Original German WWII HJ Enamel Cap Membership Badge by Fritz Zimmermann of Stuttgart- RZM M1/72 Original Items

Original Items: Only One Available. This is a very nice German WWII HJ Mützenabzeichen (HJ Cap Badge), marked RZM M1/72 for manufacture by Fritz Zimmermann of Stuttgart in Baden Germany. It is constructed out of a die stamped brass alloy base that has been silver washed and contains white, black, and translucent red enamel work. The rhomboid diamond shaped obverse depicts the HJ emblem, which consists of a black mobile swas (hook cross) 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 full back reverse has a horizontally soldered on pin assembly and is maker marked M1/72 on the top and ((RZM)) on the bottom. The pin measures approximately 25mm tall by a 13mm wide.

The plating is mostly worn away on both the front and rear, which now show a lovely “mustard” brass patina. The enamel work has no major cracking or scratches, making this a great pin!

AH believed German youth to be the future of his 3rd Reich. The German National Socialist Youth Organization, and often abbreviated as HJ in German, was the youth organization of the NSDAP Party in Germany. Its origins dated back to 1922 and it received the name HJ, Bund deutscher Arbeiterjugend (“HJ, League of German Worker Youth”) in July 1926. From 1933 until 1945, it was the sole official youth organization in Germany and was partially a paramilitary organization; it was composed of the HJ proper for male youths aged 14 to 18, the German Youngsters in the HJ (Deutsches Jungvolk in der HJ or “DJ”, also “DJV”) for younger boys aged 10 to 14, and the League of German Girls (Bund Deutsche Mädel or “BDM”).

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 Fritz Zimmermann of Stuttgart being contractor number 72.