German auxiliary cruisers (Hilfskreuzer)

[Jo.E.]

Good evening everybody !
Is here anybody who knows something about the maker "Wilhelm" ?
I've got this badge marked "Ausgef.v.Wilhelm" (Made by Wilhelm).
I found out there was a factory "Meyer & Wilhelm" in Stuttgart.
Is Wilhelm propably the maker before or after he was combined with Meyer ?
Thank you for any information !
Jo.E.

[Jo.E.]

And the frontside :

[skip]

Hi Jo.

Did you buy this badge from Winkler after reading the IMM article?

Skip

[Philippe DB]

Skipy I would be very much interested in a copy of that article

KR
Philippe

[Jo.E.]

Hi Jo.

Did you buy this badge from Winkler after reading the IMM article?

Skip

Negativ ! I never would do such a mistake.

But as you mention the article in the IMM: My badge is made of whitemetal - not bronce and the weight is 28 gr - not 37.
The other measurements are perfect the same.

Jo.E.

[Jo.E.]

Skipy I would be very much interested in a copy of that article

KR
Philippe

Philippe, here it is :

[Chris Boonzaier]

Is it original?


I often think IMM show basically anything that is not hand carved out of a block of lead. Their partisan badge article being the crowning glory.

[Philippe DB]

Hi Jo,


Txs for the article. I have to admit that the one I'll post below, the one Winkler had in his update about 3weeks ago, was the first AC by this maker I had ever seen.

I really don't know what to make of this badge and I'm afraid, for me at least, it's impossible to reach a conclusion without handling one. Everything about this badge is very unusual to say the least,

1. The maker and the "AUSGEF" addition
2. The reverse scoop out
3. The material that from the pics doesnt look like zinc
4. The reverse hardware also is quite unique but what I would call a zinc set-up
4. The rather dark bronze instead of gold finish

Difficult one

KR
Philippe

[Philippe DB]

reverse

[Philippe DB]

mm

[Philippe DB]

Frank this is one for you:


Would AUSGEF stand for "ausgeführt", if that is the case to me that doesn't sound like correct German because "durch" or "von" aren't following it.

I would think "Ausführung" would be the correct way to mark it?

KR
Philippe

[Philippe DB]

"Ausgef.v.Wilhelm" (Made by Wilhelm).

Hi Jo,

Don't know if you mothertongue is German but just noticed that you wrote

"Ausgef .v. Wilhelm"

So with the little "v" you read it as Ausgeführt von (durch) Wilhelm which would be correct. But if we were to read it in such a way the "V" IMO would have followed the "ausgef" and not be sitting on the second line.

KR
Philippe

[skip]

The badge in the article and Winklers badge are one and the same. If you look at the credits at the end of the article you will see Winklers name mentioned. Lautenschlager (the guy who wrote the article) and Winkler would appear to be good buddy as nearly every article that this guy writes have badges from Winklers site in them.

I have´nt trusted IMM since they put the ball hinge aurich fakes in their PAB article as authentic.

Jo´s is the first other badge of this type I have ever seen. I also do not like the scripting. "Ausgef" is a very strange term to me (Frank?). Also the construction of the rear is not exactly classic german style and white metal against Tombac would also raise red flags for me.

Still, don´t throw it in the bin yet, we may be totally wrong. Stranger things have happened. Any story as to were the badge comes from?

Skip

[Andreas Klein]

Hello, i saw this type of badge in 15 years of collecting for the first time at a flee marker in munich 4 months ago .... and imo it's a fake because there were to less auxiliary cruisers out there to be in need of a lot of firms who produces this badge.

We have Juncker, Schwerin and Souval and that's enough. Imo it's the same with the CHOLM shield.

regards

ak

[Frank Heukemes]

Hi guys,

"Ausgef." does not sound strange to me, it would be the German translation of the Latin "fecit", found as "fec" e.g. on Imperial U Boat badges by Schott.

"Ausgeführt von" is more appropriate in this context although "Ausgeführt durch" is also grammatically correct but would rather be used in a different context, like "die AUFGABE wurde ausgeführt durch..."

So the mark itself does not sound strange. Btw, we are looking at three different badges here, Kai Winkler´s badge is not the one in the article.

I have never seen or held such a badge so I cannot really comment on its autheticity. It is interesting and I will keep it in mind.

It is true however that IMM articles should be read cautiously.