Hello! I was thinking of sharing with all of you the results of my investigation (so far) about the rare Fieldmarshal's baton that were delivered during WW2.
Here I'm going to show you the real life examples (when possible) of those batons and the locations. Please, feel free to make corrections and
contributions
Keep in mind I've only found the pictures of these, but I'm missing some others.
First, a simple introduction to the batons of the three main forces of the WH.
Baton of the Heer
After 1940, Fieldmarshals received the Marschallstab, made entirely by hand, with gold and silver. They were produced by the firm HJWilms (Berlin) and were about 48 to 51 cm and between 3.2 and 3.8 cm in diameter. The aluminum center tube was covered with a thin cloth of bright red velvet. The tube was covered with 4 rows of 5 eagles and 5 iron crosses alternatively, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. The eagles were gold metal (31, X2, 3 cm), made after the Wehrmacht "Adler" model (Eagle of the German Armed Forces), with the swastika within a wreath of oak leaves. The iron crosses were made of silver and measured 1.6 X1, 6cm, with a black enamel interior. Both ends of the pole bodies were composed of gold and silver metal, shaped capitals adorned with oak leaf motifs and ribbons in relief. At the top of the cane there was a gold metal eagle, and in the bottom, an iron cross in silver and black. The superior side included the inscription, in letters molded and glued Gothic "Der Fuehrer Dem Generalfeldmarschall (surname)", while in the bottom of the cane it read "Zum Freiheitskampf Grossdeutschen des Volkes" ("In the struggle for freedom of the people of Greater German Reich" and the date of granting of the promotion to Fieldmarshal. This baton was limited to special events or state ceremonies.
They were also given the Interimstab, a daily service baton. Measured 78.5 cm, with a diameter at the top of 2 cm and 1.1 cm at the bottom. The upper metal was silver, conical, with ornaments of varied type. Near the base of the capital included a strip for the registration of Gothic letters with the name of the carrier. On the sides of the conical part is inlaid symbols like the iron cross in silver, and 2 types of eagle in gold (with a crown of oak leaves and without crown). The tube was lacquered black wood of 62cm in length, to the other end and to gragona, suspended from a 55cm cord, hung silver abochada of the capital. Both the dragon and his umbilical cord were composed of three interlocking white, black and red.
Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluge
His baton is currently at the Münster Museum (Germany)
Gunther von Kluge
Generalfeldmarschall Maximllian Freiherr von Weichs
His baton is present at the National Infantry Museum, Fort Benning/Columbus (Georgia, USA)
Maximllian Freiherr von Weichs
Generalfeldmarshall Erwin Rommel
I think the original baton is in the hands of his son, Manfred. Maybe someone could explain this.
Erwin Rommel.
Award ceremony (1940)
Rommel official photo, after the awarding of the baton. (1940).
The baton, on the day of his funeral. (1944).
Generalfeldmarschall Werner von Blomberg.
His baton is present at the National Museum of American History(Smithsonian).
Baton of the Kriegsmarine
Awarded only to Grossadmiral Erich Raeder and Karl Doenitz, this type of baton is the same as the Fieldmarshals, but with the following differences:
- The color of the velvet lining of the tube is dark blue
- At the top of the stick, the eagle is replaced by a gold anchor
- Gold metal anchors are among the crosses of iron and pipe golden eagles
Großadmiral Karl Dönitz
Currently at the Shropshire Regimental Museum, Shrewsbury (UK).
Karl Donitz.
Dönitz with his baton..
Two members of the US army with his baton. Stolen..
Großadmiral Erich Raeder
I don't know the name of the location, just got this photos.
Erich Raeder.
Baton of the Luftwaffe
Same as the above, but with the following differences:
- The color of the velvet-lined pipe is blue-gray
- At the top is an eagle Lftwaffe
- At the bottom, a balcanik cross.
Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring
His baton was recently sold to an american collector.
Albert Kesselring.
Baton of the Reichsmarschall
Goering's special made baton was bathed in gold, lined with white velvet and inlaid with gold eagles, and iron crosses in silver. The baton itself contained various precious stones, and the legend of concession to Hermann Goering.
At the top was a Luftwaffe eagle gold with precious stones, and a cross at the bottom.
His Interimstab was made of gold and with the same model as those of the Luftwaffe, and the name "H. Goering" engraved on the base. The body was of ivory and white entwined cord dracona white, black and red. Measured 78.5 cm.
Here I'm gonna show you the two models of this special baton.
Generalfeldmarschall Hermann Goring
Currently at theNational Infantry Museum, Fort Benning/Columbus (Georgia, USA)
Hermann Goring
His second model, present at the West Point Museum.
Goring.
Sources: http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/Letters/KarlDonitzBaton.html http://www.forosegundaguerra.com/vie...php?f=18&t=597 http://www.themarshalsbaton.com/Batons.htm http://www.flickr.com/photos/corywen...7066/lightbox/ http://thirdreichcolorpictures.blogs...nther-von.html http://www.makara.us/04mdr/01writing...os/Goering.htm http://www.armchairgeneral.com/fliegen-und-siegen.htm http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=139944 http://www.uboataces.com/cgi-bin/ubo...91317235735184 http://www.usmbooks.com/rommel_book.html http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=17984 http://americanhistory.si.edu/milita...ject.asp?ID=45
I'll return later with some more.
