Original German WWII Early SS EM/NCO Nickel Belt Buckle by Overhoff & Cie – Schutzstaffel Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice German WWII Early Pattern Schutzstaffel (SS) EM/NCO’s Nickel Silver Belt Buckle (Koppelschloß). It is embossed with a high relief, embossed, central motif pattern consisting of an SS style national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreath, encompassing a static swas. The swas and wreath are in turn encompassed by a circular, simulated, twisted rope border with the Gothic script motto, Meine Ehre heißt Treue!, (My Honor is Loyalty!). The Nickel Silver has a nice oxidized look, with minimal wear. There is a bit of verdigris in areas.

The back of the buckle is marked O &C ges. gesch, indicating it was manufactured by the Overhoff & Cie. firm in Lüdenscheid, who designed the buckle and were originally the only company authorized to make them. The abbreviation is short “Gesetzlich Geschützt” (By-law Protected), indicating it was a protected design.

The Nickel Alloy “German Silver” construction of the body indicates original production before 1936, when these buckles began to be made of aluminum alloy. By 1940 the material was changed to steel. The claw is made of steel, as all were.

A very good lightly worn early SS Belt Buckle, ready to add to your collection!

History of the SS

The Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), was originally formed in May 1923 under the auspices of the SA, Sturmabteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), as the Stosstrupp Adolf AH (Shock Troops). It was then redesignated Schutzstaffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925, with the official acceptance of the name verified on the second anniversary of the failed Munich “Beer-Hall” Putsch on November 9th 1925.

As a subordinate unit to the SA, early SS personnel wore the standard SA style box belt buckle. It is believed that Adolf AH personally designed a new pattern box belt buckle specifically for wear by SS EM/NCO personnel with the manufacturing patent being originally granted to the Overhoff & Cie. firm in Lüdenscheid. This new style buckle was adopted for wear by EM/NCO personnel in late 1931 or early 1932. Generally the early buckles were produced in solid nickel/silver until sometime in 1936 when aluminum alloys replaced the nickel/silver versions. In 1940 the EM/NCO’s belt buckles began to be manufactured in steel replacing the aluminum alloy buckles.  The steel buckles were zinc coated than painted grey.