Original German NSDAP Party Enamel Membership Badge Pin by Ferdinand Wagner of Pforzheim – RZM M1/8 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice original German NSDAP (NSDAP) Party Enameled Badge Pin, ((RZM)) Marked with M1/8 on the back, indicating it was manufactured by Ferdinand Wagner of Pforzheim. We have only seen a few from this maker before, and they seem to be somewhat scarce.

The NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), was originally founded in Munich as the DAP, Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (German Worker’s Party), on January 5TH 1919. When Adolf AH joined the DAP in the autumn of 1919 he was to reform what was basically a debating society into an active political party. Appointed as the first chairman of the party on July 29TH 1921 AH was to restructure it along para-military lines in a hierarchy of four levels of government.

This example is a standard issue membership badge, awarded to all personnel on acceptance as an official party member. It is a 24mm diameter, die struck alloy badge NSDAP membership badge with multi-colored enamel work. The badge features a translucent red, circular outer border with embossed silvered script, NATIONAL-SOZIALSTISCHE-D.A.P., encompassing a white enamel field with canted black enamel Swas. 

It is in very good condition, with almost all of the original enamel intact, though the plating is completely gone. It also looks like it was exposed to water and/or rust at some point, which stained the front a bit. The back has a very nice functional “safety pin” style attachment, which would work on any type of clothing.

A very nice example by a rare maker, ready to display!

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 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.