The paramilitary units of the Weimar Republic constituted everything from rebranded Freikorps units to party militias, such as the SA. But also completely independent organizations. This page lists organizational badges which might be present on other pages of this website.
The Völkisch Paramilitaries
Verband Nationalgesinnter Soldaten (1919 – 1922) – RR
Founded in September 1919 by Franz von Stephani, Hermann Ehrhardt and Gregor Strasser. The Landshut branch of the VnS eventually became the Sturmbataillon Niederbayern, led by Strasser, which consisted of about 950 men, including the young Heinrich Himmler. In mid-March 1920, Strasser’s Sturmbataillon was ready to take part in the Kapp Putsch. Politically, VnS was closely tied to the völkisch movement and the völkisch wing of the DNVP. In late June 1922, the VnS was banned following the assassination of foreign minister Walther Rathenau. However the former VnS branch in Landshut, the Sturmbataillon Niederbayern continued and eventually integrated in the NSDAP and SA.
Mückebund (1919 – 1927) – RRRRR
The Mückebund was formed in the spring of 1919 by Captain Hellmuth von Mücke in the town of Greifswald, Mecklenburg. The name of the town made von Mücke to choose a griffin holding a shield with a swastika as the symbol. The organization was characterized by antisemitism and, with few exceptions, operated solely in Mecklenburg. It was integrated in the SA in 1927, and thus ceased to exist at that point.
Nationalverband Deutsche Soldaten (1922) – RRRRR
A short lived splinter organization formed from the Verband Nationalgesinnter Soldaten (VnS) by the organizations more moderate members after the völkisch wing of VnS had steered the VnS on a activist and putschist course. Still also a staunchly nationalistic and völkisch organization, the NDS was also banned, only a month after the organization was founded, much because of its anti-republican activities and the suspicion that it was merely a front for the already banned VnS. Due to the very short life-span of the organization, only a few badges is known to this day, this particular badge was published in Hüsken 2010.
Bund Wiking (1923 – 1928) – RRR
The Bund Wiking, or Viking Leauge, was a German political and paramilitary organization in existence from 1923 to 1928. It was founded on 2 May 1923 in München by members of the banned Organisation Consul as the successor to this group. Although its stated purpose was to effect “the revival of Germany on a national and ethnic basis through the spiritual education of its members”, its actual primary purpose was to contribute to preparations for the overthrow of the Weimar Republic and provide intensive military training for its members. Membership was estimated to be about 10,000 persons, including many former military officers. Juvenile supporters could join the Jungwiking.
Der Wehrwolf (1923 – 1933) – RRR
The Wehrwolf, League of German Men and Front Warriors was a nationalist and anti-republic, paramilitary military association in the Weimar Republic. It consisted mainly of former Freikorps members and officers of lower ranks. At its peak from 1924 to 1929 it had around 30,000 to 40,000 members. For a while the organization cooperated with the Reichswehr and provided military weapon training for its members. The group was integrated in the SA in 1933, while the Jungwehrwolf was integrated in the Hitlerjugend.
Wehrwolf Eintrittsabzeichen 1932 (1932) – RRRR
A very rare entry badge for Der Wehrwolf. These badges were awarded to members joining that year, but likely not all members, since pictorial evidence is slim, and the badges are extremely rare today.
The Right-Wing Paramilitaries
Hitler and his NSDAP was unable to unify all the paramilitaries of the right, many of them would become the opposition of the right. Especially Bund Bayern und Reich, which took an active stance against the NSDAP during the Beer Hall Putsch. Der Stahlhelm was another example, it held a safe distance to national socialism until the 1930s when it was more or less forcefully integrated into the Sturmabteilung.
Der Stahlhelm (1918 – 1935) – R
Der Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten, commonly known as just Der Stahlhelm, was a veteran’s organisation existing from 1918 to 1935. In the late days of the Weimar Republic, it was closely affiliated to the monarchist German National People’s Party (DNVP), placed at party gatherings in the position of armed security guards (Saalschutz). It was dissolved in 1935, after being integrated into the SA.
Wehrverband Reichsflagge (1919 – 1927) – RR
The paramilitary organization Wehrverband Reichsflagge was formed in Nürnberg in the early summer of 1919. It was mainly based in Franken and organized around 20,000 members at its peak. The organization was led by Captain Adolf Heiß, and the program was anti-republican and monarchist. In early October 1923 Reichsflagge was battered by internal conflict which resulted in Ernst Röhm left the organization to form his own group called Bund Reichskriegsflagge. In 1927, the association dissolved after years of decline, the remnants was merged with Stahlhelm Bund der Frontsoldaten.
