Draegerwerke buckle

[Kevin Rea]

Hello all,
A query about the so-called Draegerwerke buckle (Catella Nr. 432 p. 231, new Angolia page 560). It is said in the books that Draeger manufactured gas masks during the war. Has anyone seen the company logo on gas masks to prove this assumption? Is there the possibility the company was active after the war like Assmann and Overhoff?
Looking forward to your replies,
Kevin

[Marc verstraete]

Hello Kevin,

You have opened a subject that I know very well.
As some of you know I am a retired commercial diver and I worked with this company for many years using their professional diving material.
The Drager firm indeed made gas masks during the war and they made much more than gas masks.
Drager is a company who manufacture breading material for air, oxygen and other gases and mix gasses.
They made breading apparatus for the German fire department , Material for the hospitals and the U boots as well as for the Luftwaffe and the mining department. The company is best known for the hard head diving equipment.
The company is still active in all those fields.
I even discovered a small quantity of belt buckles in their warehouse during the 90’s
I had for years in my collection a gas mask from this company that I also discovered in their warehouse. Unfortunately I do not know what I did with it. Maybe it is in my house in the USA and I forgot about it.
I can if someone is interested post some pictures of there catalogue of material .

Marc V.

[Wickie]

Hello Kevin,

if you want to know, what Draeger produce today, you can go to www.draeger.com.

Marc, how do you differentiate the Draeger buckles between II.WW and after the war?
Is it like in Bandau's book, iron = till 1945 and brass/nickel after 1945?


Christian

[Marc verstraete]

Hello Christian, All,

I never looked in to this subject in depth. I have magnetic buckles and non magnetic buckles. Besides this difference, there is absolutely no difference in the buckle, they are 100% identical. Also, if my understanding of the German text in Bandau is correct, he does not specified that there are actually buckles produced after 1945 ???
Could you maybe translate in English the comments Bandau does on these buckles ???

Sorry, I can be of no more help on this one.

Marc V.

[Wickie]

Hello,

Bandau/Patzwall said, that the buckles were issued with "compressed air (tube) devices", what ever this is.
And the buckles from 1940-1945 are in iron or "Kriegsmetall". After the war the buckles are also produced, but in brass or nickel.

Regards

Christian

[Marc verstraete]

Here is the gas mask we where talking about.
Marc V.