Regards,
Sepp.
Here I'm going to show you the real life examples (when possible) of those batons and the locations. Please, feel free to make corrections and
contributions
Keep in mind I've only found the pictures of these, but I'm missing some others.
First, a simple introduction to the batons of the three main forces of the WH.
Baton of the Heer
After 1940, Fieldmarshals received the Marschallstab, made entirely by hand, with gold and silver. They were produced by the firm HJWilms (Berlin) and were about 48 to 51 cm and between 3.2 and 3.8 cm in diameter. The aluminum center tube was covered with a thin cloth of bright red velvet. The tube was covered with 4 rows of 5 eagles and 5 iron crosses alternatively, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. The eagles were gold metal (31, X2, 3 cm), made after the Wehrmacht "Adler" model (Eagle of the German Armed Forces), with the swastika within a wreath of oak leaves. The iron crosses were made of silver and measured 1.6 X1, 6cm, with a black enamel interior. Both ends of the pole bodies were composed of gold and silver metal, shaped capitals adorned with oak leaf motifs and ribbons in relief. At the top of the cane there was a gold metal eagle, and in the bottom, an iron cross in silver and black. The superior side included the inscription, in letters molded and glued Gothic "Der Fuehrer Dem Generalfeldmarschall (surname)", while in the bottom of the cane it read "Zum Freiheitskampf Grossdeutschen des Volkes" ("In the struggle for freedom of the people of Greater German Reich" and the date of granting of the promotion to Fieldmarshal. This baton was limited to special events or state ceremonies.
They were also given the Interimstab, a daily service baton. Measured 78.5 cm, with a diameter at the top of 2 cm and 1.1 cm at the bottom. The upper metal was silver, conical, with ornaments of varied type. Near the base of the capital included a strip for the registration of Gothic letters with the name of the carrier. On the sides of the conical part is inlaid symbols like the iron cross in silver, and 2 types of eagle in gold (with a crown of oak leaves and without crown). The tube was lacquered black wood of 62cm in length, to the other end and to gragona, suspended from a 55cm cord, hung silver abochada of the capital. Both the dragon and his umbilical cord were composed of three interlocking white, black and red.
Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluge
His baton is currently at the Münster Museum (Germany)
Gunther von Kluge
Generalfeldmarschall Maximllian Freiherr von Weichs
His baton is present at the National Infantry Museum, Fort Benning/Columbus (Georgia, USA)
Maximllian Freiherr von Weichs
Generalfeldmarshall Erwin Rommel
I think the original baton is in the hands of his son, Manfred. Maybe someone could explain this.
Erwin Rommel.
Award ceremony (1940)
Rommel official photo, after the awarding of the baton. (1940).
The baton, on the day of his funeral. (1944).
Generalfeldmarschall Werner von Blomberg.
His baton is present at the National Museum of American History(Smithsonian).
Baton of the Kriegsmarine
Awarded only to Grossadmiral Erich Raeder and Karl Doenitz, this type of baton is the same as the Fieldmarshals, but with the following differences:
- The color of the velvet lining of the tube is dark blue
- At the top of the stick, the eagle is replaced by a gold anchor
- Gold metal anchors are among the crosses of iron and pipe golden eagles
Großadmiral Karl Dönitz
Currently at the Shropshire Regimental Museum, Shrewsbury (UK).
Karl Donitz.
Dönitz with his baton..
Two members of the US army with his baton. Stolen..
Großadmiral Erich Raeder
I don't know the name of the location, just got this photos.
Erich Raeder.
Baton of the Luftwaffe
Same as the above, but with the following differences:
- The color of the velvet-lined pipe is blue-gray
- At the top is an eagle Lftwaffe
- At the bottom, a balcanik cross.
Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring
His baton was recently sold to an american collector.
Albert Kesselring.
Baton of the Reichsmarschall
Goering's special made baton was bathed in gold, lined with white velvet and inlaid with gold eagles, and iron crosses in silver. The baton itself contained various precious stones, and the legend of concession to Hermann Goering.
At the top was a Luftwaffe eagle gold with precious stones, and a cross at the bottom.
His Interimstab was made of gold and with the same model as those of the Luftwaffe, and the name "H. Goering" engraved on the base. The body was of ivory and white entwined cord dracona white, black and red. Measured 78.5 cm.
Here I'm gonna show you the two models of this special baton.
Generalfeldmarschall Hermann Goring
Currently at theNational Infantry Museum, Fort Benning/Columbus (Georgia, USA)
Hermann Goring
His second model, present at the West Point Museum.
Goring.
Sources: http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/Letters/KarlDonitzBaton.html http://www.forosegundaguerra.com/vie...php?f=18&t=597 http://www.themarshalsbaton.com/Batons.htm http://www.flickr.com/photos/corywen...7066/lightbox/ http://thirdreichcolorpictures.blogs...nther-von.html http://www.makara.us/04mdr/01writing...os/Goering.htm http://www.armchairgeneral.com/fliegen-und-siegen.htm http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=139944 http://www.uboataces.com/cgi-bin/ubo...91317235735184 http://www.usmbooks.com/rommel_book.html http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=17984 http://americanhistory.si.edu/milita...ject.asp?ID=45
I'll return later with some more.
Regards,
Sepp.
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