1929 Nurnberg Badge- Facts and Theories

[ErichS]

A first class job Matthew dealing with one of my favorite political badges.

The 29 RPT was the earliest NSDAP political award and is probably one of the most underrated considering it's importance to the party.

Matthew, from some of my earlier posts, you know that I have been collecting and studying the 29 badge for quite a few years and it's nice to see you put the time and effort into this thread.

Best

Erich

Forgot to mention that the solid back painted silver badge seems to be the most rare.

[jabnus]

Dear Matthew,

This is a very good topic of a still underappreciated award

best regards,
Gaston

[Matthew]

1929

Gentlemen,

Thank you kindly for your warm words- as mentioned before I merely tried to catalog of what is already available here and elsewhere courtesy of your generous contributions.

As far as the "underrated" importance of this award- it sure is -at least price wise when compared to-say -Blutorden or even GPB. But at the same time you can probably find at least 5 Blood Orders and 50 GPB's for every one of those pins available on the market today. And that in return means that there is a lot of room for the price to rise as obviously the demand to buy is there.

Having a strong period exposure and prestige to go with it I don't think it is in any danger of sliding into obscurity like for example- Frontbann Nadel (not that it is easy to find- not originals anyways). At today's prices I'm certainly buying!

Judging by the size of the 1929 RPT (60K give or take a few) AND the fact that NSDAP decided to keep on making them long after as a honor award we should be seeing a lot more of them than we are now. But for some reason we are not.

One thing I wanted to ask- has anyone ever seen the portable award in gold grade?? I am familiar with the gold non-portable ones but can't say that I recall ever seeing a gold pinback.

[ErichS]

Matthew,

I have never seen a gold pin back in my 30+ years of collecting. To this day no one knows the reason of the different grades of this award or their purpose. Many of the original badges sold at the rally were probably thrown away after the event and when the badge was elevated to honor status there was a rush to get one of the later RZM badges.

[jabnus]

There is a theory that the purpose of the different colours of the badges corresponds to the colour of the buttons of the political uniforms of the various organisations (see German Nazi Party Awards by Ailsby), but im not totally convinced this is correct.


I have also never seen the gold version and i started to doubt if it has ever been made. It may be a bit wild speculation but for some time i have had another theory myself: as a collector of badges and medals i found a few times that for certain events exists both bronze and silver badges.

E.g the Stahhelmbund has some daybadges of the Reichsfrontsoldatentag (for example the 1929 badge!) that exist in both bronze and silver. The bronze badge was a commemorative badge for members who visited the RFST for the first time. The silver badges were for participants who visited for a second time. This explains the difference in badgecolour for those SHB badges. For a while i've been thinking if something similar can not be possible for the original 1929 Hofftstäter hollow Nürnberg Ehrenzeichen? The 1929 day was not the first and although the previous meetings were not that big there must have been a significant number of people who visited a previous meeting and would thus qualify for a silver badge?

This is just a theory i have, and were it gets confusing is with all the later badges being also made. Im thinking similar as Erich that with probably many of the original bronze badges getting lost/thrown away after the actual event and then a few years later the status being upgraded to an honour award, this would have resulted in new productions which explains as to why the original Hoffstäter badges are although massively produced for the day self actually rarer?

What is the original source for the three grades (bronze, silver, gold) existing? Ive also been thinking that maybe the portable gold never got made and instead the non portables were awarded as a special gold grade?

All the above is just my humble thinking, any written evidence one day would be very nice to understand this award better.

Best regards,
Gaston


ps: it would be nice if this topic should as already mentioned be pinned on top of the section.

[ErichS]

The gold non portable metals could actually be highly polished bronze versions. The only gold NPs that I have seen are the cased repros making the rounds lately.

[Robert Jones]

It may be a bit wild speculation but for some time i have had another theory myself: as a collector of badges and medals i found a few times that for certain events exists both bronze and silver badges.

