Some Freikorps Unit Badges

[Brian L.]

THE EINWOHNERWEHR LIVES!

In continuation of my previous post, here's a composite picture of the 31st Bataillonsfest of the Bataillon Inn-Chiemgau in 2015, showing uniforms very reminiscent of Einwohnerwehr Chiemgau including the wearing of modern replicas of the original badge on the hat, as well as the wearing of Einwohnerwehr style armbands.

These are the badges, to which I referred that are for sale online and that show up from time to time on eBay being sold as originals. If a collector had never had an original in hand, they wouldn't really know the difference.

[Brian L.]

Landes=Einwohnerwehr Stadt Braunschweig

Grouping belonging to Herrn Heinz Holger

1/Honour Certificate from the Headquarters of the Landes=Einwohnerwehr

2/Einwohnerwehr Deutschland - Falken-Knopf der Zentralstelle der Einwohnerwehren (Falcon Button of the Central Office of the Civil Defence Forces Germany)

3/Armband

4/Letter from the district Group leader asking for the return of the armband, gun permit, and membership certificate, as Holger was no longer an active member of the militia

Obviously, he never returned to armband.

[Brian L.]

correction. Heinz Volger.

[equirhodont]

Lion button

Hi,
I dug this button together with other SS insignia. Is it "Von Epp"?
Thanks,
Martin

[Brian L.]

It actually looks like a cufflink. Maybe, von Epp. Who knows? I've never seen anything like it before.

[equirhodont]

Yeah, it looks like cuffling. But Von Epp´s lion has the head turned to th left, so I´m confused...

It actually looks like a cufflink. Maybe, von Epp. Who knows? I've never seen anything like it before.

[mchap]

As you've pointed out, the head is facing the wrong way, and on von Epp's badge the tongue isnt sticking out.

These discrepancies lead me to believe there is no link to v. Epp.

[Brian L.]

Yeah, it looks like cuffling. But Von Epp´s lion has the head turned to th left, so I´m confused...

Well, looking at it again, it's not much like a von Epp lion's head. So, probably not anything but a design.

[mchap]

Perhaps it has something to do with Bavaria, since the rampant lions that are on either side of the shield have tongues out. Its a mystery, and fun to speculate... one will never know unless the original owner is alive to talk about it.

[equirhodont]

Perhaps it has something to do with Bavaria, since the rampant lions that are on either side of the shield have tongues out. Its a mystery, and fun to speculate... one will never know unless the original owner is alive to talk about it.

Thanks for help

[Brian L.]

Perhaps it has something to do with Bavaria, since the rampant lions that are on either side of the shield have tongues out. Its a mystery, and fun to speculate... one will never know unless the original owner is alive to talk about it.

The same type of lion head was also used by a unit of the French Foreign legion and is a common element in Belgian awards because the lion is a symbol of Belgium. So, it may not even be German.

[Brian L.]

Ruhrkampf-Organisation Rauh, 1923

Not much is available on this group. But, it was set up as a collection of various Wehrsports associations, Sports associations, disaffected former members of the Freikorps and Einwoherwehr and veterans' groups to ostensibly offer passive resistance to the French occupation of the Ruhr region in 1923. Some rogue members took a more active roll and were involved in sabotage and murder of French soldiers. Leo Schlageter was either a member or at least connected to this organization.

The organization lapel badge came as a stickpin, as a safety-pin backed badge or as a small medal suspended from a pin-backed ribbon.

The inscription says, "Lord make us free!".

[Brian L.]

Freiwilligen Regiment Preussen 14. - Arm badge.

Formed in Kurland and Lithuania as part of Freiwilligen Brigade Grodno, which was formed from 4. Landwehr-Division. In August 1919, it was used to strengthen Reichswehr-Brigade 16 (formerly Freiwilligen Landesjägerkorps).

[mchap]

Nice find Brian! Thats got to be a rare bird.

[Brian L.]

Nice find Brian! Thats got to be a rare bird.

Thanks. fairly rare. Only the 2nd one I've ever seen.


Here's another scarce one.


Einwohnerwehr Isarwinkel-Mangfall Gau - arm badge

usually worn on a black diamond sewn onto the EW armband.

Named after the area of the Mangfall river in Upper Bavaria.

This civil guard was formed in 1919 from former Bavarian Mountain Rifle Regiments and commanded by Major a. D. Kurz. It likely existed until 1921 before its members formed either local shooting clubs or joined one of the other Bavarian Wehrverbände.