Steinhauer & Lück U-Boat Timeline

[Norm F]

I posted this S&L U-Boat classification on GCA in 2011 and figured it's time now to port it over here on WAF to go with the Schwerin and Juncker Timeline threads. We've already discussed some of this system in several past threads (most notably this one), but it warrants its own thread with further illustration of the variants.

For a long time the S&L U-boat badge evaded detection since like most S&L war badges they are mostly unmarked. This is ironic, given that the zinc version is one of the most common of U-boat badges. Currently, as with most S&L war badges, attribution is based on an array of circumstantial evidence.

The evidence can be briefly summarized as follows:

1) The S&L catalog from late 1940 or early 1941 indicates that they offered a U-Boat badge (along with the Destroyer and Minesweeper badges).

2) The S&L unmarked zinc U-boat has been found in the S&L sales cases, and also on the early post-war Lüdenscheid sample boards that have come to market in recent years, in the company of other maker-marked S&L products.

3) The Tombak version of this design bears the distinctive catch of Steinhauer & Lück.

4) Every hardware variation found on both Tombak and zinc versions is also found on other S&L-attributed products.

5) The rare "4" marked zinc example of this design has appeared.

I'll re-post some info on the first two points and then proceed with the classification system with illustrations. Once again many thanks to those who have posted their images over the years from which I've compiled the composite illustrations for educational purposes.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

The 1940-41 S&L catalog

The S&L catalog image shows that S&L did indeed offer these badges (both full-size and miniature), but as has often been pointed out, the catalog illustrations of all three Kriegsmarine badges are the designs of C. Schwerin & Sohn, the premier producer of KM badges. This means either S&L used stock images of Schwerin badges simply for illustration purposes in their catalog before images of their own designs were available, or they did indeed retail Schwerin products prior to producing their own lines.

Given the long pin on the U-Boat badge image in the catalog, it has been theorized that S&L may have retailed the Schwerin Type 4 before they started their own production. This would be in keeping with the statement of the contemporary official and author Dr. Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann that Schwerin was the sole supplier of the U-Boat badge until the Spring of 1941. The true scenario remains conjecture, but certainly S&L eventually got around to their own production as we know from the S&L-produced Tombak Destroyer and Minesweeper badges.

[Norm F]

The S&L trades booth in Leipzig 1941

In 2010 WAF member "jaeger7-de" posted interesting photos which were identified by member "CSForester" as being from S&L's booth at the Leipzig Spring Exhibition trade show in March/April 1941 in the commercial building "Specks Hof" in Leipzig, 3rd floor, room 516.

S&L's three KM badges are on display there including the U-Boat, unfortunately too small to make out the details.

[JustinG]

Wow, That is an awesome display and shot. That is an incredible call made by Markus on this timeperiod shot.
Very impressive. Thanks for sharing.

Regards,
JustinG

[Norm F]

The S&L salesman's case

As discussed elsewhere, the presumed late war S&L salesman’s case from Weitze's site, which included many S&L maker marked medals, also contained the zinc U-Boat badge which we now attribute to S&L.

[Norm F]

The Lüdenscheid sample boards (sold by eMedals)

This same type of zincer also appeared on the early post-war Lüdenscheid sample boards in the company of Spanish Crosses marked “4” by S&L (discussed in several other threads including this one).

[Norm F]

The S&L U-Boat Classification Table

Now here is the summary of all variants of this U-Boat:

Type 1: Tombak or zinc, Die 1 with the “squished laurel leaf”

1.1: Tombak, round-wire “question mark” catch; slender, rounded and pointed coke bottle-shaped pin (like that seen on the unmarked S&L Destroyer badge)

1.2: Tombak, round-wire “question mark” catch, wide flat coke bottle-shaped pin

1.3: Tombak, typical S&L stamped metal catch, wide flat coke bottle-shaped pin (like that seen on the marked S&L Destroyer badge)

1.4: Zinc, slender sheet metal catch, short barrel hinge with long tapered pin

Type 2: Zinc only, Die 2 with the “open laurel leaf”

2.1: slender stamped sheet metal catch, short barrel hinge with long tapered wide pin (same setup as 1.4)

2.2: “Deumer-like” setup with slender stamped sheet metal catch, small block hinge and round-wire main pin

2.3: flat-wire catch, short barrel hinge with long tapered wide pin

2.4: flat-wire catch, short barrel hinge with short tapered pin

2.4.1 solid swastika (the most prevalent of all the sub-types)

2.4.2 cut-out swastika (a variation of hand finishing)

2.5: flat-wire catch, block hinge and wide pin marked "4" (same pin used on the S&L EK1 and Tombak Destroyer badge)

--------------------------

The distinction between the two main categories of Type 1 and Type 2 is that they come from obverse sister dies, the earlier of which has the “squished laurel leaf” (see attached). The Type 1 occurs in both Tombak and zinc whereas the Type 2 is in zinc only. The sub-types are then based upon reverse setups.

We’ll now go through each type and present some hardware comparisons.

[Norm F]

Type 1.1

1.1: Tombak, round-wire “question mark” catch; slender, rounded and pointed coke bottle-shaped pin (like that seen on the unmarked S&L Destroyer badge)

The first two sub-types have the “question mark”-shaped wire catch frequently found in Lüdenscheid, including on S&L products. For Type 1.1 it’s combined with a coke bottle-shaped pin that is somewhat rounded and slender with a pointed tip -- an exact match to one of the setups found on the S&L Tombak Destroyer.

[Norm F]

Type 1.2

1.2: Tombak, round-wire “question mark” catch, wide flat coke bottle-shaped pin

For Type 1.2 the same "question mark" round-wire catch is combined with the more generic wide pin that is also found on the “4” marked Destroyer badges and other S&L products.

[Norm F]

Type 1.3

1.3: Tombak, typical S&L stamped metal catch, wide flat coke bottle-shaped pin (like that seen on the marked S&L Destroyer badge)

For Type 1.3, the catch is now the distinctively shaped stamped sheet metal catch typical of Steinhauer & Lück's mid-war production.

[Norm F]

Hardware comparisons

Now, a brief interlude of three postings of hardware comparisons supporting the S&L attribution.

First, some catch comparisons. Here you see a compilation of S&L "question mark" catches on various S&L products followed by a compilation of the classic S&L stamped metal catches on various products.

[Norm F]

Hardware comparisons 2

Here you see the U-Boat variations 1.1 and 1.3 matched with S&L Destroyer badges bearing the identical reverse hardware setups.

[Norm F]

Hardware comparisons 3

And here are some compilations showing the same pin setup as 1.2 and 1.3 found on the S&L marked EK1 and Spanish Cross. On the EK1 I've put a green arrow pointing to the spot on the main pin where it would have been shortened for use on a U-Boat badge.

[Norm F]

Type 1.4 (zinc)

1.4: Zinc, slender sheet metal catch, short barrel hinge with long tapered pin

Type 1.4 is a “missing link” of sorts, with the same reverse setup as the later zinc version 2.1 but the die characteristics of the Tombak version. It has the same squished laurel leaf of Die 1.

[Norm F]

Type 2.1

Type 2: Zinc only, Die 2 with the “open laurel leaf”

2.1: slender stamped sheet metal catch, short barrel hinge with long tapered wide pin (same setup as 1.4)

Now we move to the Type 2 die which no longer has the squished laurel leaf.

Type 2.1 has the identical setup to Type 1.4 including the same slender stamped sheet metal catch that is seen on some other S&L zinc products.