E.g the Stahhelmbund has some daybadges of the Reichsfrontsoldatentag (for example the 1929 badge!) that exist in both bronze and silver. The bronze badge was a commemorative badge for members who visited the RFST for the first time. The silver badges were for participants who visited for a second time. This explains the difference in badgecolour for those SHB badges.

Jabnus you have presented a very interesting theory here, novel yet still quite plausible.

[Matthew]

yes, no , maybe so

As far as the "bronze for first timers and silver for repeat customers" theory goes- it would sure explain how few badges from that era came into being but...look here- first pic- IMO as silver as it gets and the second one- well, compare the shade with the color of his belt buckle. It could be that it is one of the solid back variety silver grade as they do tend to have a lot of black/dark grey applied to the background but unless he had multiple ones (which in all probability he most certainly did) in those two pictures- we are looking at two different grades IMO. Granted the detail in the pics is simply not there but hopefully sooner or later we will stumble onto sharper images to help and answer our queries. Unless of course Ailsby's theory of matching buttons with badges is true in which case it definitely follows suit...

[Matthew]

However

However...this guy is definitely contrary to the regs. Then again- I hear not too many would care to point out his mistakes back then. (Granted , its a different year badge but still- its either gold or silver, no way that thing is chocolate brown 1933 pin on his shirt. And if anyone- he would have the gold one if they ever existed)
I have never had a chance to read Ailsby's comments (anyone got a link?) but from what I gather he claims it was done to match the color but would it not mean that we would be having a bunch of gold pins on our hands? The Party tunics I had a pleasure to examine had gold gilded buttons..or does he mean brown shirts exclusively? (and didn't those have gold or silver buttons anyways?) I had a few of those pins in my hands and although few looked VERY used you could always tell the grade either looking at it under the loupe or in most cases with a bare eye. There is one (well, half of one) listed on emedals right now and although the rust had a three course dinner on this one- it is still obvious the thing is silver grade...

[Richard]

It was certainly not the first RPT, but there are no badges from most of those that came prior.
Richard V

[ErichS]

It was certainly not the first RPT, but there are no badges from most of those that came prior.
Richard V

There was a badge/ eagle pin for the 27 RPT rally which never gained official status and very rare to find.

[jabnus]

Hi Matthew,

Im on my laptop now and it,s late, but it;s only a short alinea in the German Nazi Party Awards book, ill post it tomorrow.

Regarding the Hitler-Rohm picture with the 1933 badge, i think to remember an old WAF topic with Hitlers badge in gold? My little theory for two different badges for first/second time visitors in bronze/silver does not apply for the 1933 badge. There are the 1000 marked silver pieces, but they are extremely rare. I just realise that if i remember correctly the gold Hitler badge, the 1933 WAS made in the three grades! Interesting!

[jabnus]

Hi Richard,

many thanks for showing this rare document. The early pins and paperwork are so very rare to find.

[ErichS]

I have Hitlers gold 1935 non portable award in gold in my collection. There was also a 1933 RPT in gold given to Hitler as well but was in a pin back configuration.

If you remember the 29 non portable awarded to Hess was in silver which leads me to believe none were awarded in gold or Hess would have had one.

[Richard]

Hi Richard,

many thanks for showing this rare document. The early pins and paperwork are so very rare to find.

Thanks Jabnus. This is actually part of a paper set I managed to obtain from this individual which includes correspondence from many important early members of the party including Dinkenlage, Goebbels, Himmler, Hess, Rust, von Mücke, Feder, Reventlow, Sauckel, Kube, Dinter and Gregor Strasser mostly from the 1920's. The individual appeared to have some great connections in the Party but I have not been able to find any information on him and he seems to be an obscure footnote in history which seems odd considering all who wrote to him. His name was Hans Könnecke and I will probably have Mike Constandy do some research.

It took quite some time to obtain this set of letters and documents and I want to find time to be able to post it in the political section for comments. Now that I have hijacked this thread, let me bring it back on course and point the discussion back at the 1929 RPT tinnie. Sorry for diverging.
Richard V