The Machinegunner Sharpshooters Badge

[Don D.]

Very nice photos. Can you date they? Possibly Weimar Era?

[mchap]

Had some free time today so I got the collection out. I have 6 different maker marked badge types. The preponderance of those are Falkenburg Richter and Juncker.

Don, impressive collection of MG badges. Im pretty sure I have the MG badge that started this thread... maybe the very first, but its on the first page.
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...4&postcount=36

Point of this post is to ask about the badge with a red embroidered MG, surrounded by red roping.... do you know what thats from by chance? Could you also perhaps shed some light on the backing please? (ie. construction) Thanks!

[Brian L.]

Very nice photos. Can you date they? Possibly Weimar Era?

I'd say late 1920 to early 1921. Note the black backing on the MG badge, typical of how this badge was worn by Freikorps and early Reichswehr.

[Brian L.]

Point of this post is to ask about the badge with a red embroidered MG, surrounded by red roping.... do you know what thats from by chance? Could you also perhaps shed some light on the backing please? (ie. construction) Thanks!

Don may correct me on this. But, I believe this was a prototype, experimental badge for marine infantry. I understand that it likely never went into production making Don's badge extremely rare or maybe even a one-off.

Is this the one that Weitze used to have a few years ago (below)?

[Don D.]

That is the story behind them. I'd love to see one in wear in a period pic.

[Brian L.]

That is the story behind them. I'd love to see one in wear in a period pic.

I've seen an army version of a cloth machine-gunner badge with yellow embroidered on field-gray. The Imperial War Museum in London has a tunic with a cloth machine-gunner badge. They used to have this on a mannequin as part of a trench diorama. I don't if they still do. I've seen a couple of postcards, as well in recent years where the badge is clearly the army cloth version.

Have you ever seen one of these, Don?

[Don D.]

I've seen one embroidered Army badge. It is in this thread towards the begining.

[Brian L.]

I've seen one embroidered Army badge. It is in this thread towards the begining.

That's a really nice, elaborate badge. Do you know who owns it? I've enlarged it and re-posted it here for reference.

It's not the same as the one at the IWM, which is similar to your naval MG badge, but in bright yellow on field-gray.

[taube]

Gents,

a fellow collector owns this most interesting composition of badges.
The MG badge is the small version, roughly 40x25mm.
Maybe another piece in the puzzle, Don?
The cloth is black felt and the pins are obviously flat.

Best,
taube.

[taube]

Two more pics.

[Don D.]

Nice. Another Freicorps connection to the black backing cloth.

[Brian L.]

Were the smaller MG badges worn by officers during the war? I only ask because this EW München armband is for an officer.

[Don D.]

The story of the small badge goes something like this:

Officers were not initially authorized to wear the Machingegunsharpshooters badge. Instead they adopted a smaller "traditions badge" that they could wear, possibly on their head gear. Later, when they were finally authorized to wear the arm badge then smaller badge fell into disuse. That's why you don't see that many of them.


I don't know the validity of the story, just relaying what I've heard over the years. I've never seen anything in writing so take it with a grain of salt.

[Brian L.]

The story of the small badge goes something like this:

Officers were not initially authorized to wear the Machingegunsharpshooters badge. Instead they adopted a smaller "traditions badge" that they could wear, possibly on their head gear. Later, when they were finally authorized to wear the arm badge then smaller badge fell into disuse. That's why you don't see that many of them.


I don't know the validity of the story, just relaying what I've heard over the years. I've never seen anything in writing so take it with a grain of salt.

Interesting. As a theory it makes sense. In any case, the addition of the badge on this Einwohnerwehr leader's armband, which is likely nothing official, but just a bit of personalized bling, at least adds some credence to the theory that the badge was for officers. The black velvet is just another example supporting the Freikorps habit of replacing the feldgrau backing with black. There's enough photographic evidence to support the idea that the practice was widespread and not specific to any one Freikorps.

[Chip M]

That's a really nice, elaborate badge. Do you know who owns it? I've enlarged it and re-posted it here for reference.

I originally posted that from a photo on Ebay. This insignia was in a lot with WWII American army patches. It looked convincing to me due to the quality of the field gray cloth and the mothing. It was not advertised as what it was, so I don't know if it sold or not. I should have bought it!

Chip