Jungdeutscher Orden (1920 – 1933) – RR
The Jungdeutscher Order was founded by the Freikorps- and war veteran Artur Mahraun in May 1920 in Kassel. The organisation tried to revive ideals of the pre-war Wandervogel youth movement. Very soon it reached 70,000 members, although it was temporarily banned in early 1921, and being the largest of the many paramilitary groups in the 1920s, it later expanded to almost 300,000 members. In 1933 it was banned by the Hitler government.
Bund Bayern und Reich (1921 – 1929) – RR
Monarchist umbrella paramilitary organization founded in 1921 after the dissolution of the local civic militias in Bavaria. It was led by Dr. Otto Pittinger, who was involved in the preparations for a march on Berlin in the autumn of 1922, however Pittinger got cold feet and backed out when parts of his organization did not comply with the plans. The organization would later, during the Beer Hall Putsch in late 1923, inform the authorities on the nazis which helped mobilize the police and crush the putsch attempt.
Verband der Vaterländischen Bezirksvereine Münchens (1921 – 1930) – RR
VVM was a splinter organization of the Bund Bayern und Reich, led by Max Kühler, factory manager and reserve officer from Württemberg. It was essentially the old Einwohnnerwehr in München and had a quite large membership base with around 30.000 members. However, most of the members were passive, and many probably well over military age. Initially the VVM was part of the Deutscher Kampfbund, but left it after internal struggle, after which the more radical wing led by Alfred Zeller formed the Kampfbund München, not to be confused with Deutscher Kampfbund. The Kampfbund München participated in the Beer Hall Putsch, which the rest of the VVM did not. The remnants of the VVM was integrated to the Stahlhelm in 1930. This badge is wrongly described in Hüsken 2010 as “Völkischer Verbände München”.
The Beer Hall Putsch paramilitaries
The Beer Hall Putsch was perpetrated mainly by three organizations, the SA of the NSDAP, Bund Oberland and Bund Reichskriegsflagge. Apart from those organizations, minor groups like Rossbach’s men, cadets of the Infantry School and the largely unknown Kampfbund München marched alongside the putschists. Below are the three period badges that very well could/should have been worn during the actual putsch itself.
Bund Oberland (early November 1921 – 9 November 1923) – RRR
In April 1919 the Freikorps Oberland was concieved by the Thule Society, and its chairman Rudolf von Sebottendorf, it therefore was the direct successor to the Thule Society paramilitary wing, the Kampfbund. In 1921, the Freikorps Oberland was reformed as Bund Oberland, and the new organization was led by Dr. Friedrich Weber. The organisation became part of the umbrella Deutscher Kampfbund in September 1923 and eventually made up the core of the SA-Regiment München. Bund Oberland would through the involvement in the Deutscher Kampfbund play a major role in the failed Beer Hall putsch, members of Oberland would under the leadership of captain Ludwig Oestreicher take jews as hostages. Two members from Bund Oberland died in the Beer Hall Putsch and was later hailed as martyrs by the NSDAP. Bund Oberland was outlawed by Gustav von Kahr 9 November 1923.
The Tannenberg Paramilitaries
Frontkriegerbund (c. early 1920s – 1931) – RRR
Like numerous other veterans organizations and interwar German military organizations, the Frontkriegerbund was founded after the First World War in Bavaria. Bavaria was therefore also the region where it was most active. The Frontkriegerbund was one of the most vocal völkisch veteran organizations during the 1920s. In June 1928 it joined the Tannenbergbund and became the veteran’s wing of the Frontbann. In December 1928, parts of the Frontkriegerbund merged in the Bayerischer Heimatschutz. The remaining fragments merged in to Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten, in March 1931.
Bayrischer Frontkriegerbund (c. early 1920s – 1931) – RRRRR
Very rare variation from the Bavarian Frontkriegerbund. It is nearly identical with the normal badges, the only difference is the shield which bears the Bavarian colors instead of the Imperial ones.
Deutschvölkischer Offiziersbund (1925 – c. 1933) – RRRR
The Deutschvölkischer Offiziersbund, or Deutschvölkischer Officers Association, was founded within the Tannenbergbund as an subsidary organization for völkisch minded former officers in the Imperial Army. Close in design to the standard Tannenbergbund membership badges.
Kameradschaftbund Preußen (3 January 1926 – c. 30 May 1926) – RRRRR
Kameradschaftbund Preußen, or Comradeship Association Prussia was a paramilitary organization founded 3 January 1926 in Berlin, within the framework of the Frontbann and the Tannenbergbund. Already on 21 January, the Frontbann Nord was torn apart by internal struggle, it was immediately replaced by Kameradschaftbund Preußen. It was terminated in late May or early June 1926. The 10 October 1926, Frontbann GroßBerlin was formed and therefore became the natural successor of Kameradschaftbund Preußen.