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Over a period of a few months, several collectors and dealers in the United
States have contacted me regarding a disturbing number of well-made, ostensibly
authentic, rare Hungarian W.W.II parachute badges that have appeared lately at
shows and in auctions. I have found evidence that most of the badges in question
are undoubtedly reproductions that have been made recently, in Hungary. The
purpose of this article is to alert the collecting community to the existence
of these bogus badges and to provide information that will assist is discerning
them from original badges.
The reproductions in question are of three Hungarian parachute badges: the W.W.II
basic parachute qualification badge (B&T 770); the W.W.II Master Parachutist badge
(B&T771); the Master Parachutist badge from the immediate post-W.W.II period (B&T 947).
(The B&T numbers are those of these badges in the reference "Parachute Badges and
Insignia of the World," by R. J. Bragg and R. Turner.) Also David Littlejohn's,
Bender publication, "Foreign Legions of the Third Reich," volume three.
The listed paratrooper badges are described in the Hungarian section.
Original examples of the three badges are rare.
To give you an idea of rarity, let's consider Hungary's airborne forces during
this period. Hungary, a small and somewhat poor country, could not afford a large
military force, neither could it expend great sums for training. The Hungarian
paratroopers for most of the war trained in Hungary at the Papa Airport, the one
battalion of paratroopers, consisted of only four hundred paratroopers. The
Hungarian airborne forces made only one combat jump in Yugoslavia in April 1941.
In 1942 and 1943, the commander of the paratrooper battalion Colonel Szügyi and
a small cadre of officers and NCOs of the airborne force were moved to the Russian
front in an advisory role, for special operations of Hungarian infantry against
the Russian army. In 1943 Szügyi help conduct and advise equipment, arms and
medical supply drop operations in the Ukraine to relieve elements of the Hungarian
Second Army that had retreated from the Don River front following the Axis disaster
at Stalingrad. The Hungarian air lift brought relief to many trapped Hungarian
military units, allowing the units to retreat and escape from the Red Army.
In August 1944, Romania, Germany's ally but Hungary's opponent in many past
conflicts, defected from the Axis powers and joined forces with the Russian Red
Army, thus endangering the southern flank of the Axis forces in the Balkans. With
the German occupation of Hungary starting in March 1944, many German and Hungarian
units rushed to shore up the southeastern flank of the collapsing Axis eastern front.
The Hungarian paratrooper battalion was rushed to meet the threat to Hungary's
southeast border posed by their new opponents, the Romanians.
Colonel Szügyi, set up a strong defensive perimeter in the Carpathian mountains,
the last natural defensive position to the east, along with many German units of
the Wehrmacht. Out numbered 10-to-1, Szügyi's paratroopers put up a valiant struggle
before being overwhelmed by the combined forces of the Red and Romanian armies.
The end of the war found many of the surviving paratroopers serving in the Szent
Lászlo Division, which surrendered in Austria to the allies on May 10, 1945. It is
easy to imagine that the military of Hungary, which had fought on the losing side,
was a mere shadow of its former self during the austerity of the immediate post-war
years.
As stated, original examples of the three badges in question are rare. Consider, for
example, the W.W.II Master Parachutist badge. Given the conditions in the Hungarian
military and the fact that this badge was awarded for twenty-five first class jumps,
one would expect that only a handful of these badges were awarded. This is confirmed
by the Hungarian Military (Hónved) History Museum in Budapest, which puts the number
awarded at twenty-three. How many were manufactured? There is no record of the number,
but surely it must be small.
When an unusual number of these badges began to surface (one American collector
informed me he knew of three that had sold in the US - two on eBay - in a ten month
period) and I have seen at least five sell in a well known militaria auction house
in the mid-west. With at least eight different master badges surfacing in less than
a year, some collectors became suspicious and the suspicions of some were conveyed
to me. Why to me? I had moved to Budapest several years ago and had begun dealing
in original militaria of selected European countries, including, of course, Hungary.
So it was natural that when the subject was Hungarian badges, collectors would seek
someone on the scene.
