EK I S&L Opinions - Post War?

[George Stimson]

Interesting points, everyone!

[Luftm40]

Here are a set of DUIs from the US constabulary in Germany that date from 1946. Anything look familiar?

[Luftm40]

Here are early occupation era US patches made by BeVo. Note the distinctive pattern. Who is to say BeVo didn't crank out SS cuff titles on the side during this era?

[George Stimson]

None of my six other S&L EK 1s have such flawing on the 9 o'clock arm as on the one I posted earlier in this thread.

[Leroy]

The postwar dilemma is really not that complicated. As Andy notes, German manufacturers learned very quickly that there was a market for Third Reich material. Until, at least, the early 1960's, there were huge quantities of leftover material, and not just in Ludenscheid. Pieces were assembled and sold using these leftovers. What was leftover? Already finished material, badges which were halfway done, and component parts (including factory "rejects", which could well explain many "flaws"). Thousands and thousands of pieces, by everyone's accounts. Quantities we can't comprehend today. Everything which could be used was used, or re-used, including new applications for Allied insignia. Look at the wings and patches made for occupation troops. Some of the patches, especially, use the same bullion wire seen on wartime Nazi insignia. (ADD: as just shown!)

An entire separate issue is the idea that German manufacturers commenced new die-striking in the immediate postwar period. Based on everything discovered so far by those who have actually visited with wartime manufacturers, and spoken directly to factory personnel, owners and family, especially in Ludenscheid (a British occupied area) this did not happen. Instead, they just kept using what they already had on hand. Herr Assmann, when questioned by Andreas Klein, told him that while Herr Luck could be a "difficult" man to deal with in business,"he was not stupid" and it would have taken a very stupid person to commence actual new production.

[Thomas Durante]

Hi guys,

Some of you might be interested in this thread I started in the Heer forum about certain tool marks on S&L pins that might very well be a key indicator of wartime production versus postwar S&L production. Seems to me that all the pins on the crosses in this thread have the typical wartime dimple on the pin. You guys feel that these are all wartime produced crosses, and I would fully agree based on my thoughts here:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=453580

I can't see the mark on George's cross too clearly, so maybe you can confirm that your cross indeed has the correct, wartime mark rather than a long, thin scrape commonly found on S&L's 1957-produced badges. If correct, then this is further evidence for you guys to point to these crosses being wartime S&L production as you have suggested.

Tom

[Robert P.]

Very noteworthy findings Tom,

Thank you for bringing this to the crosses forum.

Robert