DRK and other mountain badge

[Tor-Helge Y]

I was visiting a museum in Svolvær (norway) and saw these badges I've never seen before.

Anyone have any info on these??

Best regards,

[Tor-Helge Y]

Badge #2

[Richard]

Very interesting to see the first badge pictured displayed in a museum. There have been a couple of threads on the forum in the last several years regarding this particular badge. The jury is out as to authenticity. There are no photos of the badge in wear and no documented use of the badge in any books/publications. The construction and enameling of these badges is excellent and relatively high quality.

Some believe them to be fakes since there is no "proof" they were ever worn but no proof exists that they are fakes either. They haven't appeared in large numbers as you would expect from fakes and all I have seen have a very old and worn look to them that does not appear artificial. I think that no one really knows for sure and that these will always be viewed with some suspicion until proof is found of their use.

It would be interesting to find out how and from where the museum acquired their piece.
Richard V

[JoeW]

These are interesting badges. I have been studying the Tirolean mountain service and their Bergwacht badge. An interesting article was published in 1998 in "Militaria" magazine (5/1998) titled "Die Abzeichen der Bergwacht vor 1945 bis heute". The badges and photos indicate the German service was called the Deutsche Bergwacht. One badge is labeled Rettungsdienst der Deutsch. Bergwacht. In 1920 the Bergwacht was founded in Munich. Yet an additional service in Germany was created in 1924 with the founding of the Gebirgsunfalldienst des Roten Kreuzes that provided Red Cross service for mountain service. The article wrote that both services came to the notice of the public in the 1930s with a series of famous rescue efforts. No photo of any badges of the DRK service was provided. Are any of these badges above listed in the Heering-Husken catalog? It seems there is some historical foundation for the existance of such badges. Does anyone know if these are numbered? My early Bergwacht badge and of course the later Tirol-Vorarlberg Bergwacht badges are numbered. I would expect an official badge to be numbered.

[Don Scowen]

. Are any of these badges above listed in the Heering-Husken catalog?

The top one is listed in Hüsken, number 5601dt.

Cheers
Don

[Tor-Helge Y]

Very interesting info!

Next time I visit I'll try to find out where the owner got them from, and if they are numbered or marked on the back.

My only input to this discussion now is that the badge#2 I show is most likely from pre-1935 (or post '45??) as the red-cross on it has no swastika.

[Simon O.]

You got some good shots of those Tor Helge! my photographic efforts were pretty poor Need to learn how to use the macro function properly.

Interesting comments about these badges. It's worth pointing out that the museums collection is i believe based around the curators own private collection.

[Simon O.]

Was browsing through one of my books today and came across this photo, checking through others is see the same badge in wear in another 2 pictures.

As you can see this one has the edelweiss over the redcross rather than the other way around.

From the book "Spezialverbände der Gebirgstruppe" by Kaltenegger

[Arran]

I owned one of these (top) badges several years ago, that was cased and came with a DRK cap. Although I have no pictures of it, my recollection is that it was maker marked but not numbered, and constructed using very fine hollow rivets. I believe I could obtain good pics of the front and back from the fellow who now has it if there is an interest...


Arran.

[Don Scowen]

I owned one of these (top) badges several years ago, that was cased and came with a DRK cap. Although I have no pictures of it, my recollection is that it was maker marked but not numbered, and constructed using very fine hollow rivets. I believe I could obtain good pics of the front and back from the fellow who now has it if there is an interest...


Arran.

Arran,

I for one would be very interested in seeing good pictures if you could obtain them, both of the badge & case please.

Cheers
Don

[Duzig]

Hello all,
Yes Arran I also would be very interested in seeing pics of that badge.
Thanks
Duzig

[gebirgaussie]

Hi Simon,
Regarding the small badge with the edelweiss superimposed on the red cross. It is difficult to tell from the photo, but is this a one-piece construction? To my eyes it almost looks like a red cross cloth patch with a standard issue visor cap Edelweiss fastened on top. I say this because the edelweiss itself looks somewhat raised from the surface of the cross. But I could be wrong...
Also, what is the larger Edelweiss badge in the circle that he is wearing on his pocket?
Regards
Ian


[QUOTE=Simon orchard]Was browsing through one of my books today and came across this photo, checking through others is see the same badge in wear in another 2 pictures.

