Various Awards and Insignia - Please help me ID them

German uniforms, clothing, and awards 1919-1945.

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Calaski8123
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Various Awards and Insignia - Please help me ID them

Post by Calaski8123 »

I have finally started putting my collection into display cases. In each case, I am including a piece of paper that tells what each item is. I need some help with identifying some of these items:

Death's Head: SS, Panzer, other? Hat or cap insignia?
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Cloth Insignia Eagle: What branch? Cap, Shoulder, Sleeve?
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Gold Eagle Cap Insignia: Is it for a cap or something else?
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Some type of Iron Cross? Writing on both sides appears Latin, not German. No Swastika on either side.
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Coin? Badge? Medal? German soldier profile. Same as next item, except this one has hole at top to hang rather than a pin on the back.
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Same as above item, but it has a pin on the back, not a ring at top.
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Sorry for the blurry pictures... Old digital camera. Any info (name, units, branch, requirements to award it, etc.) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim
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hucks216
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Post by hucks216 »

Hi,
I may be able to help with the first two items but the rest are a mystery to me.
The first item - I believe this Deathshead is an emblem that was usually affixed to the sidecaps of those serving in certain squadrons of the 5th Kavallerie Regt. (The UK dealer Alan Beadle was selling one such cap recently although it now appears to have found a new owner. Alan Beadle's on-line store can be found at http://www.ab-militaria.com and contains an incredible amount of items)

The second item - I believe this to be the breast eagle as worn by naval personnel in the Marine Artillery units. These personnel were distinguished from thier sea-going cmrades by wearing field grey uniforms and gold buttons & insignia.

Both items are shown in the Brian L Davis book BADGES & INSIGNIA OF THE THIRD REICH 1933-1945.

Hope this has been helpful.
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hucks216
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Items ID

Post by hucks216 »

Hi,
Further to my last message. I believe that the metal eagle could well be a naval chest badge that was fitted in place of a cloth variant on some tropical uniform tunics (an example can be seen on http://www.ab-militaria.com (just type Korvettenkapitan in the search box on the site)).

The cross is, I believe, an example of the Austrian 1916 Karl Troupentarl War Merit Cross (if so it will have VITAM ET SANGVINEM across the center on one side and PRINCEPS ET PATRIA across the center on the other).

As for the medallion, I have no idea what this could be but it looks like it could belong to one of the German allies.

Hope this has helped.
Calaski8123
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Post by Calaski8123 »

Hello.

Thanks for the replies. Yes, you are correct on the Austrian 1916 Karl Troupentarl War Merit Cross and I have also been told about the naval artillery eagles.

As for the soldier profile medallion (?) I have been told it is a Swiss medal for soldiers and their families who served in WWI.

As for the Death's Head, I was told that it was for a Panzer uniform on the collar tab. You are the first to say differently. What marks or details would distinguish one from the other?

Thanks for the help.

Jim
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hucks216
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Items ID

Post by hucks216 »

Having checked the examples shown in Brian L Davis's books (German Army Uniforms & Insignia 1933 -1945 & Badges & Insignia Of The Third Reich 1933-1945) it would appear that there is very little difference between the 5th Kav Rgt deathshead & a Panzer collar tab variant. Of course with only one cavalry rgt wearing such insignia it is entirely feasible that they obtained Pz skulls to fix to their headgear and of course different makers would of produced deathsheads with slight differences. The former book mentioned above has a photo of a 5th Kav Rgt deathshead on Pg88.
Sorry I couldn't of been more help on this matter.
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mightythor99
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i can help ya...............

Post by mightythor99 »

topping your list, is a panzer skull, from a collar tab.
next is an enlisted kriegsmarine breast eagle, for coastal artillery.
next, you have an officer's metal eagle, which was used on summer tunics usually. gold = navy, silver = army. luftwaffe would be silver also...........other then generals. generals' eagles, belt buckles, etc, are gold color.
next is an austrian medal, for war service. should have a red and white striped ribbon.
next you have two swiss national guard medals. switzerland didnt participate in wwi..............
alles klar?
happy collecting!
I am interested in buying / trading for photo albums, photo groupings, diaries, feldpost groupings,etc, from any country in the world, any army/navy, etc, mostly 20th century!!
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