Ratisbon’s 46th Contemporary
The March auction at European specialist Ratisbon’s offered a treasure trove of Third Reich militaria. Let’s get things going with a Heer M40 Inf.Rgt.186 field tunic with medals which came directly from the veteran's estate. The shoulder boards were slip on boards for an infantry Unteroffizier serving with Inf.Rgt.186. Incredibly, all the medals and awards were still attached to the tunic! It sold for £2,909 (includes Buyer’s Premium of 22.5%).
Now, how about this, a Heer Panzer jacket, for an Obergefreiter which came straight from the widow of the wearer. It featured late war shoulder boards, EM type, with silk lining. There were matching collar tabs with zinc skulls, silk piping, attached by machine. It featured a machinewounded woven breast eagle and a hand-attached Iron Cross ribbon. There was a Krim shield with black backing, attached by hand and an Obergefreiter rank chevron with green backing. It sold for £13,020.
It’s said that an army marches on its stomach, but of course, it actually marches on its boots. So, here’s a pair of M39 marching boots, issued to Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS troops. Typical construction with leather sole and nails. They sold for £616. To go with your boots you need, of course, some socks. Here we have a pair of woolen winter socks. Made from typical grey wool with three white lines. Out of an officer's grouping containing an M44 tunic.
The fun part is that they have never been washed. They went for £116.
We are covering the 1936 Berlin Olympics in this issue and here’s a blue women’s sport dress for the NSRL/Turnerbund. The NSRL, or National Socialist League of the Reich for Physical Exercise, was the umbrella sporting organisation for Germany at the time. The dress tunic had a ‘Turn-Anzug nach Vorschrift der TD’ tag to the inside, a machine-woven ‘DT’ (Deutscher Turnerbund) badge as well as one of the NSRL. Both attached by hand. This one went for £325.
There were plenty of hats and helmets in the auction but let’s finish with an SS visor cap skull. Made from cupal, silvered, RZM ‘M1/52’ maker marked. Both prongs are in place. Signs of wear. This tiny cap ornament sold for £1,246.
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