Underappreciated Third Reich Areas of Collecting & Research

[Luther]

Hello All,

One Third Reich area that is very interesting is armaments manufacturer factory identification badges or pins.

I've attached photos of one example - a Heinkel employee's badge. It is very likely that most, if not all, armaments manufacturers assigned identification badges and pins to their employees. Plus you have all the paper ID documents. Try to find a Focke Wulf employee's documents, or Krupp, or LANZ, etc. Where did all these items go?

The most commonly found ID badges are those from the aircraft manufacturers - Messerschmitt, Arado, Heinkel, Junkers, Focke Wulf, etc. (Oh man, would I like to find a Horten Brothers badge!) By commonly I mean that you're fortunate to find one perhaps every few years or so.

Ship builder employee ID badges just simply can not be found. Once in a great while you'll find a tractor or steel manufacturer's employee ID badge. What about all the small arms manufacturers?

Considering that there were millions of armament employees one would think these ID badges could be located easily. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's vexing.

The bottom line is this - armaments manufacturer employee ID badges are RARE little devils...and they are never found without some sort of problems. At least that's been my experience.

Good (and lucky - very) hunting!

Best Regards,

Luther
Third.Reich.Researcher

[Luther]

Hello All,

Here's another example of aircraft factory paraphenalia:

Messerschmitt factory guard collar tabs

Once again, these type items are always found with some sort of problem. One tab is moderately moth damaged.

Rare...and just plain "nifty!"

[bigmacglenn]

My German grandmother (Wilhelmine Ritter), worked in the armaments industry (Ruestungsbetrieb) in Mannheim, where she made communications-wire for the Wehrmacht. Her foreman was buried alive during an air-raid, and died before he could be rescued. The factory only had a small underground bunker which did not provide room for everyone, so many times she had to run to the Mercedes Benz bunker, which was also an above-ground multi-story Flakturm (It is still standing).
My German great-grandmother was too old for factory work, but she did her part for the Endsieg by rolling cigars/cigarillos for the Wehrmacht!