UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories Medals & Badges of the Third Reich Forum DRL thread.

Thanks Joe. I did not think we had reached a conclusion on the Wernstein numbers but a number change makes sense. Wernstein is an odd maker who wound up in the Eastern Zone of Occupation so he did not make postwar DRL or LSA or any West German sports badges. Interestingly, I have seen quite a few of his wartime badges that have been de-Nazified by having the swastika removed by a jeweler or some Bubba in order to wear it postwar. Perhaps jewelers liked to modify his badges because he was not in West Germany and therefore not a legal issue? Probably a question for another day.

I do agree with you that these "new" DRL badges with just the point of the swastika, as shown above, had to be made from reworked dies. Seemingly cheaper to do this than make new dies, particularly early in production.

You mention the new LSA badges that were made from 1949-1952 before being replaced by the national DSB badges. These required new dies and here is an example of one that I suspect was made by Steinhauer & Luck. It is interesting in that it is entirely unmarked but has early S & L. hardware as well as a distinctive back with "ripples" in the metal. This same trait is seen on later St.u.L. marked DSB badges. This one is also interesting in that it comes with a distinctive paper packet with a stick on label. I have never seen another wartime or postwar badge with a paper packet like this with a stick on label. Has anyone else seen a packet like this? Perhaps a use of leftover NOS wartime packets?