German Daggers of World War Two

The standard Prussian box belt buckle was first introduced in 1847 for wear by enlisted rank personnel. Originally the box buckles came in a 50mm, (roughly 2 inches), width until 1895 when the width was reduced to 45mm, (roughly 1 3/4 inches), in an attempt to lighten the weight load of the field gear. Initially the buckles were produced of brass with a nickel/silver inset until 1914 when steel construction buckles were introduced. Signals/Telegraph personnel were outfitted with a special, elongated, belt buckle which incorporated two raised bars designed to support a wire spool for laying communication lines. Large, 45mm x 105mm, (roughly 4 1/8 inches), die struck, steel, elongated box buckle featuring a smooth outer field with a circular embossed centerpiece. Centerpiece has an embossed Imperial king crown to domed center, encompassed by a laurel leaf cluster to bottom and script, "Gott mit Uns", (God with us), to top. Laurel leaf cluster and script are on a ribbed background and encircled by an inner and outer simulated twisted rope border. Each end of the buckle has a raised wire feed bar secured by two rivets. Buckle retains about 75% of its original field/grey paint. Reverse of buckle is a mirror image of obverse. Reverse with brazed buckle catch, prong bar and prongs all intact. Unmarked example.