Head Party Court Cuff Title # 2263
The National Socialist community, despite the modern-day portrayal, was very protective of its image and reputation during the era. The Nazi Party was never meant to be all-inclusive, and was, according to Hitler, only supposed to ever include the top 10% of the German population. The Party membership were to promote the ideology of the 'Awakened Germany', and the rest were to follow. Occasionally however, there were disputes within the Party between factions or members, or a Party member who may have acted against the interests of the NSDAP publicly. In instances such as this, there needed to be an authority with whom to be held accountable. (Banishment from the Party under such circumstances likely meant unemployment, social exclusion, and possibly prison.) The NSDAP had a court system to handle such incidents, and was known as the "Parteigerichte" or the Party Courts. The Party Courts were established at the Kreis, Gau, and Reichs levels, and the entire system was supervised by Hitler and the "Reichs-Uschla", or Supreme Court and atop the Party Court hierarchy were Walter Buch and Wilhelm Grimm. Featured here is the 1939 issue Party Court cuff title for "Oberstes Parteigericht" or "Highest Party Court" worn by the Reich leaders of the Party Court, such as Buch. Buch is the only person I have ever seen pictured wearing this cuff title.Walter Buch (October 24, 1883-November 12, 1949) is one of the more mysterious and intriguing characters of the 3rd Reich. Head of the Nazi Party Courts, father-in-law to Martin Bormann, Reichsleiter, and NSDAP member since its earliest days in 1922, Buch relished his role as Hitler confidant and advisor. A vehement anti-semite, he was a vigorous defender and promoter of National Socialist ideology and did much to legitimize Party actions considered controversial at the time. Personally recognized by Hitler as a champion of the Party and its profound mission, Buch rose to numerous titles within the Third Reich thanks in part to unquestionable loyalty to the NSDAP. He was personally in attendance for Ernst Rohm's arrest and execution, and was also responsible for the legitimization of Kristallnacht, rendering the participants free of responsibility. As the Supreme Judge of the Nazi Party Court system, Buch was able to settle disputes within the Party between members with absolute finality, as the only recourse was to appeal to Adolf Hitler himself. An enormously powerful man, Buch, who was arrested following the war and found guilty of the worst of war crimes, took his own life in 1949.An absolute once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase a piece owned and worn by some of the most powerful men of the Third Reich. It cannot be overstated how rare and significant this piece of history actually is. (Party Court Cuff Title)German Militaria
Product Id: #2263