What is this badge? Kriegsmarine? Real or fake?

**Hoggorm** · 07-31-2017, 09:51 PM

Hi,

Apologies if this might be the wrong forum to ask, but my best guess is that this is a Kriegsmarine badge of some sort. Hence the reason to post here first...

I got this badge from my father-in-law. He again found it together with a couple of Kriegsmarine cups after his mother passed away some time ago.

I have really no idea what it is, but the anchor resembles an anchor I saw on a Kriegsmarine Officer on Watch badge. The lack of a swastika however wonders me a bit (although the Kriegsmarine were perhaps not too fond of using it, compared to Wehrmacht, in general?)

I was hoping you could assist me

**real steel** · 07-31-2017, 10:07 PM

I never saw anything like it. I don't think it is of Third Reich period. Looks like a visor cap emblem...all I can think of

**Gimmie** · 07-31-2017, 10:08 PM

This is the logo of the US merchant marine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United...erchant_Marine

here it is on the collectors guild
The Collector's Guild

picture of the literal item is on the page.

There is no real reason to even relate the anchor to the kriegsmarine as the anchor is a big symbol of international maritime assosciations/branches. The eagle is typical US as is the heraldic shield in the background of the anchor. The laurel wreath is comparable to the anchor as something used in many logos across the world and can't really be used to define it to a single country.

**Hoggorm** · 07-31-2017, 11:28 PM

Thank you Gimmie!

I would never have figured that out

Wonder how it ended up in my wife’s grandparent’s family...

by Gimmie

There is no real reason to even relate the anchor to the kriegsmarine as the anchor is a big symbol of international maritime assosciations/branches.

I understand the anchor is a big symbol in maritime branches, but I have no knowledge of this myself. To my untrained eye the anchor on my badge and the one on this one appears to be very similar.

Attachment 1098105

Since the badge was found together with some definitive Kriegsmarine stuff, the first obvious place to ask for help was here

And help was indeed given. It is highly appreciated!

**Gimmie** · 08-01-2017, 12:41 PM

by Hoggorm

Thank you Gimmie!

I would never have figured that out

Wonder how it ended up in my wife’s grandparent’s family...

I understand the anchor is a big symbol in maritime branches, but I have no knowledge of this myself. To my untrained eye the anchor on my badge and the one on this one appears to be very similar.

Attachment 1098105

Since the badge was found together with some definitive Kriegsmarine stuff, the first obvious place to ask for help was here

And help was indeed given. It is highly appreciated!

understandable. Sorry if it sounded a bit strict to you, didnt mean it that way, can't really convey emotions over the internet.
Where are you from that makes it so strange if I can ask?

**Wilhelm Saris** · 08-01-2017, 02:07 PM

I think it is what is said here, but I do not have knowledge
about US-material:
here it is on the collectors guild
The Collector's Guild
Peter will know what he has for sale......!

It does not have anything to do with the German navy, not
as Third Reich, not as Weimar nor Imperial.

**Hoggorm** · 08-01-2017, 06:53 PM

by Gimmie

Where are you from that makes it so strange if I can ask?

I'm from Norway. With no ties to the US. Some Third Reich stuff has landed in the family's possession because they were "confiscated" after the war (Norway was occupied for five years), but I have no idea where this item is from. It might as well be from the 80's? This is not necessarily a WWII item I guess?

**Gimmie** · 08-01-2017, 07:44 PM

by Hoggorm

I'm from Norway. With no ties to the US. Some Third Reich stuff has landed in the family's possession because they were "confiscated" after the war (Norway was occupied for five years), but I have no idea where this item is from. It might as well be from the 80's? This is not necessarily a WWII item I guess?

It is from the 41-45 period as the collectors guild states. The collectors guild is a very trustworthy site, they know what they have.

Wouldn't be able to help you on how it came into your posession. If these items were confiscated and this was a common practice or something, maybe a paperwork mistake lead you to receive this item? Maybe it would have belonged to some other family? What a strange practice, confiscating nazi items post-war only to give them back after the war, and keeping the address of each individual item? Are you sure this is what happened?

Regards,
Bas

**Gimmie** · 08-01-2017, 07:46 PM

by Wilhelm Saris

I think it is what is said here, but I do not have knowledge
about US-material:
here it is on the collectors guild
The Collector's Guild
Peter will know what he has for sale......!

It does not have anything to do with the German navy, not
as Third Reich, not as Weimar nor Imperial.

Exactly my thought. I have no doubt that this is a Merchant navy logo, Wikipedia and even google searches on the logo will show the same, if not, similair results to this piece. This emblem is just a bit more stylized.

**Hoggorm** · 08-01-2017, 10:50 PM

by Gimmie

If these items were confiscated and this was a common practice or something, maybe a paperwork mistake lead you to receive this item? Maybe it would have belonged to some other family? What a strange practice, confiscating nazi items post-war only to give them back after the war, and keeping the address of each individual item? Are you sure this is what happened?

I do not understand what you mean by confiscating nazi items post-war only to give them back after the war, and keeping the address of each individual item but I may have been somewhat unclear regarding what happened. This is not regarding this item in particular. I have no reason to believe it was taken from anyone at all. China on the other hand... One must understand that before, during and after the war, Norway was not a very rich country (as it is today (to the big surprise of some people on the other side if the Atlantic, Norway is rated the best place to live in the world, but that is a different discussion)).

What happened when the war was over was that many people found china, plates, cups, bowls etc. in former German barracks. Since they did not have this quality china themselves it was taken and used for some time after the war. Most of this china was put aside when they had the money to buy such items themselves. Much was thrown away but some was kept and saved. This happened in my family so we have some German Third Reich china that was found by my grandparents in a Luftwaffe barrack at Sola airport outside Stavanger, Norway after the war. They took it home and used it for some time and now I have it. "Confiscating" was perhaps not the right word...