"Bacqueville" Kriegsmarine Badges are...

[Leroy]

I have no idea if they were awarded or distributed in any way. Because samples seem to have been brought back by soldiers of the western allies, it would appear that, at least, they were available to be picked up by them in the west. No photos of them in wear (so far) have emerged. All this tells me (if anything) is that these badges were located in the west (perhaps in storage in France). They certainly (from my own personal experience and the experience of other collectors in the west) appeared many, many years before the 1989 date mentioned for their appearance in the East.

Was there a strong collecting community in East Germany before 1989? It would be an interesting sidelight here to know and appreciate how it worked.

[schönbeck]

you have to ask former ddr people how it was before the wall fell. Nevertheless I can say that you can find some sort of ww2 memoribilia on every single fleamarket in former east germany.

[Nordmark]

A few guys told me you needed a permission to collect stamps and medals of the third reich in the DDR. But it is somehow funny, that they never heard about these badges until 1989.

[John T]

Well.....I think the reason you did not see many of these years ago was that they were rare, but of course knowing that these began to be reproduced as everything else in this hobby and now they are not as rare as they used to be because of the fakes of these on the market and when the internet came out things became more readily available to collectors also including originals that were scattered around the globe. My opinion remains as it was when I posted five years ago on this thread is that these badges surely were made during the war and that copies are now made too and I respect the opinions of those who disagree also. This I judge based from personal experience from the bring-backs of US Soldiers from WW2.

Kindest Regards,

John

[John R.]

Back to the top since it seems we are covering ground already covered.

[flatlander]

For what it's worth I bought 2 aux. cruiser badges and an E boat badge from a local neighborhood vet who I had known for years about 25 years ago. He picked them up in France, I sold one Aux cruiser badge and the Eboat badge ,but I've still got one AC badge, wish I had kept them all.
FL

[Darrell]

Well.....I think the reason you did not see many of these years ago was that they were rare, but of course knowing that these began to be reproduced as everything else in this hobby and now they are not as rare as they used to be .......
Kindest Regards,

John

I think John has a good point. If they were "rare", and since have been reproduced (like he says almost everything has been .. some good ... some not so good), how do we know what's actually an original and what is exactly a reproduction of that original? You look at a badge ... other than a bad casting job, how do you tell which piece is real, which one is not?

[Jody]

Bacqueville KM Badges

Hello,
I agree with John T. about these badges once being very rare. They were back in the 70's. Now they like everything else they are faked. Since I have not made a study of these awards, telling period examples from fake would prove at daunting or difficult at least to me.

I used to have a veteran obtained coastal artillery French version (it was obtained along with a bunch of other 100% no doubt original KM badges and other KM items from Cherbourg). I discussed this same badge in thread # 55. Yes, I know some will say "vet stuff is bad and you can't trust it"-whatever. I still feel they are good pieces.

It is one of those pieces either you like them or you don't (kinda like 800 4 RKs). BTW, I like those RKs too.

Now would I own one of these French badges. Only if I had very little money invested in one, because if I tried to sell it, it would prove to be difficult. I wish I had not traded/sold off my French made coatal artillery badge. I was a silly kid at the time.

Regards,
Jody

[Husme]

I always will have doubts

[gingerbread]

Bacqueville badges from Paris



IMO, the Bacqueville badges are good.

Here mine found in Paris in december 44:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=410556

Regards
Ben

[BassD]

for me these badges are never offical awards or for private purchase. My thinking is that a french company make these badges to make some profit. Maybe for german soldiers during the war. But the notice from the Präsidialkanzlei shows that it was foreign companies not allowed to produce german awards.

So for me these badges are only copies and never have the spirit fo badges which are produced from licenced german companies.

[münster]

I believe in them.

[Jos L C]

Why not copy them from excisting badges if you want to sell them as souvenirs, instead of going through a expensive procedure of having moulds made for a whole new serie ?

I'm a believer also, they're great looking badges.
Think someone ordered them, but didn't had the right to do so, bit like the Mussert cross.

Jos.

[Norm F]

Too bad the poll doesn't have another option:
"...late war unofficial production, never actually awarded"

Best regards,
---Norm

[Pierre]

I believe in them.

Pierre