| It has been traditionally the role of the victor in war to collect souvenirs of the conquered. The collection of German items by the Allies started even before the end of Word War II. As service men made their way into Europe, they began to find and keep items they found of interest (the GI's to the right have "liberated" helmets). These items, which included helmets, medals, daggers, and other personal items, were abundant and traded freely among themselves with little or no regard for the actual value of it. They were then brought home, where they continued to be, very often, regarded as little more than souvenirs. After a time interest was lost in these war relics, and children played freely with them, or they were moved into "the attic". Eventually, they began to be sold at yard sales and flea markets.
|
|
In Germany, those who were fortunate enough to keep their decorations were barred from wearing them as they represented a defeated and hated regime. These were then stored, for many years, as a token of sacrifices made. These medals were of course not part of the collecting world, but as these soldiers pass away less sensitive individuals often sell these memories, and the articles fall in the hands of collectors.
|
In Allied countries collectors could, for a time, obtain items at bargain prices from veterans and trade them freely with other collectors. As timed passed and the hobby popularity grew, this came to an understandable end. The generation that fought that war is now passing into history, and so are the early days of collecting. As this pool of items dried, the hobby moved to a new stage. Items can now almost exclusively be obtained from dealers and auction houses, most of whom are honest former collectors, but some of whom are only out to obtain the almighty dollar. Modern collectors have to navigate through this maze, and try to find a trustful person from whom they may obtain the valuables they seek. Hopefully this little corner of the internet will help in that search.
|
The attraction to collecting oscillates between two interests; Those who pursue the hobby mainly because they are interested in the actual award pieces, finding the craftsmanship and details on them fascinating, and those who are concerned mainly in the historical circumstances and recipient stories. My interest in collecting was sparked by my interest in this historical period, and in the process I have learned to appreciate the quality, creativity, and skills displayed on the German awards. It was the men who received these awards, however, that drew me to them. They earned them with valor and blood, but were human beings, with friends, siblings and parents. Learning about them is just as much a part of the hobby as having the physical award pieces.
Third Reich awards are visually powerful, the mixture of Imperial German history, the military valor they represent, and the aura of infamy that surrounds the political imagery that adorns most of them create pieces which are attractive to collectors. However, the hobby can not be explained to someone who does not share this passion, and those around us who do not have our interest could learn to appreciate the hobby, but may never fully understand it.
Those who choose to collect will find that it can be an addicting activity, the search for that item you want to get is exiting, somehow relaxing and stressful at the same time. It is a very rewarding hobby, one that can bring you in touch with history and in contact with many different and interesting people. Becoming an experienced collector is an acquired skill, there is no "collector school" one can attend and become a professional, there are no short cuts. Only by spending time reading, asking questions and examining awards can one really learn about them. In the process, mistakes will be made, learn from them and you will be a better collector.