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| This is a typical example of a Hungarian copy SS buckle with a strange
gray paint, the buckle is marked "RODO." |
In the course of searching for militaria - through my contacts at the Budapest Coin
Club and at various shows - I was approached by two individuals, a Hungarian and an
American, who told me they had a wide range of W.W.II badges and insignia for sale.
What they showed me were well-made, die-struck German SS buckles, Soviet orders,
and other items. While everything they had appeared to be well made, they appeared
to me to be copies, and I told them so. They assured me that they had original items
as well and that they could bring them to the next show. I asked about Hungarian
paratrooper items, and they assured me that they had original examples of the W.W.II
basic parachute qualification badge.
I was approached by the American at the next show. While he did not have the parachute
badges, he did have a large quantity of SS buckles, many of which had the appearance of
dug relics. Upon noting that all of the buckles bore the same number "155/40" and that
the belt catch leg was punched and indented to fit into the wing of the eagle, something
that I had never seen before, I suspected they had used battery acid to age the ones
they had showed me the last time. When I passed on the whole lot of buckles, they
said, "don't worry, we have more in better shape." I followed them to their car
where they produced several large bags of mint SS buckles and proceeded to try to
hustle me into buying them as original. Again, I declined.
Further, I have found no evidence of the firm "Ungár and Horváth," producing medals
during W.W.II. Upon checking many sources, all with different answers, one Hungarian
collector has stated that many Horthy period badges didn't have rivets but just
employed wires that were inserted into the back of the badge. This same collector
noted that he had seen an original master parachutist badge in an old collection
in the USA and that it had a different maker than the ones listed in this article
and had wire fasteners, inserted through holes for attachment of the chute and
skull insignia to the badge.
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The copy Hungarian First Class Paratrooper badge with gray paint over the chute
and skull insignia, notice the copper showing through the paint in the worn areas
of the skull. The basic and First Class Hungarian Paratrooper badges were made from
brass. The 1940 Hungarian First Class Paratrooper badge is so rare that I do not have
one to display for this article. But I have seen original examples in Budapest. The
originals are unmarked, the prongs are made from thick brass, the original badge prongs
for tunic attachment are 1/3 shorter then the copies. I have never seen any numbers
applied to the prongs of the three original First Class Hungarian Paratrooper badges
that I have personally handled. On the original First Class Paratrooper badge the small
twigs to the bottom of the badge, demonstrate no spaces between the twigs and badge
frame. The thick, brass wire fasteners fit snugly into the drilled holes for insignia
attachment. The copy employs long thin wires that demonstrate a lot of space around
the holes for insignia attachment. |
A few weeks later, I was approached by the American and was informed that finally they
had original examples of the basic parachute badges. I was stunned when the Hungarian
produced three of the W.W.II master parachute badges. I examined them closely. They
were of multi-piece, convex brass construction, depicting a wreath, which exhibited
an excellent Kelly green enamel work, surrounding a parachute upon which was a detailed
skull and downward-pointing daggers. They were all marked with the same maker "Morzsány"
and a Budapest street address. They are now using a new maker which is Ungár and Horváth,
Femmuvek KFT. Budapest, the wreath exhibited excellent (Kelly green) enamel work. I noted,
that the skull and daggers pieces was attached by wire prongs. The wires bent back
through holes on the badge gave it an unfinished appearance and I didn't like the
item. I felt the badge might have used rivets and not metal fasteners or wires for
insignia attachment, as many quality Axis badges I had seen used domed rivets in
manufacturing their badges.
Another problem with the master badges that were shown to me was the brass appeared
untarnished and new. The seller explained these aspects with the claim that the
badges had been manufactured late in war. Sensing, I suspect, that I was unconvinced
by their explanation, they assured me that the following week they would have a better,
early-war example.
