1942 D.R.L. Reichs Sports Badge for War Disabled
Price: Sold
Description: (Versehrtensports Abzeichen) This is an outstanding and very attractive example of the hard to find DRL Sport Badge for War Disabled. It’s a very high-quality badge, made of a brass alloy (Tombak). On the obverse, the wreath retains nearly all of the original gold finish, with eye-catching shine. The “DRL” initials have wonderful silvering, with a bit of dark toning. On the reverse, this DRL Sport Badge for War Disabled is well marked but not in the usual way. There is no “D.R.G.M.” copyright number and its maker-marked to an uncommon maker of these badges: ‘Ernst Schneider -Ludenscheid’; The reverse of this badge retains virtually all of the original silvering, which has a matte look. The hardware setup is complete and unrepaired, and the wide flat pin assembly is untouched & functional. This is a choice example of a badge that is missing from most collections.
Background: Starting in 1935, the award was recognized as a national level decoration, issued by the Deutsche Reichsausschuß für Leibesübungen, with the initials “DRL” and a swastika. The designation of this award was the Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen, and later the Deutsche Reichsauszeichnung für Leibesübungen. The decoration was awarded in three grades and reflected proficiency in sports and participation in official training and competitions. During wartime, changes were made to the award to make getting and keeping the award easier for soldiers in front line service. This included new criteria and a new grade of the award introduced in 1942 for war disabled men. Issue of the sports badges ceased in 1944.
