Party Court Reichsleiter tabs

[Rick C]

The eye is there Tony - just a trick in the angle of the shot makes it look missing.

[Mark Costa]

As someone who has studied the party court and Reichsleiters Buch and Grimm extensively I can say that there were indeed variances in the collar tabs that both men wore. There were never three men that wore these tabs. That rumor came about because of a 1938 period book that listed the Chairman of the Third Chamber Eugen Lusebrink as a Reichsleiter. He was not one. It was a printing error.

The collar tab at the Marshals Baton listed as a RETIRED Party Court Reichsleiter is incorrect. This tab with the blue piping is in fact the first version of a Party Court Reichsleiter. In the original 1934 regulations for party court tabs, all tabs were to be piped in BLUE. However, there is no evidence that either Buch or Grimm ever wore that first version. In fact all photos from the early 1934 period show them wearing their tabs piped in gold. Hence this tab is an unworn salesman sample.

In 1937 new regulations were issued that stated that the Supreme Party Judge ONLY was to wear the BLUE Reichsleiter tabs -- hence Buch ONLY. As photos show from this point on, Grimm no longer wore the Blue tabs but reverted to the standard carmine tabs, although he was still the Chairman of the Second Chamber of the party court.

The BLACK tab shown at the Marshals Baton is only a salesman sample of a retired Reichsleiter. No Reichsleiter retired during this 1934-1939 period, and it certainly was never worn by Franz X. Schwarz. HOWEVER, Grimm did retire in 1940 and he started wearing BLACK 1939 pattern reichsleiter tabs, of which only one still exists in a private collection and can be seen in Jeff Clark's book on NSDAP uniforms. This was against regulations as RETIRED tabs were abolished for the new 1939 style tabs.

In regards to the suspected tabs shown in the original post, they do have many similarities to all the party court Reichsleiter tabs that I have examined over the years. There are in fact many more in private unknown collections. I would have to say that in my mind I would consider them 80% original -- they may have been piped originally in blue and changed to gold when the regulations changed.

Mark Costa

[Rick C]

In regards to the suspected tabs shown in the original post, they do have many similarities to all the party court Reichsleiter tabs that I have examined over the years. There are in fact many more in private unknown collections. I would have to say that in my mind I would consider them 80% original -- they may have been piped originally in blue and changed to gold when the regulations changed.

Mark - are you referring to the set I picked up that started this thread or the original thread (http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...30014#poststop) where I quoted you?

[Mark Costa]

Rick C:

I was referring to the tabs that have been offered to you that are shown in the first photo with the obvious fakes. Although there are slight differences in eagles, swastika's etc I believe them to be original. I have some doubt about the gold piping as it appears that it may have been a replacement. That is why I mentioned the changes from the BLUE piping in early 1934 to GOLD piping. The original PC Reichsleiter tabs were piped in BLUE, but were never used. The tabs you were offered maybe a refurbished set. That is why I only gave the a 80% originality thumbs up.

Every original set of PC reichsleiter tabs or for that matter regular 1934-39 Reichsleiter tabs all have slight differences in the eagles, wings, and even the swastika's.

Also in regards to the BLACK retired Reichsleiter tab you show above -- the white thread lines on the wings were added in the early 1960's by the original 1945 owner. I was told that personally by Pete Bilheimer years ago when I was in contact with him in the early 1980's. Seems the soldier who came home with them added them to match another tab he had seen. They have never been removed, but are not original to the tab. Pete of course owned that tab along with several other PC and regular Reichsleiter tabs.

Mark Costa

[Sonderkommando]

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If I was the owner of that black tab, I most certainly wouldn't remove those stitches, as I doubt that story about the soldier adding them is correct.
To add them as neatly as he did, without going through the back of the tab (and the tag) is very good sewing skills and more than likely they are actually the original stitches put there before the tab was assembled.

In regards to the set originally posted, it's very hard to say as the bullion work on those eagles is atrocious and not in line with the quality of the eagles on all the other tabs posted in the thread. Having said that, I wouldn't dismiss them as fakes either as the rest of the tab looks spot on.


So hard to say if genuine or not, but like Mark I give them about an 80% chance of being original.
Is there any sign of a tag being glued to the back of them?

[Rick C]

Thanx VERY much Mark & Brett for your comments. Nothing like rolling the dice and getting seven.