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. Of Note: In late 1934 items manufactured for the NSKK, 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. 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: Standard issue membership badge awarded to all personnel on acceptance as an official party member. 22mm diameter, die struck alloy badge NSDAP membership badge with multi-colored enamel work. Badge features a translucent red, circular outer border with embossed silvered script, The badge features a red outer border, edged in silver, with the silver script, "National-Sozialistische-D.A.P.," encompassing a white field with a black mobile swastika, also edged in silver. To the reverse is crimped a horizontal pin-back device. Marked RZM "63".