Some Freikorps Unit Badges

[Brian L.]

Two Freikorps Cavalry units that served together in the Garde-Kavallerie-Schützen-Korps in Berlin against the 1919 Spartacist Uprisings.

1/ Zeitfreiwilligen-Eskadron Husaren-Regiment 11. was a temporary detachment of Freiwilligen-Husaren-Regiment 11. formed some time in January 1919 and disbanded likely in April 1919. (arm badge)

2/ Eiserne Eskadron / Freiwilligen-Eskadron Krossa / Freiwilligen Braunschweig Husaren-Regiment Nr.17 (collar badge)

formed on January 31, 1919 as part of Freiwilligen-Division von Lettow-Vorbeck in Berlin.
later joined Division Gerstenberg and fought against Socialist forces in Bremen.

[Brian L.]

Deutscher Verein für Leibesübungen Olympia / Sportvereins Olympia

Founded in May 1920 by former members of Schutzregiment Gross-Berlin and Regiment Reinhard who had not entered the Reichswehr and who had not been disbanded as a result of participation in the Kapp Putsch.

The general goal of the organization was to unify cadres of former Freikorps and Einwohnerwehr fighters to continue military training under the guise of a sports club. Sportsvereins Olympia consisted of a stable core of militarily experienced active members (about 2000 men) and a pure training section (first operating under the name of the Reinhard-Jugend and later as Jugendbund Olympia) with limited membership of between 500 to 1000 men.

Sportvereins Olympia together with the Wiking-bund (formerly Marine-Brigade Ehrhardt) were ordered disbanded in 1926 and remnants drifted into the Berlin SA.

Shown is an undocumented chain-stitched melton wool badge, 6cm in diameter, which I believe was worn as a sleeve badge, perhaps on both the verein's uniform and sport shirt.

The usual documented badge in catalogues by Haarcke, Hartung and Hüsken is a black and white enameled silver stickpin.

Together with the cloth badge is the one shown in von Salomon's 1938 book on the Freikorps, which he identifies as the stickpin, but which is clearly a cloth version similar to mine (stitching around the circle and the 'O' is evident in the photo).

As a side note, I recently picked this up for 5 Euros on eBay. Obviously because it's not in any book and falls outside the norm, it was ignored by Freikorps collectors.

[mchap]

Most recent badge addition to my little collection... I'll be adding more shortly, just need to find time to do the write ups.

3rd Marine Brigade Von Loewenfeld, collar insignia
December 1918 - June 1920.
Action: Kiel patrol, Berlin transport strike, 1st Polish uprising, boarder protection winter 1919-20,
participants in Kapp Putsch March 1920, and Ruhr Uprising.
Post-FK: after 1920 members dispersed into the Navy, Reichswehr police, and border/labor associations.

[mchap]

I haven't had much success finding info on Einwohnerwehr Nurnberg on the internet, and at the moment my personal notes/library are limited.

Brian, if you get a moment can you fill in some of the pertinent details?

[Brian L.]

Freikorps Paulssen Shoulder Boards.

Freikorps Paulssen was raised on the 10 December 1918 from the Mountain Machine Gun Bn. 229, in the city of Fulda by Oberleutnant Hans-Constantin Paulssen and served as part of Detachment Lierau of the General Command VI Army Corps in Breslau, Oberschlesien until 1920. It was Paulssen and his officers who initiated the idea of the Silesian Eagle in recognition of service during the 1st Polish Uprising in Silesia in 1919.
Freikorps Paulssen wore a black/white ribbon wrapped around their shoulder boards, before the enameled shield was adopted. There was also an embroidered sleeve badge the same as the enamelled shield, but with the b&w reversed.

[Gilles C.]

Very interesting, Brian!
However, the pattern of the straps make me somewhat uneasy. It reminds me rather of the pattern used for enlisted men in WWII or at least Reichswehr (late Reichswehr?)
And could possibly be too modern for a 1919 unit.
Maybe Chip could tell what he thinks of them.
Regards
Gilles

[Brian L.]

