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Freikorps
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Albert Leo Schlageter Memorial Badge (Item FREI 1-1) |
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| DESCRIPTION: This is one of the most beautiful and sentimental badges of the German Reich. Albert Leo Schlageter was a decorated hero of the First World War. Later, as a concerned German patriot, he joined various Freikorps organizations that were fighting the sleazy communists in the streets as the red rabble attempted to overthrow Germany in favor of the red menace of Russia. He took part in expeditions into the Baltic and upper Silesia. Following the French occupation of the Ruhr in 1922, he joined the National Socialist Party and actively acted against the cruel occupation with acts that would be called sabotage by the enemy. He was apprehended by the vicious French Army and charged with blowing up a bridge on March 15, 1923. He was a given a “star chamber” (so-called trial) and found guilty and the young patriot was murdered by firing squad on May 26, 1923. The NSDAP erected a giant monument in the form of the Christian cross in his honor in the Goltzheimer Heide near Düsseldorf, and his fame and glory lived on until the end of the Second World War, when the victorious “Christian Allies” purposely destroyed the cross. In 1933, a badge was created also in Schlageter’s honor and distributed to select individuals by the Schlageter Memorial Museum, Inc., in cooperation and association with the Schlageter Bund. The badges were given to various members of the Freikorps, who would merit them after honorable service to the Deutsche Vaterland. The one offered here is the Type 1 measuring 58mm high bearing the cross and the name Schlageter. Crossed swords were below the title bar. Bars could be added indicating the member’s service. This one has the bar (Spartakus) 1919-1923. This recognized that the recipient fought in the Freikorps action against the red rats of the Spartakus brigades under the fiery red leader, Karl Liebknecht, and his “beautiful” comrade, Rosa Luxemberg. The badge is in pristine condition and is framed with a Sleeveband of the early SA formation named after the young hero all very nicely done up and would make a lovely and meaningful memento and relic from the turbulent 1920’s in Germany. The frame measures 11 x 9 inches. They may have destroyed the cross and desecrated his grave, but ideas and memories do not die. The last words of young Schlager written to his family: “I am about to go to my death. I will take confession and communion. Farewell until our happy reunion in heaven. Greetings to you again, father, mother, and all those in our holy Germany.” A song was sung after this by his SA comrades: “The traitors must die/O holy Rhineland/Bride of Iron/You will be France’s death and destruction/When the grey morning of revenge dawns.” Another song was sung that went like this: “Bound and chained in Düsseldorf/Beaten like a dog tortured and mocked a German officer/And still his heart so proud and free/It was in the beautiful month of May at Düsseldorf on the Rhine/You proud days of battle/Riga Annaberg O mother dear!/O you black forest!, O red of dawn/Now a fiery young heart goes to its rest.” At his graveside Rudolf Kötter conjured up the spirit of the departed hero: “You have redeemed us like that other hero who died on the cross at Golgotha and you have given us the strength to live and die just as you did for your belief in freedom and greatness for our Volk and Fatherland. ALBERT LEO SCHLAGETER LIVES!” PRICE: $498.00 |
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Freikorps Ring (Leering Skull) (Item FREI 1-2; WEHR 18-20) |
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| DESCRIPTION: This is one of the favorite ring styles of the Freikorps troops who saved Germany from the red menace in the 1920s. The skull is very similar to the “Werewolf” faction of the Free Corps. But skulls were used by several of these fierce combat-ready troops. See Item WEHR 3-2. The Freikorps is credited with being the one element that saved Germany from inclusion in the monstrous Soviet system of horror. Forever must its memory be preserved. The ring is clearly marked with ‘835’ silver designation inside. This is a handsome rare addition to any Kampfzeit collection.
PRICE: $180.00 |
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Freikorps or Sturmtruppen Ring (Item FREI 1-3; WWI 8-1) |
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| DESCRIPTION: Here is one of the tradition rings produced by the elderly jeweler that we met in Stuttgart a few years back. For the narrative of how we acquired these rings and other jewelry see About Our Rings. The leering skull was a symbol of the German elite divisions know as Sturmtruppen, Storm Troops (assault detachment), which were infantry units specially armed and trained for attacking enemy defensive positions. This type of ring was employed by both these special troops and the Freikorps, later. The Freikorps, Free Corps, was a paramilitary unit that fought the communists in the German streets of Berlin and Munich and in the post-WWI years. They were used to defend the German borders against the good possibility of invasion by the red army and later they were very successful and effective in putting down the revolution from the left-wing Spartacists and other human rodents in 1921. After saving Germany from the red menace the Freikorps was dissolved and many of these seasoned fighters joined the ranks of the SA (Sturmabteilung) (Storm Sections), the private army of Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP. This is a traditions ring and our old German jeweler made them as a commemorative of the mission of the Deutsches Freikorps. Of course, many of them were worn by ex-member and SA troopers. The ring is quite nice and made in the old 1920s fashion although produced in the mid to late 1930s. This is a very nice-looking skull ring.
