DVG Westmark Badge - W. Redo, Saarlautern

[avenger]

A badge I received recently, a DVG Westmark by Redo. Interesting bit of history on these badges, some shown below (borrowed from Jo's parteiabzeichen.ch):

The `Planned` Reichsgau Westmark consisted of the areas Saarland/Rheinpfalz and CdZ-Area Lothringen between 1940-1945. During the short Period that these areas were in German hands, the following laws were passed that applied directly to the People in these areas:

28 September 1940 - Families were forced to change their Names (first and last) into the German language.

07 December 1940 - a Resettlement law was passed (Neuordnung des Siedlungraumes in Lothringen) forcing non-Germans to leave and have their property seized, and encouraging native Germans to re-occupy the area

13 February 1941 - From now on, people in these areas were now known as „Deutsche Volkszugehörigkeit Lothringer“

19 August 1942 - All people known as "deutschen Volkszugehörigen" born between 1920-1924 must join the Wehrmacht. From the 23 August 1942, German Citizenship could be obtained by People of German Origin living in these areas by either joining the Wehrmacht, SS or by becoming members of the „Deutschen Volksgemeinschaft“

September 1944 - US Troops invade the Westmark. After the War this area went back into French hands.

Deutschen Volksgemeinschaft Westmark (DVG) Badges were similar to those of the German NSDAP, and were only made by two German Makers close to the borders of the Reichsgau Westmark, Werner Redo from Saarlautern and Fritz Mannheim from Kaiserslautern.