Original Items: Only One Available. This is a very nice German WWII AH jugend Mützenabzeichen (HJ Cap Badge), marked RZM M1-8 for manufacture by Ferdinand Wagner of Pforzheim. It is constructed out of a die stamped zinc alloy base that has been silver washed and contains red, white and black enamel work. The rhomboid diamond shaped obverse depicts the HJ emblem, which consists of a black mobile swas above a silvered square diamond which is surrounded by alternating white and red translucent pebbled quadrants and is all surrounded by a small silvered border.
The badge measures approximately 25mm tall by a 13mm wide, and the full back reverse has a horizontally soldered on pin assembly. The plating on the badge has little intact, with some lovely tarnish on the front. The enamel work has minimal cracking making this a great pin!
AH believed German youth to be the future of his 3rd Reich. The HJ (AH Jugend or HJ) was formed officially in 1935, and with the exception of NSDAP ideology indoctrination was very similar to the Boy Scouts. Beginning at about the age of ten years, both boys aged 14-18 (AH Jugend) and girls aged 14-18 (Bund Deutscher Mädel) were enlisted in the Party-run organization.
Of Note: In late 1934 items manufactured for the NSDAP and other organizations, including membership pins, came under the quality control of the RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster) and as a result were marked with the RZM logo when appropriate. The registry was based at the Brown house in Munich and NSDAP party headquarters in Berlin. The RZM ensured that the manufacturers of military items were consistent in design, quality of materials and other characteristics of the items. It also defined standards of design, manufacturing and quality and published an authoritative color chart for textiles. The M1 in the code stands for Metal Badges, with Ferdinand Wagner of Pforzheim being contractor number 8.
Comes more than ready for display.