Marine Frontspange

[martinw]

Here is a 1957 example of the MFS by Steinhauer & Luck that i have on file.The badge posted by Z4 is of a very similar design which makes me think that it could possibly be a post 57 Souval ?

Regards,Martin.

[Adrian]

IMO this is not a badge i would discard as a fake,but just another example of Souval's postwar production ?

I think this sums it up well.

It certainly has the look of an early post war produced piece in terms of materials and finish. It looks worn too, although the wear could have occurred at any time over the last seven decades, it's not inconceivable it could have been worn on a uniform at some point.

[Adrian]

Here's an L/58 marked Souval borrowed from WAF, photos credit to member Matthieu.

[martinw]

Just out of interest here is Marinefrontspange document that i have in my collection.

Issued to Stabsoberfeuerwerker Martin Schmitz on May 14 1945,just a few days after the war in Europe ended.
The award was given for minelaying activities and the document is signed by Fregattenkapitan Hugo Heydel.

Schmitz saw previous service in the KM on the Zerstorer "Bruno Heinemann" and the Hilfskreuzer "Thor".

Regards,Martin.

[Adrian]

Excellent piece Martin!

I believe I'm correct in saying that all such award documents are just plain and simple typed pieces of paper due to the time of the war they were awarded?
I certainly have never seen one that looks any different.

[martinw]

Correct Adrian.

From what i know there were no "formal" award documents produced for the Marinefrontspange,all known original examples i have seen are simply typewritten on plain paper.

Gordon Williamson writes in his book "War badges of the Kriegsmarine" that two forms of wording can be encountered on these MFS documents.

"Besitzurkunde/Im Aufrage des Oberbefehlshabers/der Kriegsmarine/verleihe ich dem/......./die/Marinefrontspange/in Bronze".

"Verleihungsurkunde/Auf Grund der Ermachtigung des/Oberbefehlshabers der Kriegsmarine/verleihe ich dem/....../die/Marinefrontspange in Bronze".




Regards,Martin.

[martinw]

Hi Adrian,

wel, the reverse set up on the L/58 marked example certainly looks similar to the set up on the badge in the thread starter.

So let us presume that this is a postwar example by Souval and in that case a badge i would want to keep in my collection.


Regards,Martin.

[Redcap]

Martin shows the "Verleihungsurkunde" variant above. Here is the "Besitzurkunde" version. Note that even though Martin's doc is a later dated one, it still has the swastika on the ink stamp, whereas the earlier doc has already had this removed.

[zephyr4]

Well I am lost now, is this badge worth keeping ?

Here is a better picture of the mark it's not great but I only have an ipad to take picture's.

z4

[Adrian]

So let us presume that this is a postwar example by Souval and in that case a badge i would want to keep in my collection.

Well I am lost now, is this badge worth keeping ?

Martin is a respected and experienced Kriegsmarine collector and his comment above is a good indicator.

Of course, no-one can tell you what to keep or not so if you want to sell it, you can offer it it in the classifieds and link to this discussion for any potential buyers to look at.