Hilfskreuzer Badge with Diamonds - is it real?

[John W. Krueger]

I would sincerely appreciate any opinions as to the authenticity of this badge. Thanks.

[Norm F]

Hi John,

There's only one currently known recipient of the Hilfskreuzer with Diamonds and that was Admiral Rogge, whose badge is shown on page 176 of Gordon Williamson's "The War Badges of the Kriegsmarine". It's a two-piece construction stylistically similar to the Juncker design with a smaller swastika than yours.

In my opinion, your badge is a post-war recreation.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Sepp45]

Hi Norm! I was under the impression this was Rogge's badge...

[Norm F]

Hi Norm! I was under the impression this was Rogge's badge...

Hi Sepp,

No, that's an example of the one-piece mystery badges based upon the Souval design. Anthony on this forum used to own one years ago and there was one in Wolfe-Hardin's holdings (maybe that's it?), but it's not the Rogge badge.

Nicely made but currently no evidence for wartime production, and I hardly think Souval would be the source of a prestige wartime award like the Hilfskreuzer with Diamonds.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Sepp45]

Thanks Norm!

I also haven't seen photos of Rogge wearing the badge with diamonds.

Do you have one to share?

[Norm F]

Hi Sepp,

No I haven't seen such a photo. Gordon Williamson's description from "War Badges of the Kriegsmarine": "Only one single piece can be confirmed to have been awarded, that being the piece bestowed upon Kapitän zur See Bernhard Rogge, commander of Schiff 16, the famed "Atlantis"." But he doesn't list a reference for that information.

"Forensically speaking" the badge from the collection of the late Don Frailey that is shown in the book looks quite convincing to me. The colour is quite washed out in Gordon's book unfortunately, but here's another image from a previous thread. It appears to be 2-piece construction in gilded silver with good obverse detail and a unique design, skillfully made with an understated diamond swastika with small stones. Furthermore the screwback is period hardware like that on this Imperial EK1. I wonder where it ended up.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

The badge in post #3 is the same one from the Wolfe-Hardin holdings. The same badge has appeared in multiple publications including in "War Badges of the Kriegsmarine" and in "The Kriegsmarine Awards". It's also the same one in Robin Lumsden's "Medals and Decorations of Hitler's Germany" with the erroneous description claiming it's the "only known surviving example". The obverse detail on this one-piece Souval-like badge can't compare with the two-piece Rogge attributed badge in post #6.

[Norm F]

Here's Anthony's previously posted images of the same type of badge as the Wolfe-Hardin/Lumsden/Williamson/Skora example, formerly in his collection. Clearly from the same tooling but with a wider hinge and tiny differences in the internal trimming.

[Norm F]

Here's the very same Auxiliary Cruiser badge as the opening post. It was previously discussed here:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=731740

Terrible obverse detail on the Viking and the globe.

Best regards,
---Norm

[John T]

Hi Norm

Thank you for the information. I am certain I read an old Souval price list where they offered a number of the KM badges "with diamonds". It would be interesting to know if any of these are indeed those sold by them.

John

[Norm F]

I am certain I read an old Souval price list where they offered a number of the KM badges "with diamonds". It would be interesting to know if any of these are indeed those sold by them.

Hi John,

Hard to say. Here's a Souval-attributed Hilfskreuzer with "Diamonds", previously posted by mpiering. Same obverse design but different rendering in 800 silver with a larger inset swastika with white sapphires (I believe) applied overtop of a smaller swastika. Perhaps a later version? It's also not known whether Souval made such products or had them made by a 3rd party to order, perhaps using one of his badges for the obverse design? We can only speculate at this point.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

Here's another Souval product, this time Pilot/Observer with white sapphires. Notice the curled under catch with the beveled end, quite similar to that on Anthony's former Hilfskreuzer.

[John T]

HI Norm,

That is interesting. Thank you for posting those pictures. I remember Eric (Valhalla Militaria) had for sale a cased silver PT Boat Badge, 2nd Pattern in a fitted Souval case that was from the 1960s or 70s. I seem to remember seeing some of the Souval pieces with "diamonds" and they had the wavy type of reverse as the Pilot Badge with Diamonds that you posted as opposed to having a flat back.

John

[Norm F]

I seem to remember seeing some of the Souval pieces with "diamonds" and they had the wavy type of reverse as the Pilot Badge with Diamonds that you posted as opposed to having a flat back.

John

Yep, some wavy and some flat backed. Of course, these ones are easy to spot as post-war, but Souval sure did change things up over the years.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

I remember Eric (Valhalla Militaria) had for sale a cased silver PT Boat Badge, 2nd Pattern in a fitted Souval case that was from the 1960s or 70s.

Here's that semi-hollow silver S-Boat of Eric's:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=779622

Best regards,
---Norm