Wachgesellschaft Buckle

[Mess Truck]

Here is one of my favorites. I picked it up in Germany in the early 80's at a small show they used to have at one of the US Kasserns the other side of Frankfurt A.M. I got a lot of my buckles there for usually less than 50 DM each (the rate of exchange was 3 DM per $ at the time). With a wife and two small boys I had to limit how much I spent. We didn't get paid a lot in the Army.

This Night Watchman's Guild (Wachgesellschaft) buckle is made of Brass with a silver wash. There are no markings but for a curious "bump" under the keeper. I suspect that has more to do with the manufacturing process than maker identification.

I will drag a few more out of the box and post them. I'd forgotten how enjoyable and diverse collecting German buckles was. I may get back into it as a pleasant retirement hobby.

Glenn

[Ben Evans]

Nice buckle Glenn, most people ignore these buckles but I like them, nice to have in one collection, you have a very nice and diverse collection

[Ben Evans]

BTW when was you in Germany? I was based there for five years, loved it, would go back tomorrow

[lach470]

Nice one! I've seen some with crank catches as well. Here's my example. It's a little different I think .... Mine has writing on it on the "frame" surrounding the bird as well as the Ges.Gesch markings and the maker mark: early stamping for Christian Theodor Dicke. Can't remember what the motto says though around the bird......

Cheers!

Rob

[Mess Truck]

Rob,
I'm going to have to take a magnifying glass after mine to see if there is a motto around the frame also. I don't recall seeing one and looking at the back it does not look that way. That is the first one I've seen with a motto.

Ben,

I was over in Germany from 59-63 (as a kid), from 80-83 as a GI and the last time was in 93 when I was teaching combat risk management.

I'll post a few other odd buckles later.

This has been enlightening!

Glenn

[lach470]

Yeah man! Looking forward to seeing the other buckles you want to post! There were many variants to this type of buckle. Some were maker marked, some weren't....some had the writting and some didn't - some had brazed catches and others had crank catches. They are ALL nice!

Rob

[Guido]

Nice and interesting story, Glenn! It reminds me of the days when I was a young boy and joined several flea markets in the 70th's. German militaria was really quite cheap at that time!

Your buckle is very interesting, as I encountered these ones rarely with a silver wash. The marking under the roller bar is indeed a makers mark. It shows the so called "Haus Dicke" and this is a symbol of the former factory building of the maker "Christian Theodor Dicke of Lüdenscheid". Please take a look at the attached HJ buckle and you will find there a quite similar makers mark.

@Rob: The motto must be: "REICHSEINHEITSVERBAND DES DEUTSCHEN BEWACHUNGSGEWERBES E.V. BERLIN"

Best regards,
Guido

[Ben Evans]

Rob,
I'm going to have to take a magnifying glass after mine to see if there is a motto around the frame also. I don't recall seeing one and looking at the back it does not look that way. That is the first one I've seen with a motto.

Ben,

I was over in Germany from 59-63 (as a kid), from 80-83 as a GI and the last time was in 93 when I was teaching combat risk management.

I'll post a few other odd buckles later.

This has been enlightening!

Glenn

Hey Glenn, I was over in Germany from 87 to 92, while I was there I went all over Germany, from Kiel to Salzburg, drank many a beer and spoke bad German to alot of local people, but again I would go back tomorrow, I miss this time of year also, me and my wife loved the Xmas markets

[Ben Evans]

Guido, thanks for posting that buckle mucker, I have been racking my brain over that mark, and the "Haus Dicke" has just now slapped me in the face, its this old age mate, gets to the brain LOL

[Guido]

Ben, we all have the same problems! None of us is getting younger.

Guido