Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Armband w/ swastika

[Pablo]

I read that there are no Rrotes Kreuz armbands with a swastika. So is this one a fantasy piece? There are no UV glowing threads.

[Saladin]

Hello Pablo,
It's a first for me but an interesting item.
Really super close ups would be needed to determine the provenance of something like this.

Cheers
Doug

[HPL2008]

A fantasy piece. There should be no Swastika on the Red Cross.

Also, in a Fraktur font, the "sch" (when pronounced as a single sibilant) is always spelled with a "long s" ( ſ ) rather than a "round s" ( s ).

(Fakers are usually ignorant of the rules for this letter and either use it throughout or not at all, neither of which is correct.)

[Wilhelm Saris]

in a Fraktur font, the "sch" (when pronounced as a single sibilant) is always spelled with a "long s" ( ſ ) rather than a "round s" ( s ).
(Fakers are usually ignorant of the rules for this letter and either use it throughout or not at all, neither of which is correct.)

With an order from February 12, 1935 armbands should have the same look.
The long s was described in the "Nachrichten des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes".

[Wilhelm Saris]

PS, as far as I am informed for a very short period of time a Red Cross symbol,
with a swastika in its inner was used by the Arbeiter Samaritanerbund, in about
1933. Before the position for the swastika was taken place by an "S" in the middle.
I cannot get this stated by proper documents, but the Red Cross and Swastika was
not ever in use by the German Red Cross, as far as my information goes!

[HPL2008]

PS, as far as I am informed for a very short period of time a Red Cross symbol, with a swastika in its inner was used by the Arbeiter Samaritanerbund, in about 1933. Before the position for the swastika was taken place by an "S" in the middle.

Are you sure, Wim? With the ASB, the organisational symbol should be a white cross on a red background, i.e. the opposite of the Red Cross. (Nowadays, they're using a yellow cross on red.)

[Wilhelm Saris]

I said as far as I am informed. A belt-buckle in this style existed
and is shown in various books (not the officers version. This is
not shown ever, as far as I remember).


I held both in my hands and they were perfectly manufactured
and in my opinion anyway old.

I also said: I cannot get it stated with proper documents.

[Pablo]

I am curious as to why someone would take the time and effort to make this "fantasy" armband? They don't seem to be worth a whole lot, so what would be the motivation? The piece was described as a "vet bring back", but aren't they all? Thanks for the posts. I'll regard this as "not authentic" until I see a period photo of someone actually wearing it.

[HPL2008]

There seems to be a misunderstanding, Wim. I wasn't referring to the ASB's symbol as such, just to the colors of the cross (white-cross-on-red for the ASB vs. red-cross-on-white for the DRK).

For example: 1919 bis 1933 - ASB NRW e.V.

But of course, none of this relates to the DRK armband seen in post # 1.

For the benefit of the non-German speaking members, here is what the period document says:

"(12/2/35)
2.) Re.: Armband for the German Red Cross.
In order to attain a standardized form and lettering of the Red Cross armband, samples are being issued by the central depot in Neubabelsberg.
The members of the men's and women's associations wear an armband with the circumscription 'Deutsches Rotes Kreuz' without any further additions."

(Prior to this standardization, DRK armbands came with and without the town name or unit designation, in various fonts etc.)

[HPL2008]

I am curious as to why someone would take the time and effort to make this "fantasy" armband? They don't seem to be worth a whole lot, so what would be the motivation? The piece was described as a "vet bring back", but aren't they all? Thanks for the posts. I'll regard this as "not authentic" until I see a period photo of someone actually wearing it.

The motivation is money, as with everything else.

These are common fakes and were surely manufactured in large quantities, for a very low production cost, and in the safe knowledge that anything with a Swastika on it will always sell at a profit.

Trust me, you won't find a period image of this armband in wear, but here's one with the actual standard DRK armband:



(Also, note the font and the correct lettering of "Deutſches".)