Info wanted- River Boat Pilot Badge

[matthew]

Came across this little trinket. Handsome looking thing for sure but I can't say I have seen any period information pertaining to those badges. Was hoping someone here would be able to shed more light on those?
Thanks in advance!

cheers

Matt

[harryamb2]

a neat badge all I can tell you is its for the river Elbe.

[HPL2008]

I cannot provide any more information on the badge as such. However, I wouldn't call it a "river boat pilot badge". Elblotsen [Elbe pilots] are involved in the heaviest shipping, as the river Elbe is the passage from the North Sea to Germany's largest harbor at Hamburg, which is actually located 100 kilometers inland from the North Sea.

Elblotsen work the route between the boundary of the Hamburg harbor and the Elbe estuary or the North Sea end of the Kiel canal as well as the harbors and piers along the river Elbe. Due to the influence of tides, currents and weather, this is a difficult route requiring a high level of skill and qualification.

Thus, the present-day Lotsenbrüderschaft Elbe has 260 pilots working 365 days a year. All of them hold the highest-grade nautical master's certificate and have a professional background as a captain or first officer. (source: Lotsenbrüderschaft Elbe )

[Wilhelm Saris]

At WAF you got my answer too!

[matthew]

Thanks for your time Gentlemen.

cheers

Matt