-
German War room map marker
My first post here and was hoping you could help me with a recent purchase. I buy the item and not the story, but thought I would include what he sent me: "This was given to me by the veteran himself; who is about 90 now, who was a crew member on a tank. It is high gloss, very smooth layered glass, with no markings on it otherwise. While it does not have ornate decorations or fancy makings about it, it seems to be very simple and functional. It looks very military plain (specificially functional) so to speak.
He said as the Army pushed into Germany they were halted at a heavily defended building that was reported being a command center of some kind near a river. The fight there lasted several hours, and the tank he was on was ordered forward to shell the building. Finally at some point the Germans pulled back and some surrendered, and the building was taken.
As infantry pushed forward the tank crew was allowed to take a break, and had dismounted near part of the building which had collapsed for several floors. An intelligence officer asked several enlisted to help gather items seen in the building wreckage. Inside he saw approx 25-30 of these, but many were already broken badly, and some had different insignias on them, but he recognized this easily. Initially he thought this was a paperweight, and slipped it into his coat pocket as a war prize. As they continued picking up pieces he asked what they were the officer told him this was a territory marker from a planning map, and showed him several pieces of a destroyed smooth top map like we see in the old war movies.
The oficer gathered up several which were still mostly intact, placed them in a bag, and handed them to his assistant to place with papers, and other items being sent to the rear command, but then destroyed all the others like this on site that he was not taking or were already badly damaged so they could not be used my the enemy in any manner."
Has anyone seen anything like this? It is very heavy. Too bad it has been damaged a little, but I guess it makes it that much neater since it is part of if history.
.
-
09-30-2012 02:16 AM
# ADS
Circuit advertisement
-
Re: German War room map marker
I don't think it is suppose to be a military map marker. I'm assuming map markers would have been marked with some sort of unit designation instead of an NSDAP party emblem. Nonetheless, I think this thing is modern, not 65+ years old.
-
Re: German War room map marker
by
cgp1066
I don't think it is suppose to be a military map marker. I'm assuming map markers would have been marked with some sort of unit designation instead of an NSDAP party emblem. Nonetheless, I think this thing is modern, not 65+ years old.
I was told at waf that it was made of the materials at the time. Bakelite. Thanks for your response
-
Re: German War room map marker
An interesting piece that I believe to be period. The lack of individual unit designation does not bother me as that would have been a logistical nightmare to keep up with. As you say, they were likely used as an item to designate areas controled by german forces. A very interesting item. Welcome to the Forum!!
BOB
LIFE'S LOSERS NEVER LEARN FROM THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS.
-
Re: German War room map marker
Welcome! It's made in a material that would appear to make it easy to slide across a table. As Bob said, keeping up with units would be a disaster. It makes sense that this would have been used to show a country or general territory that Germany controlled. I've never seen anything close to it but I like it. Could be a Third Reich Monopoly piece
-
Re: German War room map marker
It looks interesting I have not seen a period piece of a Map marker, when i look at the smooth surface i can how it has been used. I cannot comment on if it is ww2 production, but i like it.
Maybe a big museum can assist you- it could be they have an example in their collection or storage.
Bookmarks