Iron Cross-based Freikorps badge

[Brian L.]

I thought I would also post this in the Imperial Forum, as it involves the use of an actual EKI for the central motif of the Freikorps Petsch sleeve badge.

The cross was soldered to a silvered bronze laurel and oak leaf wreath. The wreath had splints on the back that attached to a zinc backplate covered in black cloth, in a similar fashion to the mounting style of the machine gunners badge.

Freikorps Petsch was part of the 37th Volunteer Infantry Division serving in Upper Silesia in 1919.

[gregM]

I have never seen one of those before. Thanks for posting it.

[mp409mm]

Very nice photo which as gregM said, I never saw one before, thank you
Alf.

[Brian L.]

While I'm still hunting for this badge, here is a scan of the badge as it appears in Ingo Haarcke's book on Freikorps insignia. I handled one of these badges a long time ago. So, my comments on its construction are based on that one time.
The EK appears to be a standard unmarked 1st class without pin, soldered to the hollowback wreath which in the one I saw was attached through black backing to a zinc backplate by 4 pairs of splints.
In the case of the one shown here, the wreath appears to be sewn through the backing cloth onto the zinc backplate.

I realize this is outside the Impeiral realm. But, I thought the use of the EK might have some relevance to those interested in the subject.