Original German WWII Early SS EM/NCO Nickel Belt Buckle by Overhoff & Cie with Black Leather Belt & Cross Strap – Schutzstaffel Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent condition German WWII Early Pattern (1932-1934) Schutzstaffel (SS) EM/NCO’s Nickel Silver Belt Buckle (Koppelschloß), complete with an excellent leather belt, and even the very desirable cross strap! This is the full rig for an SS Allegemeine EM/NCO!

The buckle 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 (hook cross). 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!). There is just a bit of oxidation on the exterior of the buckle, with very little wear or deterioration of the exterior. The steel buckle claw still retains almost all of the plating.

The back of the buckle is marked with the early pattern maker markings used from 1932-1934:

O&C ges. gesch.

This is the marking for Overhoff & Cie. of Lüdenscheid, who was the designer of all the SS buckles, and at the beginning their exclusive authorized manufacturer. The abbreviation at the end 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 black leather belt itself measures 43″ when fully extended, and is marked faintly with (ᛋᛋ) 1259 / 3? (RZM) on the end by the magnetic clip. It retains the original leather adjustment tab with double rows of 7 holes for length adjustment, and is also stamped 100 on the buckle end, for 100cm (39.3 inches). It shows only light wear, and does not appear to have been issued for any significant amount of time. The cross strap features pebbled aluminum clips, which attach to the plated steel D-rings on the belt loops.

A very early all nickel alloy SS Belt Buckle with the full belt and cross strap setup, 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.