Original German WWII HJ Knife Belt with Plated Steel Buckle marked KH 45 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice mid 1930s Pattern German HJ plated steel Belt Buckle (Koppelschloß), complete with the correct leather belt. It is embossed on the top of the wreath with the HJ motto Blut und Ehre (Blood and Honor), over a State Eagle clutching the HJ diamond Emblem. The buckle body is plated stamped and bent steel, and is in very good condition, with just a bit of oxidation and some light wear.. The attachment claw is aluminized steel, and does have some light oxidation.

The buckle is marked on the back with the Pre-RZM marking K H 45, which stands for Koppelschloß Hersteller (Belt Bucker Manufacturer) 45. The Reichszeugmeisterei (National Quartermaster’s Office), or RZM, was was based at the Brown house in Munich and NSDAP party headquarters in Berlin. Beginning in 1933, the Reichsschatzmeister (National Treasurer) moved to have all NSDAP related production regulated under a central contract office, the RZM. The use of maker names was prohibited, and various designations were used before the eventually adoption of the contract prefixes such as M4 and M7. “U.E.” was one prefix used, and K H was another, before both were replaced with M4 on buckles in 1935. That pretty firmly puts this buckle in the 1933-1935 period.

The included brown leather belt does not have any size adjustment tab, and the belt buckle claw attaches directly to the belt, which seems to be typical for HJ Belts. The overall length of the belt is 36 inches, and currently looks to be set up for a size 33.

A very good example of a mid 1930s HJ Knife belt, ready to display!

AH believed German youth to be the future of his 3rd Reich. The HJ (AH Jugend) 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 (AH Jugend) and girls (Bund Deutscher Mädel) were enlisted in the Party-run organization. The boys only were given HJ Knives after having passed minor exams. The knives had nickeled hilts with black checkered grip plates. The obverse plate was fitted with an enameled HJ swas insignia. Through 1937, these knives were etched with the motto of the organization, Blut und Ehre! (Blood and Honor!). Examples produced after this date were made with plain blades usually bearing an RZM marking.