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EkM for Bau-Btl. 229

Article about: Hi all, I have only a few Erkennungsmarke in my collection and, reading this sub-forum really puts the wind up me... I study the examples of fake fonts on here and it numbs the mind! It seem

  1. #1
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    Default EkM for Bau-Btl. 229

    Hi all,
    I have only a few Erkennungsmarke in my collection and, reading this sub-forum really puts the wind up me... I study the examples of fake fonts on here and it numbs the mind!
    It seems that absolutely anything will be faked, no matter how obscure or ‘dull’ the unit.

    This was my first, decades ago, and I am pretty certain it’s correct in every way, though to put my mind at rest, I shall be posting a few here for comment and (in some cases), authentication.

    First up, Bau-Battalion 229.
    Mobilised 26th August 1939, Wehrkreis XI.
    Early in 1940, transferred to Luftwaffe control.
    Eventually, in summer 1943, re-named Luft-Bau Battalion 18/XI (k).

    Does anybody know the significance of the ‘(k)’ suffix?

    Many thanks in advance,
    Bob
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture EkM for Bau-Btl. 229   EkM for Bau-Btl. 229  

    EkM for Bau-Btl. 229  

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  3. #2

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    The Ekm is fine Bob. The K indicated that after 1943 the unit was also manned using PW, Kriegsgefangenen.

  4. #3
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    The erkennungsmarke looks heavily cleaned, but I do believe it is good. The (K) stands for kriegsgefangener. Later in the war prisoners of war were used for several tasks in Wehrmacht.

    Regards, Rik

  5. #4
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    Wow!
    I had no idea that PoWs were used for such things...
    Is that not technically naughty, with regard to the Geneva Convention, for prisoners of war to be used for war work?

    Many thanks for the information chaps!


    (By the way, Rik, it is exactly as I found it and I have never cleaned it myself in about 30 years, though it might well have been by the seller, of course).
    Last edited by Kohima; 11-07-2018 at 11:08 AM. Reason: By the way...

  6. #5
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    The Geneva convention was not recogized by the Soviet Union, so the Germans did not feel obligated to follow it. You can find many many accounts of Soviet prisoners being used for all types of tasks in the Wehrmacht. Tag looks great btw.

  7. #6
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    Many thanks, Eike.
    I am afraid I worded my last post very poorly indeed.

    At the time of writing, I was thinking of British and Western European Allied PoWs (due to the Stalag-Luft disc I have posted here), and was ‘surprised’ at the concept of such prisoners incorporated into a Luft-Bau Battalion.

    I am, of course, well aware of the voluntary enlistment of Soviet POWs into German Infantry and Flak Regiments, though, to my shame and embarrassment, hadn’t even considered the fact that they might be drafted into regular support arms too, assuming instead that any additional labour requirements would simply be drawn from the vast pool of Eastern European prisoners.

    I hope that makes a little more sense.
    Bob
    Last edited by Kohima; 11-10-2018 at 11:09 AM.

  8. #7
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    Bob, no worries I certainly am no expert and don't want to come off as a know it all.

  9. #8
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    More than me, mate!

    I’ve only got a few Erkennungsmarke, most of which I picked up many years ago when they weren’t highly regarded, although my last two are more recent (within the last ten years - through that nasty auction site we all love and hate), so it is these that I harbour doubts about.

    I have studied the exhaustive threads on the known fake fonts (please excuse the clumsy alliteration, couldn’t avoid it), but it just confuses me and makes me ever less inclined to skip gaily through the mine field of German Militaria looking for any more!

    I shall post these last two, at some point, and hope for the best...

    Many thanks for all the advice and responses, as ever,
    Bob

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