Wehrwolf Bund Badge

[checkit]

I was very happy to finally find out what this badge in my collection was, but now I hear that they have been faking ths badge. I assume that the fakes are mediocre - sunken enameling on a die cast soft metal badge, but would like an opinion on this Wehrwolf membership pin.

[Wim Vangossum]

Hi,

First: I don't like the font used in "Ges. Gesch." and second: today's fakers make enamel badges with a quality sometimes better as the originals.
Probleme with this rare badge is also that there is not much to compare with.

Regards, Theo

[münster]

I know Robin doesnt like this version. I had one of these and it was from a private source, same as yours. But you can never tell, maybe the guy picked it up in the 70s. Theo, you are right, not enough examples to compare with.

[checkit]

I found a picture of the replica badge being sold - wow, only $6 or $8. It looks like the border on the "W" is not quite the same. It would be nice to see the back, and see if the red enamel is translucent like mine, but I think my badge is possibly NOT the same as the popular repro. However, getting anyone to BELIEVE that it is real is always a different story. Maybe if I bought I repro, and displayed it as "Here is an orignal, and here is a repro", but that sounds like work ;(

[checkit]

I superimposed the images in Photoshop, and the skull is a little different in proprtions, but the border on the "W" seems to be the same in both badges.

[Carson]

The pin attachment on the back of this badge is never found on originals and is common of reproduction/fantacy items.

I found this out myself from both Mike Pinkus and James Noble on a RZM M/129 pin I purchased.

Truth of the matter is that quality in reproductions are going up and some of the fantacy items would have fit into the TR period.

Good luck with your collecting.

[Peter J.]

Excuse my ignorance, what does this pin represent?

cheers
Peter

[Carson]

I think it is "supposed" to represent the WehrWolf youth clandestine resistance force.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werwolf

[Don Scowen]

Whilst you are correct about there being a Third Reich Wehrwolf organisation who were saboteurs and fighters against the Allied occupation forces, this badge is supposed to be for the earlier Wehrwolf group (1923-33). This 'resistance' organisation was set up to oppose the French occupation of the Ruhr & was more of a uniformed right-wing 'social' organisation than a fighting group, & did not bear arms. They were absorbed into the SA in 1933.

Both of these organisations took their name from the resistance groups of the 30 Years War, popularised by the book 'Der Wehrwolf' by Hermann Loens.

Cheers
Don

[Carson]

I did not know this Don. I had assumed there was only the one group at the end of WWII. Thanks for the insight!

[sjl]

Don is right (as usual) about this being the earlier Wehrwolf formation. I'd also point out that it goes against logic that an ultra-secret resistance group like the end of WWII one would have a badge.

[Robin Lumsden]

Some Wehrwolf etc. things...................

[Robin Lumsden]

Closer............

[KC1]

Robin,

WOW... A super collection of this enigmatic organization. Breathtaking....

[checkit]

So what does the back of an authentic Wehrwolf badge look like?