True to their word, they subsequently produced another high quality example of the
badge, this time the skull, chute and daggers were painted with a dull gray
(oxidized silver?) finish, tarnished metal visible through the paint in some places;
flat head rivets that blended into the badge replaced the wire prongs, and the brass
on the reverse of the badge was dark with tarnish. On its back, the badge bore the
name "Erdzo-Morzsány, Budapest" along with the maker's address. They offered the
badge to me for the equivalent of about $30. I jumped to accept. Three weeks later
I was surprised to find, in three different militaria shops, at least five examples
of the version of the master jump badge that featured wire, prong fasteners.
Several months later, I visited, by appointment, the military museum to conduct
research for several articles that I was writing, and while there I was allowed
to examine their holdings concerning the W.W.II Hungarian paratroopers. I was
shown several variants of the W.W.II basic parachute badge both in metal and
bullion. When I asked to see the W.W.II master parachutist badge, I was told
the metal versions were so rare that they had none; that the only example of
this badge they had was in bullion. The museum's example in bullion was
completely different from the one presented to me at the coin club. The most
prominent differences were the addition of the crown of St. Stephan at the
top of the badge, only a partial wreath, and the skull and chute and daggers
were encompassed by a gilt box, that tapered to the bottom. I was further
informed that only twenty-three were awarded and that it was very rare as
you had to make twenty-five, first class jumps.
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Original 1942 Hungarian Paratrooper badge, obverse and reverse view, with
spaces between the shroud lines. |
The Hungarian military museums numismatic department curator claimed, "the Horthy
era badges all used thick wire fasteners for device, insignia attachment. The
Horthy era regime did not have the resources of the Monarchy period badges, he
claims that most Horthy era badges are unmarked. The curator explained, the
only official Horthy era badge manufacture was Beránn, he had seen some insignia
and badges marked with that maker. The curator further stated, probably over one
hundred Hungarian master paratrooper badges were made. He had not seen any original
Hungarian First Class Paratrooper badges for sale, except for one that was offered
to the museum for $650.00, from a Hungarian collector. If the master paratrooper
badge was offered by sale, that it should be valued in the $1,000 range and not
$250 to $500 range."
There were many twists and turns to this story and everyone seemed to say something
different, to add or diminish, how or what the "real," master badge should look like
and how it should be marked. I was further amazed that several auction houses were
selling the master parachute badge and it was numbered on the upper prong, all the
numbers were above the twenty-three that were awarded. I have personally seen the
number "86, 163 and 265." The one master jump badge that I purchased and one of the
selling points was it's low number of "57."
I thought as a concerned collector and dealer that the following information
concerning the Hungarian master parachute badge should be considered before
purchase of the badge on today's current market. All of the Hungarian paratrooper
badges from W.W.II and the immediate post-war period are rare, but especially the
master parachutist badges. In fact, they are so rare, I have never seen one that
I know to be authentic.
Given the rarity of the authentic badges, and given the number of copies that U&H
are turning out, any such badges that one encounters will invariably be a copy.
One's best course of action is to pass them by unless one wishes to add a copy to
his collection and can find one priced as such. It is my understanding that these
current, well produced badges are being sold for $200.00 to $500.00. Hence, I
thought I would advise the collecting community of these high quality copies
and the tactics of the makers of these copy pieces as a courtesy to the public.
Below are two stunning examples of the copy Hungarian First Class Paratrooper badge.
On the right is the obverse view of the 1940 Hungarian Master Paratrooper badge and
to the left is the Tildy 1948 prototype badge. Notice the twigs to the bottom center
of the 1940 variant badge and the space between the frame and the twigs. On the Tildy
badge notice the lack of white enamel on the chute canopy and shroud lines.
Copy Hungarian First Class Paratrooper badge reverse views: see the large spaces
between the drilled holes for insignia attachment and the wire fasteners on the 1940
Master Para badge to the right. Some badges because of the large amount of space
between the wire fasteners, the insignia moves and does not demonstrate a tight fit
to the frame. Notice the large amount of modern tin solder around the prongs, also
notice the extra length of the prongs, in fact the prongs over lap on both badges.
Notice also the many, holes and depressions on the badge frames reverse.
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