Need help to Identify this object

**tampalam** · 03-09-2015, 02:43 AM

I apologize in advance since I do not know the appropriate forum to post this. I have no idea what this is. A friend told me it is from a Kriegsmarine cap,but I haven't seen anything like this before. It looks a bit like a cufftitle to me. Any help would be appreciated. It is not mine. The friend say that it was from a distant relative who died in a U-Boat.

Thank you in advance for any clarification.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-09-2015 02:43 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Wagriff** · 03-09-2015, 03:29 AM

The Dr Robert Ley was a fairly large cruise ship that was chartered by the KdF from Hamburg. One of a fleet of several ships, members of the KdF were given cruise holidays on it. One such event was on National KdF Day (June 9-12, 1938). It actually had, besides being a nautical Ship, very little if any connection to the Kriegmarine. The KdF stood for "Kraft durch Fruede" or "Strength through Joy" organization and their symbol was the red striped swastika and cog wheel seen to the right side of the band. They were part of the DAF (Deutche Arbeit Front...a very corrupt organization) and worked to make pleasurable leisure activities available for the common working people-ostensibly to encourage them to work harder and produce more and better product. It was actually not a bad idea and was inspired by an earlier similar idea in Italy. At one time it had many millions of members and was one of the largest organizations in all of Germany. The Dr Robert Ley ship was just one of several large ships built for them to have activities on-the infamous Wilhelm Gustloff was another.
As for the ribbon, I have to say that I like it very much and can see nothing at all wrong with it. It likely came from a crew member's cap on the ship or perhaps even from a souvenir cap from one of it's cruises. It is a fairly seldom seen item and a very attractive one at that. it may well have belonged to a U-Boot man, but there is no direct proof of it aside from the story. But in any case, it is a nice item and certainly a hard to find piece!

**tampalam** · 03-09-2015, 03:41 AM

Fantastic research Thank you so much!

**Wagriff** · 03-09-2015, 03:46 AM

It would look Excellent in a frame beneath a large photo of Inge Ley....but then again, next to Inge Ley, what Wouldn't look excellent? An amazingly beautiful woman married to a drunken violent slob. She died a wasted death...such a shame.

**Gwar** · 03-09-2015, 03:56 AM

These aren't cheap either.... Recently one sold for almost $500.00 U.S.D. G

**Wilhelm Saris** · 03-09-2015, 11:05 AM

The E.S. abbreviation before the word "Robert Ley" means Elektro-Turbinenschiff
(electric turbine-ship).
The same tally does exist in white also.

The ship's launching took place March 29, 1938 at the Howaldt-Werke yard at Hamburg.
It became the new flag-ship of the KdF-fleet. The first try-out trip took place one year later
on March 24, 1939. In April 1939 the ship took off for its first cruise! Kapitän Falkenbach
was the commanding officer. The ship was managed in some ways by the HAPAG.