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Original German NSDAP membership badge in its late-war configuration, struck entirely from zinc. The obverse features the standard circular political layout showcasing a central black swastika on a white background, encompassed by a red border with the text NATIONAL-SOZIALISTISCHE N.S.D.A.P. As a textbook wartime economy issue, the fields are finished with factory-applied paint rather than hot enamel. The obverse surfaces show honest period wear and minor paint loss, exposing the underlying grey zinc alloy. The reverse remains uncleaned, exhibiting a dull matte texture and an authentic dark patina. Stamped boldly into the upper half of the reverse is the RZM quality control logo alongside the specific maker code M1/27 within a circle. The badge is fitted with a classic horizontal safety pin anchored to a circular backing plate, which remains completely stable and operational. This piece is a prime example of German "Kriegsmetall" (wartime replacement metal) production spanning the 1943–1945 period.
Historical context:
As the war progressed and strategic materials like copper and brass became strictly rationed for ammunition production, the RZM (Reichszeugmeisterei) ordered badge manufacturers to utilize zinc starting around 1942–1943. The complex hot enameling process was abandoned in favor of simpler, cost-effective industrial paints. Despite these manufacturing shifts, licensed makers were required to keep their hallmarks. The code M1/27 designates the workshop of Ernst L. Müller in Pforzheim, whose late-war painted zinc badges offer a fascinating material look into the final phase of the Third Reich's insignia production.