Frontbann - "We Want to be Free"

[David North]

I think that this is (hopefully) an original badge of the Frontbann and which was (Frontbann), created in April 1924 following the banning of the SA and of course the NSDAP per se after the woefully pathetically failed Munich Putsch of 1923.

Perhaps the Frontbann was disbanded in February 1925 when the ban was lifted on the NSDAP and those (Frontbann), reformed back into the SA?

Was the badge instituted by SA Gruppe Berlin Brandenburg in 1932 as an Ehren Abzeichen and given official, albeit limited recognition the year after?

As always, any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

David

[David North]

2

[tgn]

Just a gut feeling, but I don't like it.

Tom

[Stan]

Frontbann badge

Looks to me like a very nice original badge made by Paul Meybauer.

Mine is mm'd "RZM 63" for Steinhauer and Luck".

Stan

[David North]

Dear Tom and Stan

Many thanks for your respective comments.

Tom, with all due respect I always thought that this badge was an original example and Stan, thankyou for this confirmation and for showing your really super St. u L. Ironic that during the very long search for an original example of the Frontbann Abz., I always wanted a "63", although had to make do with a "21".

Regards and best wishes,

David

[tgn]

Dear Tom and Stan

Many thanks for your respective comments.

Tom, with all due respect I always thought that this badge was an original example and Stan, thankyou for this confirmation and for showing your really super St. u L. Ironic that during the very long search for an original example of the Frontbann Abz., I always wanted a "63", although had to make do with a "21".

Regards and best wishes,

David

Shows you what I know about these

Tom

[Richard]

Was there still some type of official recognition after 1925 that allowed for the continued production of these badges even though the Frontbann no longer existed? The reason I ask is that the shown badges definitely would have been produced post 1925 since the RZM didn't even come into existence until 1934. If these badges were still produced after their initial production in the years during which the party was banned, did they obtain some type of honor status that allowed for their production and wearing after that period? Are there any period photos after 1934 that show these or related badges being worn? I think the term "original" might be misplaced here though, in any case. The original badges would not have the RZM mark. These may qualify as replacement pieces similar to the difference between the original 1929 RPT badge or the 1931 SA Braunschweig tinnie and the later replacements that were issued during the period of the RZM.
Richard

[Stan]

Frontbann badge

Klietmann wrote an article about these "Tradition" badges in OMJ No. 31 in 1997. He states that they were awarded to PG's with a number below 50,000 and whose membership record was unbroken as well as to members of nationalist organisations who had an unbroken membership from 9.11.1918 until 31.12.1927.

They could be ordered from the company Eberhard Assmann Berlin upon production of a certificate signed by Gruppenfuehrer Ernst. The wearing of the Frontbannabzeichen without this certificate (which should be glued into the Party book) was forbidden and punishable.

He mentions two badges one of which is marked "63" and the other "21" and that the pin plates were marked "Ges. Gesch". They were made of silvered bronze.

I have also seen unmarked pieces which look original as well as others marked "Z.M. OST" which I am less comfortable with, but that's just me.

Stan

[Br. James]

Many thanks, Stan, for this additional info. (Guess I shouldn't be throwing my copies of OMJ away...!) Did Klietmann say anything about how long this badge could be worn, according to the regs? Indeed, if Karl Ernst had to personally endorse every application, then that would have ended in mid-1934!

Thanks again for the very helpful research,

Br. James

[Stan]

Frontbann badge

Hi Br. James,

Luckily I made a cross reference of all awards which interest me and the magazines they are in many years ago so I was able to find the right issue straight away, albeit stored in my loft!

There was no other useful info such as date of the regulations which would have been helpful.

Stan

[Richard]

Interesting information about this badge. Now I am a bit confused though. Was this badge only awarded to
"PG's with a number below 50,000 and whose membership record was unbroken as well as to members of nationalist organisations who had an unbroken membership from 9.11.1918 until 31.12.1927. " and not actually instituted and worn during the time of the Frontbann? In other words, did this badge even exist prior to 1926?
Richard V

[John Pepera]

a

[Erich B.]

Stan,
The Z.M. Ost marked pieces always struck me as odd, but I found a reference in an SA Verordnungsblatt--"Z.M. Ost" was the pre RZM Zeugmeisterei. The Ost referred to Berlin or ? I'm relying on memory but I can't remember if it was Berlin or another city. As they've been around a long time and do show excellent detail, I'm sure they're legit.
The RZM pieces shown (very very nice!) would have had to have been made between 1932-1934 (more likely 1933 and 1934) prior to the banning of the wear of the badge. The RZM was in existence prior to 1935 and advertised in newspapers, pamphlets, etc. at least as early as 1932-33.
Erich

[David North]

Z.M. Ost

Not in my collection and instead, images held purely for reference.

Regards,

David

[David North]

2