Gautag OstHannover *Silver* Opinions please**

[Matthew]

We re-heat this particular topic once every few months and by now everyone involved in the discussion knows everyone else' point of view on this subject.
Having said that Richard brings in some valid points in his post above and so does Bob.
I would think that this particular award was born as a run-of-the-mill Gautag Festabzeichen hollow stamped in three grades which was not uncommon for that type of pin (and that type of celebration)
At the same time the same design was used to award East Hannover's Ehrenzeichen recipients- Gau-Ehrenzeichen awards.
IMO Those awards were only made as solid-backed specimens to distinguish those from gold grade tinnies (presentation grade so to speak).
It would not be the only award to be made in the special presentation grade (Juncker gold CCC comes to mind).
That is of course only my theory and my research in this field is still ongoing but some things are known:
- there are NO bronze or silver grade East Hannover Gau Ehrenzeichen that have surfaced (meaning accompanied by award document to prove it as such)
- Award document DOES NOT specify the grade of the award (one would think it should IF the award was to come in more than one grade)
- Award document for that particular Gau award pictures a gold grade award on the cover.
- NO original bronze or silver grade SOLID awards have surfaced.
- To date ALL documented badges that came with their Award Documents were ALWAYS of the solid variety.

Yes, I am aware of the description of this award in NSDAP's Organisationsbuch.
I also own a hollow gold grade of this pin so needless to say it would be in my best interest to argue that it is in fact a Gau Ehrenzeichen. I keep it in my 'Gau Awards' display (as a filler until I can find a solid one) I just do not believe it is.
As far as the descriptions of those go- who knows what they were calling those tinnies back then? Frontbann pin was officially called 'Traditionsnadel Alter Kampfer'- how many here knew that until now?
One more thing- silver grade of this award should be scrutinized VERY closely before one makes a purchase- much more so than even a gold one (which is relatively easy to spot- they were fire gilded, not electroplated).

Whew- that felt good. Almost forgot most come here for 'CG digging dead nazis' threads these days.

cheers

Matt

[Richard]

Of interest to me has always been the inscription on the badge. It clearly refers to an event (1933 Gautag Osthannover im Jahr der Nationalsozial. Erhebung) unlike other Gau Ehrenzeichen. Other than tinnies or event badges which were elevated to the status of an Ehrenzeichen such as the 1929 Reichsparteitag, no other Ehrenzeichen specifically designed as such refers to an event.

The 1923 and 1925 general Gemeinsames Ehrenzeichen with the large swas and wreath only have the date.

The Thüringen simply says "Für Treue" and "NSDAP Thüring.".

The Gau Baden simply has the Gau name, no date and came in both silver, gold and a specifically slightly different design for women.

The Sudetenland simply has the date 1938.

The Ostpreussen has no inscription or date what so ever.

The Danzig has "Alter Kämpfer".

Wartheland only has the date of 1939.

Gau Essen has the twin dates 1925-1935. This Ehrenzeichen has an exact twin in the design of a tinnie but the tinnie is not considered by the collecting community as an Ehrenzeichen. After this design became an ehrenzeichen, would the tinnie also have held that status? The depiction in the Organisationsbuch doesn't provide a description to define this.

Berlin's has a twin date of 1929 and 1936 with the word Berlin.

Is this possibly one of the "tinnies" which was elevated to this status at a later date? This would account for the inclusion of the three grades if, indeed, the three different options of bronze, silver and gold were available at this event. Does anyone have any informtion on the Gautag of Osthannover which was held in 1933? Surely if this event constituted such an important milestone in the NSDAP history, there must be period literature, photos or mention of the event somewhere. What would have happened to make this event so prominant as to cause the NSDAP to elevate this to its high status or to even use the exact same design used on the tinnies for this event as the one used for the Ehrenzeichen?

If the event tinnies were elevated to this high a status, why are there only solid gold badges with documents? I don't think it would be that out of place for the award document to have been meant for all three grades even if a gold badge is depicted on the cover as there is no mention of grade in the document itself. But why is every badge which is accompanied by a document only the solid backed gold version.

There must be some additional information on the event out there and why it was so significant as to have this event spawn the design for the Ehrenzeichen. Additionally are there not period regulations out there, as there are for military and civilian awards in the Reichsgesetzblätter, which provide regulations for these badges?
Richard V

[Martin Harding]

Although he could not provide pictures I have a friend that has a silver one and his is a hollow back. He also says he has never seen a solid example of the silver.
Curt

Curt IMO yourFfriend is absolutely correct..........I agree with what he states 100%, as I have never seen a solid version in Silver which from my point of view is original. Since your Friend cannot provide Pictures of the Die struck hollow Version below I have provided pictures of my example of the elusive and extremely scarce Die struck hollow Silver Version
Regards Martin

Obverse - Die Struck hollow Silver Version

[Martin Harding]

Reverse - Die Struck hollow Silver Version

Pin absent, however this does not significantly detract from the Badge as IMO a Silver Version is extremely scarce.

[der-hase-fee]

Congratulations scoring this nice badge, I like it !

[Martin Harding]

Congratulations scoring this nice badge, I like it !

Thank you..............I have to admit it's rates as one of my favourite Badges that I have in my entire collection. I purchased the Badge along with several SA tinnies............. The SA tinnies I have already posted on my SA tinnie thread.
Regards Martin