Very interesting, Brian!
However, the pattern of the straps make me somewhat uneasy. It reminds me rather of the pattern used for enlisted men in WWII or at least Reichswehr (late Reichswehr?)
And could possibly be too modern for a 1919 unit.
Maybe Chip could tell what he thinks of them.
Regards
Gilles

I initially thought so too until I had them in hand. They're narrower than TR straps and the badges appear to have been on them forever. Also, I've seen this type of strap being worn by Freikorps/Reichswehr units in photos around early to mid 1920. But, I can't find the reference at the moment.

The other possibility is that they're later Reichswehr and the badges are tradition badges for the Freikorps unit. Although, I don't have anything to base that idea on.

It would be good to get Chip's opinion as he's the person with most knowledge on this type of thing.

[Chip M]

Hello,

These straps are not anything made for military use before the end of WWI. That said, I'm not familiar enough with postwar developments to say if they could be Freikorps vintage. Certainly, there are many differences between these and wartime straps and the fact that they are not feldgrau, makes any postwar date possible. In my references, rounded end straps for enlisted men were not typically seen until the 1920-21 period.

Chip

[Brian L.]

Hello,

These straps are not anything made for military use before the end of WWI. That said, I'm not familiar enough with postwar developments to say if they could be Freikorps vintage. Certainly, there are many differences between these and wartime straps and the fact that they are not feldgrau, makes any postwar date possible. In my references, rounded end straps for enlisted men were not typically seen until the 1920-21 period.

Chip

1920 is likely for these, IMO anyway. However, there is a photo of von Paulssen wearing plain rounded end Feldgrau straps c. 1919 or early 1920 rather than officer's straps for some reason.

There were a few Freikorps that wore black shoulder straps. For example enlisted men of Freikorps von Neufville, Schwarze Garde had black shoulder boards and black collars.

[mchap]

Nice catch Brian.

I have also seen black shoulder straps being worn in period photos.
Oxidization around the shields is promising... I like 'em.

[Brian L.]

Bochumer Einwohnerwehr - Lapel Badge

Civil defense unit raised as auxilliary support for Brigade Epp during the Kapp Putsch to fight againts the "Arbeiterwehr Laer" (Workers Combat Unit 'Laer') of the "Roten Ruhr Armee und der Arbeiterräte" (Red Ruhr Army and Workers Council) in March and April 1920 in Bochum in the Ruhr.

[Brian L.]

Flieger Abteilung der Württembergische Freiwilligen Abteilung (Freikorps) Haas

Unit Breast badge instituted some time between May and September 1919 for the flying unit of Freikorps Haas. The badge apparently also came in a version for sewing on the uniform. I personally believe the badge was more of a commemorative service badge than simply a unit badge, as it probably didn't come into existence until after the unit's operational actions.

Württembergische Freiwilligen Abteilung Haas was formed in Münsingen, Württemberg in February 1919 by Generalmajor Otto Haas with a strength of 2376 men. The principal actions of the Freikorps were fighting against the Bavarian Soviet in Augsburg in April and the main battle in Munich in May 1919, as well as later in 1920 in the Ruhr, as part of Reichswehr-Brigade 13.

As far as I've been able to determine from research, the Flieger Abteilung of Freikorps Haas was formed in April 1919 and took part in the assault on Munich on May 3. 1919. They were likely nominally attached to Freiwilligen-Flieger-Abteilung Dessloch of Freikorps von Epp (commanded by Lnt. Otto Dessloch, former WWI Squadron leader of Bavarian Jagdstaffel 17 and later Generaloberst der Luftwaffe and winner of the Knights Cross with Oakleaves). The Flieger Abteilung of both Freikorps Hass and von Epp only lasted until September 1919 and then were disbanded as per the Treaty of Versailles.

If the Flieger Abteilung followed WWI Feld-Flieger-Abteilung composition structure, it likely had no more than 6 planes, making this badge extremely rare.

These photos are from the seller. When I have the badge in hand, I will post better images.

[IR61]

Hi Brian!

Lovely one!! Is it a big size badge?

Kind reg Tommy

[Destruction]

Excellent, Brian! I see this badge for a second time only Congrats!!!!

[Brian L.]

Hi Brian!

Lovely one!! Is it a big size badge?

Kind reg Tommy

I don't have it yet. When I get it, I will post the size.