Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice and somewhat rare German WWII Werkschutz (Factory Protection Service) Belt Buckle (Koppelschloß). These were used by the security personnel at major factories, which had to look out for saboteurs as well as resistance forces. This was especially important at the E. Reitz Uniformwerke (Uniform Factory), which was one of the biggest uniform factories outside Germany. It was located in Merksem, a suburb of Antwerp, Belgium, in a former tobacco factory. The Germans installed a huge production unit for military uniforms used by the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe, Waffen-SS, and Kriegsmarine. Being in an occupied territory made it especially vulnerable.

This is a lovely buckle from the Factory Protection service at the E. Reitz uniform factory. The front is marked with a circular emblem bearing a "sunwheel" style swas in the center, with the name REITZ marked going both ways across the center. Around this is WERKSCHUTZ, with a simulated rope border. The buckle is the standard wartime pattern box construction, though in this case the stamped and crimped metal body is made from non-magnetic zinc alloy, with the hook and adjustment claw being made from steel.

It was originally painted with aluminized silver paint, which is still relatively well retained, showing some wear through on the insignia, and missing paint around the edges on the front. We were not able to locate any maker information stamped into the buckle, and it does not have a tab.

A very nice example of a rare belt buckle, ready to add to your collection and display!

More on the Werkschutz Factory Protection Service
The history of the Factory Protection service is somewhat convoluted, but appears to have involved both the DAF and the RLB, which was involved with the closely related Werkluftschutz (Factory Air Raid Protection) service.

The DAF Labor Front was the result of a forced association of all German trade unions, established on May 10, 1933. Its purpose was the coordination and control of all aspects of German labor to serve the interests of the NSDAP, and in reality did little to help or improve the status of workers.. The DAF leader was Reichsleiter and Reichsorganisationsleiter Robert Ley, who would later commit suicide before the Nuremberg trials.

The Werkscharen (Factory Brigades) of the DAF were the “soldiers” of the organization, formed in 1934. They were trained and organized as paramilitary, uniformed units, yet remained unarmed. Beginning in April 1937, active Werkschar units (Stoßtrupps) would wear silver-colored insignia, while administrators wore gold-colored insignia. Even though Werkscharen were not affiliated with the Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB, National Air Raid Protection League), during the war they often functioned as factory air raid protection auxiliaries.

Some companies, especially major corporations, used additional security personnel, which were dubbed Werkschutz (Factory Protection), and later Werksicherheitsdienst (Factory Security Service). Werkschutz insignia were first introduced in late 1937, which was an art deco style eagle looking to the left. holding a canted shield with a black swas (hook cross) on it.

The Reichsluftschutzbund (National Air Raid Protection League or RLB):
The RLB was first organized by Hermann Göring in 1933 as a voluntary association. Existing volunteer air raid precaution associations were forced to merge with RLB. In 1939 the RLB became a Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization), while in 1944 it became an affiliated organization of the NSDAP Party. It was in charge of educating and training ordinary German men and women in civil defense procedures necessary for the basic level of local self-help of the civil population against air raids. The local level was formed around air raid wardens and operated in small first intervention squads. The training include fire fighting, protection against chemical weapons, communication procedures and preparation of houses and apartments against air raids.