Schlageter badge - second type

[Gaston V. 17]

Hi,

 

Thought i'd share my type 2 Schlageter Badge. I really like these Weimar era badges and think they are quite underrated with regards to their historical context. There have been three types of badges, the first one in a larger form, then this quite rare second type and then there is the third type in shield form which is extremely rare.

 

 

Here's the second type:

 

 

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Under here is a bit more background information, copied from google. It was a bit too pro German for my like, so i changed a few words here and there, it does set the background of the badge in a better context i hope.

 

 

 

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 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 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 cross was purposely destroyed. In 1933, a badge was created 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 2 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 reds of the Spartakus brigades under their leader, Karl Liebknecht, and his comrade, Rosa Luxemberg.

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!”

 

 

Best regards,

Gaston

[Jim W. 880]

Another  nice  badge  you  have  there  Gaston. I  always  liked  the  Schlageter awards. 

 

Jim

[Gaston V. 17]

Hi Jim,

 

Me too. Schlageter was the first martyr for the young NSDAP, but since he was not a member of the SA or the like he is by many less known as for example Horst Wessel.

 

I'll post a very special Schlageter plaque and some other badges soon on the forum.

 

best regards,

Gaston