questions about Hitlerjugend coin

[bichon]

Hello

have you seen that before ?
if real, what was this coin used for ?

thanks for answers
cordially
Didier

[Gwar]

There is a thread about these on the HJ Militaria Collectors Forum, since I am not a paying member there I cannot see any photos.. But there is mention of this piece being somewhat sketchy..

[BlackCat1982]

I think this dates from 1935? Being struck to commemorate Herr Bauherr attending a HJ event in Westfalen.

[Gwar]

There is another for sale on a site, the price is not worth what they are asking without any explanation of what it is IMO, If you haven't been able to find the thread on the HJ Forum I might be able to provide a transcript of sorts..

[Adravor]

It says "Youth builder of the third reich" (Which could mean its an award for "building up" the Hj? - but i have seen sites that say it rather means that the Youth is the builder of the third Reich)
It is from a German state called Westphalen, further stating "Niederreich" which means "lower reich" but i have no idea what that could stand for.

It says on the bottom its a "Jugendkampfpfennig" which means "Youth-battel-pfenning" (Pfennig being an german money unit).

It could be it was a special embossing to celebrate the german youth, as the future of the german Reich.

[Gwar]

From the HJ Forum..
I bought this neat and rare Hiutlerjugend so called "Camp Money" used as summer camp currency instead of Reich money . It has on one side a profile of Baldur von Schirach . On the backside the emblem of the Landienst . It has a value of 20 pennig .

The information on the coin dates it to the period early 1933 to July 1933 because from 1.8.1933, Gebiet Westfalen-Niederrhein had been split to become Gebiet 9 Westfalen and Gebiet 10 Ruhr-Niederrhein as part of the first major reorganisation of the Hitler Youth structure. With that in mind, I doubt very much that these coins were made to act as currency in summer camps. Who told you that by the way? I'll look into this more of course by going through the early regulations but just googling this coin provides nothing more than a list of dealers/auction houses who are offering it. That's not usually a good sign. I can't say that it's a fantasy item because I've never seen or heard of them before but it would be good to see some period info about them.


Just a little more on Gebiet Westfalen-Niederrhein:

Wikipedia and a couple of other sites contain information that might give the impression that this HJ Gebiet existed in 1932. Wiki, for example, states that Lauterbacher was appointed as "Gebietsführer Westfalen-Niederrhein" on the 10th of April 1932. The source for this is likely to be Lauterbacher's autobiography "Erlebt und Mitgestaltet" from 1984 where he says that he was appointed to that position by Schirach and that he received a certificate to that effect. However, the 1938 book "Hitler-Jugend in einem Jahrzehnt" which charts the development of the Hitler Youth in Niedersachsen from its roots in the völkische Jugend to the period shortly after Jan 1933 shows that Lauterbacher was not promoted to "Gebietsführer Westfalen-Niederrhein" on 10.4.1932 but rather to "Gebietsführer Nord-West" when he became the first HJ leader to be appointed as Gebietsführer. The existence of Gebiet Westfalen-Niederrhein is noted in Verordnungsblatt der RJF Nr. 3 dated 17.2.1933 so as I say, if this coin is genuine it must date to the period early 1933 to August 1933. It just worries me that the coin is not mentioned anywhere other than on dealer sites. I did find one mention of the coin in an archive entry (Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg) but as I say, other than that - zilch.

Where did the info about these coins being currency for use on summer camps come from ?

Well the rather bizarre slogans on these (there is more than 1 slogan) don't point towards anything to do with a camp. Possibly a translation error, Kampf pfennig, or as it is written on the coins, Kampfpfennig, points towards a fight, struggle etc....

If there is a 20 Kampf pfennig coin, then there will be more, as there always was with these Spendenmarken, 10, 20, 50 1RM etc..... Spende meaning a donation, like we find on the WHW coins, the coins like this from Austria with their various paroles during the ban 1933-38, the NSDAP spende coins and tokens etc. So the idea that it is HJ camp money, i find a hard one to swallow.

But is it even genuine? I know that Hüsken has one for sale for €100.- something, and a few are up for sale from 25-50 or thereabouts.. But are these even Third Reich items?
I can possibly help out here, as i still know many coin collectors from my old days, and in fact a few who specialize in nothing other than spendenmarken

[KMMorris]

These feature in Colbert and Hyder, Medallic Portraits of Adolf Hitler from 1981. He also makes the assumption that the idea of camp money is interesting.
I have seen these go for as much as a tinnie, 5 euros up to 100 euros so no one really knows if they are the real mccoy and they seem to be treated that way.

[Gwar]

These feature in Colbert and Hyder, Medallic Portraits of Adolf Hitler from 1981. He also makes the assumption that the idea of camp money is interesting.
I have seen these go for as much as a tinnie, 5 euros up to 100 euros so no one really knows if they are the real mccoy and they seem to be treated that way.

Interesting, the one I found online was $500.00 or best offer.. a tad overpriced IMO..

[KMMorris]

you know the drill Gwar, if its gotta Addy or a swastika add another 0 to the price....

[Gwar]

you know the drill Gwar, if its gotta Addy or a swastika add another 0 to the price....

So true !