As you can see this one has the edelweiss over the redcross rather than the other way around.

From the book "Spezialverbände der Gebirgstruppe" by Kaltenegger

[GHP]

Peter "Himalaya Peter" Aschenbrenner

To my eyes it almost looks like a red cross cloth patch with a standard issue visor cap Edelweiss fastened on top. I say this because the edelweiss itself looks somewhat raised from the surface of the cross. But I could be wrong...

No, it is too small a badge to support the stemless visor cap badge "edelweißmützenabzeichen". I've seen this same badge (same person) in other photos, and it is definitely a badge, not a cloth patch.

Also, what is the larger Edelweiss badge in the circle that he is wearing on his pocket?

The wearer is Peter "Himalaya Peter" Aschenbrenner, an instructor at the Heeres-Hochgebirgschule in Fulpmes, Austria. Peter was an accomplished pre-war mountaineer and was extremely famous. The badge is, according to Patrick Kiser ("Bergführerkiser") the civilian model of the Bergführerabzeichen. Note how it is circular, not oval like the 1936 Heeresbergführer badge. This image is the clearest I've seen so far -- maybe I need to get Kaltenegger's book?

I have another image of "Himalaya Peter", but don't have "image posting" rights to this site. However, the image came from page 39 of "Die Gebirgstruppe", Number 2 (April 2004), the quarterly magazine of the Kameradenkreis der Gebirgstruppe, e.V. (I've been a member for a few years). The caption states the photo was taken at the HeeresHochGeb-Schule Fulpmes during WWII at the Franz Senn Hütte. The gentleman second from left is identified as Peter Aschenbrenner.

And here is another image I believe is of Peter, note thee bergführer badge and smaller bergrettungsdienst (or whatever) badge. Can't confirm yet, but looks very similar to Peter. [from http://www.wehrmacht-awards.net/forums/showthread.php?t=76777&highlight=edelweiss+badge]


Bergheil!
--Guy Power

[GHP]

"Himalaya Peter" Aschenbrenner

More about Peter Aschenbrenner

http://www.roberge.de/frameexec.php?...hp&id=278&swo=

Image of him at Nanga-Parbat, 1932


And a better image where you can see the facial features:


[source: www.weltderberge.com/<wbr>nanga_gesch.php]

The berghaus that his family has owned before and after the war:

[source: http://www.roberge.de/frameexec.php?...hp&id=278&swo=]

[another source states]
Diese Privathütte baute der in Ebbs am 6.5.1902 geborene Bergführer und Hüttenwirt des Stripsenjochhauses Peter Aschenbrenner selbst. Ihm glückten rund 2.400 Gipfelbesteigungen, darunter 400 Dreitausender und 68 Viertausender. Er war bei drei Nanga-Parbat-Expeditionen dabei und zwar 1932, 1934 und 1953, wobei er mit E. Schneider bis auf 7895 m vordrang (1934). Im Jahre 1932 bestieg er Chongra Peak (6448) und Rakhiot Peak (7070 m). Bekannt wurde Aschenbrenner auch durch bedeutende Erstbegehungen wie z.B. Christa-Turm SO-Kante, Fleischbank O-Wand und Leuchsturm S-Wand, alle im Wilden Kaiser. In der N-Wand der Großen Zinne beging er anläßlich der 2. Begehung eine Direktvariante. Peter Aschenbrenner ist am 25.1.1998 im 96. Lebensjahr in Kufstein verstorben. [died at the age of 96 on 25 Jan 1998]

The current third-generation owner is the son of Himalaya Peter.

Bergheil!
--Guy Power[/QUOTE]

[Bootmanager]

RK Gebirgsjäger with badge

howdy ,

look this nice pic from my collection.

Gebirgsjäger with SA + RK badge.

thanks fore the nice information .

bye fore now

Hans