PRICE: $185.00 |
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Book Rot Mord über München (Item FREI 1-4) |
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| DESCRIPTION: The book Red Murder over Munich comprises 226 pages that chronicle the attempted Bolshevik takeover of Germany in the 1920s after WWI. It stands as a printed memorial to the bravery and loyalty of the men of the Freekorps battalions who effectively stopped this red monolith in its bloody tracks. The book has the stamp of the NSDAP Kampfbund Ortsgruppe Grosshadern in its front cover. The many pictures are really wonderful, especially the one of the Munich citizen sleeping in the window of the Ring Hotel with a bullet hole still in it from the day before. We will not go deeply into the reasons for the Putsches and the reactions. The murders from the left; the revenge of the right; the Freikorps, the advent of the Hitler NS revolution; it’s all here for the German reader. The pictures are great and they spell it out for the non-German reader. The pictures are very realistic; look at the noble face of the Freikorps leader Ritter von Epp on page 21. Look at the twisted criminal countenances of the communist leaders on page 36. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This book goes a long way to prove the point. It was a terrible time for Germany and it is fully documented here. It was a time of heroes; it was a time of murdering villains. It was the Kampfzeit for the rising NSDAP. It measures 7 x 9 inches and about 1 inch thick. It’s in excellent condition with fine, linen cover.
PRICE: $295.00; very rare |
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Freikorps Stickpin (Item FREI 1-5; PINS 5-22) |
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| DESCRIPTION: Here is the stickpin for the Free Corps (Freebooters). Had it not been for these ex-soldiers for World War I the reds would have completely taken over Germany in the 1920s. They were sectioned off into the various districts of the fatherland and they fought bravely to save Germany from falling into the scourge of international communism. All sorts a WWI soldiers flocked to the several corps; the most famous being the Erhardt Brigade and the Freikorps von Epp Brigade. The most used badge of these brave veterans was a skull and cross bones. It was used in their helmets, insignia, vehicles, etc. Because of the vibrant patriot patriotism of these men it only followed that they would become the actual vanguard of the NSDAP and when the red menace was over, for the most part, these fighters swelled the ranks of the SA. Many of them who are officers later were admitted to the SS. This pin, when worn, commanded much respect, and the pride of the wearer was evidenced by the sheer size of it. The pin is more than a half-inch wide and long. This is one of the pieces manufactured by Herr Franz Schnell, whom we mention in our home page. You can read about him at About Our Rings and Silver Insignia. The skull is marked ‘800’ on its back standing for silver content. Schnell worked primarily in silver. This is a great-looking stickpin and is eminently important historically.
PRICE: $89.00 |
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Large Freikorps Stickpin (Item FREI 1-6; PINS 5-25) |
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| DESCRIPTION: This is the largest stickpin we have even encountered. It’s the skull and crossed bones of the Freikorps; the former WWI soldiers who through their patriotism and professional military prowess saved Germany in the 1920s and early 1930s from being completely under the red heel of international communism. Their service to their sacred fatherland really officially began when they crushed the Marxist Spartacist League and brought about the execution of Karl Liebknectht and Rosa Luxemberg on January 15, 1919. Many of the leaders of the NSDAP were former Freikorps members to include Rudolf Hess, Ritter von Epp, Heydrich, and Himmler. The ranks of the SA were swelled with former Freikorps fighters. We feature another Freikorps stickpin at Item SA 11-10. That one is similar to this one. This particular item is much larger. The crossbones measure a little over 1 inch across and the pin is about 1 3/4 inches high from the top of the skull to the bottom of the bones. It is marked with the ‘800’ silver designation on the back. The pin was produced in the jewelry studio of Franz Schnell, who is the greatest exponent of silver jewelry in the Reich. See our narrative on Schnell at About Our Rings and Silver Insignia. This insignia would be worn by members of this tough warrior band when out of uniform and possibly even when the uniform was worn since the uniform for this corps was generally the member’s own World War I military uniform, and there never was an official one. In any case, this is a fierce- and dramatic-looking pin and commands respect for the wearer immediately. The German people were very grateful and thankful for these stalwarts that heeded their country’s call when she needed their help so desperately. This is a great collectible with great historical importance.
PRICE: $125.00 |
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Freikorps Wolf Flagpole Top (Item FREI 1-7) |
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| DESCRIPTION: This is a very rare and exciting Free Corps find. The Werewolves were one of the elite groups of patriotic ex-soldiers of WWI frontline experience who formed to fight and eventually conquer the communist menace that threatened to take over Germany in the 1920s. Various homemade flags and standards were to be seen with factions of the Free Corps. Motifs that symbolized the esprit de corps of these freebooters often had foreboding motifs such as skulls and in this case the wolf or ‘werewolf.’ There was one Freikorps unit that was named Des Freikorps “Wolf.” It used a ravening wolf’s head as its insignia. Its fame as a fighting unit was as a machine-gun company. It undoubtedly had this carnivore as its flag as well. We suspect that this wolf flagpole top was the symbol of the machine-gun company and that it undoubtedly struck genuine terror in the cold hearts of the reds in those desperate days.
PRICE: $450.00; a real museum piece |
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Please refer to item designator in parentheses in all correspondence.
Please E-mail for any additional information you may need.If you prefer, contact 'Germania' at PO Box 68, Lakemont, GA 30552
or call at 706.782.1668 or 706.782.4398.
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