities and can be observed in period photographs. On April 1^ST 1935 the SA-FJK was integrated into the Prussian Schutzpolizei, (Protection Police), and ceased to be an SA unit. Of Note: On November 27^TH 1943 another FJK, Feldjägerkommando, (Field Police Command), was formed by the armed forces to act as the senior military police force, consisting of three units, all under the command of OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), administered by Generalfeldmarschall Keitel. The military FJK was tasked with gathering deserters and stragglers, maintaining discipline and order and had the power of immediate execution if warranted. The FJK, Feldjägerkommando did not utilize the distinctive insignia items of the SA-FJK. Also Of Note: At the end of the war Feldjägerkommando III, in southern German, under command of Oberbefehlshaber Süd, (Commander in Chief, South), Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring were utilized by the allies as an auxiliary police unit that were allowed to keep their equipment and weapons and were tasked with ensuring the observance of the cease fire, maintaining discipline and order, traffic control, collecting stragglers of the surrendering German forces, etc.. The FJK III were allegedly the last German army unit to maintain their weapons, right up until June 23^RD 1946.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 45mm, (1 3/4"), tall, standard size, nickel/silver plated, two piece, die stamped, steel construction, box buckle features a pebbled base field with a separate, central, die stamped, bronze washed, alloy, face plate soldered in place. The face plate features a stylized, six sided, sun burst style, pattern with alternating, impressed and embossed, "rays" and a central, embossed, "displayed", Prussian style eagle, with out-swept wings, clutching dual, "blitz" style lightening bolts, in one talon and an upward pointed broad sword in the other talon, with a small, canted, swastika embossed on it’s breast, on an embossed six sided platform with a subtly textured background field. Of Note: The traditional Prussian style eagle can be traced back to Karl der Große, (Charlemagne), who adopted it from the "displayed" eagle emblem featured on the Standards of the Roman Legions when he was crowned as emperor in 800 AD. The Prussian eagle was retained through-out the years with minor modifications, including the addition of the swastika during the Third Reich. The buckle retains about 95% of it’s original, age and usage darkened, nickel/silver plated finish with small spots of wear to the base alloy. The face plate has also retains about 95% of it’s original bronze wash with small spots of wear to the base alloy. The reverse of the buckle has sloppily applied solder, a couple of small puncture holes and the face plate attachment prongs are just visible in the solder. The reverse also has the brazed buckle catch and the magnetic prong bar and prongs all intact. The buckle has no visible manufacturer’s markings. Very scarce, short lived, roughly only 1 1/2 years, (October 1933-April 1935), SA-FJK belt buckle.