Hj rzm

[Kurt D]

I'm still with Paul Schuhmacher. Compare the eagle design with HJ buckles marked KH 13 or M4/13. The "RZM 57" marking is very interesting, but there is an explanation. Allow me to digress before I come back on point. As is well-known, the earliest numbering system for permits issued by the RZM "metal department" (Abteilung Metall) consisted of single or double digit numbers only. The permit as issued specified exactly what kind of metal items its holder was allowed to produce, e. g. badges, metal attachments for equipment, buckles etc., but this was not reflected in the permit number. Subsequently, a more detailed alpha-numerical system was introduced which reflected the type of object covered, e. g. MA + number for metal badges, or UE + number for accoutrements, and KH + number for belt buckles. In April 1935, designations were changed again to the familiar M1, M4, M5 etc. system. Only the prefix changed, not the permit number itself, as the existing sub-categories were merely re-designated. At the time the alpha-numerical system was first introduced (meaning the MA, UE etc. prefixes), a manufacturer's original numbers-only "metal" permit number was reassigned to the MA category (badges, later to become M1) and new numbers assigned to newly-issued separate permits for any other of the metal product categories a manufacturer was authorised for. Just to state the obvious for two of the best-known buckle manufacturers, Assmann RZM 17 became M1/17 and Overhoff RZM 24 became M1/24. But this only works for manufacturers that actually held a permit to produce metal badges. Paul Schuhmacher, however, didn’t hold a M1 permit as per the 1935 RZM handbook. They are, however, listed under M5/57 (and of course M4/13). Obviously, their original numbers-only “metal” permit number was switched to the UE/M5 category because they did not hold a permit for metal badges.

So why assign the “57” to Schuhmacher’s “UE” permit, when they also held a buckle permit (KH)? This is where I am starting to theorise, and what follows is not strictly relevant to the buckle here. I believe not all of the first alpha-numerical designations were introduced at the same time (as opposed to the switchover to the M1 – Mxx system). Too many “UE”-marked buckles from too many manufacturers exist to make factory marking mistakes plausible. I believe the “UE” category was introduced before the “KH” category and at first encompassed belt buckles as well as all the sundry stuff we are used to finding marked “M5”. But of course I can’t prove it.

[zeppelin]

Thank you, I think you're right. Thanks.