



N017195 KREISLEITUNG LEVEL “Leiter einer Haupamtes” ARMBAND. (Kampfbinde)
BACKGROUND: 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 Hitler 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 Hitler was to restructure it along para military lines in a hierarchy of four levels of government consisting of the Reichsleitung, (National Level), the Gauleitung, (Provincial/State Level), the Kreisleitung, (District Level), and the Ortsgruppenleitung, (Local Level). The NSDAP had utilized the basic identifying swastika armbands as early as 1922 to be worn by party members at all rallies or political functions. Shortly afterwards, (circa 1923), Political Leader's began wearing a new pattern armband with additional stripes that indicated functional positions within the party. In 1939 a second pattern of Political Leader's armbands were introduced which denoted administrative or operational functions and level of government. Of Note: In late 1934 items manufactured for the NSDAP, came under the quality control of the RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster) and as a result were marked with the RZM logo when appropriate. Of Note: The RZM was official founded in June 1934 in Munich by the NSDAP as a Reich Hauptamt, (State Central Office), and was based on the earlier SA Quartermaster's Department. The functions of the RZM were not only to procure and distribute items to Party formations, but also to approve chosen designs and to act as a quality control supervisor to ensure items manufactured for the Party met required specification and were standardized.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Armband denotes the position of Leiter einer Haupamtes (Leader of a Head Office). Armband was removed from a tunic and has been worn. Very high quality, with each section of the swastika sewn on separately in silk/raypn, with a yellow rayon surround applied by machine. The gilt oakleaf strips are sewn by machine, and the gold wire trim has been machine sewn over top. When the armband was sewn for the Nazi bureaucrat's tunic, the RZM tag ended up being sewn into the seam. Excellent example.
GRADE ****1/4
PRICE $995.00
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