WSS Belt/buckle

[Luftm40]

I'd been looking for years for the "right" WSS belt rig. One that I knew had always been together. I was fortunate to snap this one up recently. Originally vet acquired, unmarked buckle which still has cobwebs and dust under it. Nice combat worn set.

[Luftm40]

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[Luftm40]

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[Luftm40]

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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Hello Andy,

A little question since looks like you know where comes from the set.
Could you please tell me if the belt is the variant with holes punched thru the leather from factory (meaning the belt is late war and never had any tongue sewn to it) or the tongue was unsewn from the belt prior to punching holes and there is still remaining marks of it ?

Thank you for the follow up.

[Luftm40]

Jean Pierre, it is a late war belt manufactured without a tongue. I believe the buckle is late war too? The letters D&C are stamped into the catch

[Luftm40]

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[Luftm40]

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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Thank You Andy. I like to have this kind of input from reliable persons. It is only when the information has a chance to be accurate we can go further, since as of today many collectors still believe those belts were a post war creation.

Yes, indeed the SS Buckle is a late war (made between late 1943 and 1945) .
I will add that it is the one fakers used as model for their latest production. One knowing features for both original (this one) and the reproduced fake will be able to tell differences even if they are less obvious with this one than with other unmarked steel SS buckles.

Thank You for sharing the set with us !!

[Luftm40]

Jean Pierre, thanks! although I am not a belt expert, I've handled a lot of German militaria. I'm 100% sure this is a period set. The belt has impression marks from where the buckle has pressed against it for years, and there are marks on the belt from equipment, hooks etc. I'm also very confident of the source. It originally came from a vet in upper Michigan

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Perfect ! As I said, reliable information from reliable person makes the difference.

Thanks Again Andy !!

[Luftm40]

Jean Pierre, your comments about people not thinking the late war belts with holes were period items surprised me. As I said, I am not a belt expert, but I have always thought them to be a generally accepted variant. Here is a period pic of a panzer trooper wearing such a belt (pic taken in 1944). I like late war stuff, and that was what really caught my eye about the WSS set. Both buckle and belt were of late manufacture.

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Looking at this photo (which is one among many showing this kind of belt been worn) I can tell their reply will remain the same: how do we know for sure it is not one which had its tongue removed or broken and holes been punched in the remaining main belt instead of re-sewing another one ?

For myself, I can not give them a 100% firm answer since I never found myself from a vet a belt with punched holes in the main body without marks left by the removed tongue. Of course I found several (and I still have two of them) belts and buckle sets from vets where the buckle was affixed directly to the belt thru series of punched holes (like your or like in the photo), but those belts were always with marks left by the original but yet missing tongue. The only belt I own which was NEVER been issued with ANY tongue (only punched holes direct in the belt) was purchased from a dealer. So, I can not answer this question with personnal evidence but can understand their concern.

[Luftm40]

Jean Pierre, let me get this right...the naysayers would have us think that the panzer trooper in this photo broke the tongue on his belt, then instead of resewing it, decided to fix it by punching four sets of perfectly symmetrical adjustment holes in the actual belt spaced almost three inches apart ...in case he went on a diet?

[Paul Massucci]

Andy.
Great photo, but according to something I saw on the history channel he would have done that on his own, as they stated that the Wehrmacht achived the Blitzkreig because they were stoned on amphetamines

Bur the naysayers will sprout their wisdom because most of the so called experts have closed minds, there are very few that still have an open mind, JP , you and MANY others who are the real "experts".