RK swas paint loss..

[Jos L C]

Was just reading this thread ..


http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru....php?t=1037712


I've seen the " paint loss " more than once, so what's the story ?


Here's a fighter pilot after he got his brandnew RK.


Jos

[AndyC]

Isn´t that Walther Schuck in that picture ?

I have seen in a couple of photos over the years that some RK guys had scratch off the black paint on the swastika.

Also EKI soldiers did so.

I don´t know the reason but I would like to hear why



Andy

[Gew44]

They did it to make the swastika and the date 1939 stand out as the pride of having received the decoration from the 3rd Reich.

[Texasuberalles]

They did it for the same reason US Marines have their uniforms tailored: Pride

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Fairly obvious to make the Swastika stand out - clearly in favour of the regime.

[Jos L C]

So, it's a personal touch ..


A very tricky move maybe, what if AH was on the doorstep the very next day ?


Jos

[AndyC]

Werner Baumbach have also schratch his swastika





Andy

[kaiserwilhelm2]

So, it's a personal touch ..


A very tricky move maybe, what if AH was on the doorstep the very next day ?


Jos

Jos, I do not really understand this comment. IMO highlighting the swastika on your KC to make it stand out more should be seen as positive from a Nazi point of view - so no issues with AH would result. I think we can also conclude that those who did so can probably be deemed as clear supporters of the Nazi cause - even though in general IMO you will be hard pressed finding KC-holders that were anti-Hitler at the time.

[Tony T-S]

Interesting to know. Wouldn't it be seen as defacing a National award bestowed by AH? Anyway, they did it, and only some.

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Interesting to know. Wouldn't it be seen as defacing a National award bestowed by AH? Anyway, they did it, and only some.

That was not how it was seen at the time - if it had been it would not have been done.

Personally I think it improves the look of the RK.

[August von Mackensen]

Personally I think it improves the look of the RK.

Thats true, it gives the piece a "battle worn" look.


Matt

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Thats true, it gives the piece a "battle worn" look.


Matt

That might also be the case but for me it gives that black uniform cross a bit more visual appeal, a better 3D aspect and in the pics it corresponds nicely with the frame. IMO it looks so good that it could have been meant to look like this (which of course it was not).

[Gew44]

At the time of the Nazis, the Ritterkreuzträger were exalted as heroes and pilots like Werner Baumbach awarded with Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords were almost legends in Germany with photos and newspaper articles and in some cases parade in the native country.
I don't think Hitler was stupid enough to criticize the scratched swastika also because official photos like the one posted were often made by Joseph Goebbels for propaganda.

[Guy smith]

That's a great looking medal. Recently I picked up a couple similar medals.
But I never thought it was done intentionally by the original owner.

[Gew44]

That's a great looking medal. Recently I picked up a couple similar medals.
But I never thought it was done intentionally by the original owner.

Hello Guy smith,
in the Wound Badge the svaz is natural wear because it was worn, it is also the most external part of the badge.
For the iron cross he was the owner.