DVG Westmark Lothr m9/312 enamel pin, opinions?

[RailwayEagle]

Just purchased this pin in an auction for $15. First one of these I have had. It certainly looks and feels genuine to me. Has black specks in the white enamel, great detail under the red. Nice patina. I've handled quite a few genuine and reproduction enamel pins and can usually tell the difference without much difficulty.

I understand that M9/312 is Fritz Mannheim G.m.b.H., Kaiserslautern. It is not marked "RZM". I've seen a few of these online, some had RZM, some didn't, some not marked with an M code at all. What do you think of this one?







Thanks everyone.

[bigmacglenn]

I don't see anything wrong with it...
cheers, Glenn

[CBH]

Just a question , I've only ever seen these marked Westmark , were there others issued ?

[RailwayEagle]

Just a question , I've only ever seen these marked Westmark , were there others issued ?

The only one I know of that has a similar appearance is the "Heim Ins Reich" pin from Luxembourg made both in enamel and painted zinc.

[CBH]

I too had a similar Westmark marked one years ago , thanks for the reply .

[Overthetop]

cool i like these gau/regional DAP badges,.im yet to aquire one

silas

[Saladin]

Great pick up for that price and it looks like a nice original badge.
These badges I believe only ever had two makers Werner Redo from Saarlautern (never had any RZM numbers that I have seen)and Fritz Mannheim from Kaiserslautern.
The Redo badges seem to be far more common but seem to command a higher price. So £100 for a Redo and £80 for a Mannheim.
I like the semi random pattern of the pebble base and wonder if he had the obverse die off Redo as there are some very similar details.

Mannheim is the only maker I know who had the M9 number rather than the M1. I know he was awarded the RZM contract quite late on and also produces zinc party badges.

The badge above probably came in to existence around the early 1940s when being of German descent and a member of the Deutschen Volksgemeinschaft (DVG) gave the member German citizenship.
(You could also get citizenship by becoming a member of the German armed force)

Just a question , I've only ever seen these marked Westmark , were there others issued ?

There were others mostly from the occupied territories and Austria. A small list below but certainly not definitive.
It seemed to be wherever there where ethnic Germans.
Karnten..Austria
Schleswig-Holstein
Memel
Wartheland


All the best
Doug