ID of Italian Fascists, Gorget, Medals, Iron Cross, Civilian

bunkerhillburning · **Joined:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:50 am **Posts:** 106

Picked this photo up recently. Italian it would appear, nice shot of the gorget and a few medals including a few iron Crosses.

Any idea as to who the civilian is in the center? Wondered is anyone might know if he was a noted Italian Fascist of the time.

Ian · **Posted:** Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:11 pm

very interesting photo.
I think Andrea (Mister X) might be able to help on this italian topic.
pm sent to him.

Ian

bunkerhillburning · **Joined:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:50 am **Posts:** 106

Thanks, Ian!

Would be great to ID these men and the gorget.

herr x · **Posted:** Wed Mar 28, 2012 6:50 am

I've asked to my friends in the italian forum, I hope in a quick response..

bunkerhillburning · **Joined:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:50 am **Posts:** 106

My sincere thanks, X !

herr x · **Posted:** Thu Mar 29, 2012 6:50 am

Hello, you know where the photo was taken?

bunkerhillburning · **Joined:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:50 am **Posts:** 106

No, I do not. No idea at all.

herr x · **Posted:** Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:23 pm

Well at the moment I can say: could be an italian diplomatic in a foreign country (men around are not Italians), I would say between 1922 and 1940..

bunkerhillburning · **Joined:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:50 am **Posts:** 106

Interesting...I wonder if these men were German? I had thought the lack of the swastika would have indicated the location was outside of Germany.

herr x · **Posted:** Sat Mar 31, 2012 9:18 pm

No, they aren't Germans..

Ian · **Posted:** Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:41 pm

these men look to me like austrians ( the ndsap members in austria had white shirts !!)
So i guess around 1936 ish with italian diplomats visiting austrian facists.
my idea.
Ian

bunkerhillburning · **Joined:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:50 am **Posts:** 106

Well, the gorget is really throwing me. I have not seen another like it. I'm baffled.

bunkerhillburning · **Joined:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:50 am **Posts:** 106

Well, I'll be damned. Just found an example.

Its an Imperial German Gorget.

Link below ( might need to cut and paste )

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/7392427

bunkerhillburning · **Joined:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:50 am **Posts:** 106

- and from an ancient ebay listing with a photo of the gorget. This info:

Original WW1 German Der Stahlhelm Gorget - No Reserve

This is a very rare and unusual Standard Bearer's Gorget for the WW1 German Veteran's organization " Der Stahlhelm ". 6 5/8" wide x 7" tall gorget is two piece construction. Made of two pieces of heavy steel, the piece weighs almost 2 pounds. It features a crowned Imperial eagle clutching lightning bolts and a sword, crossed German flags, and a high relief German Stahlhelm (helmet). Neck chain is as-found by the vet, but at one time it had a wider double chain with "ladder" style links.

Ian · **Posted:** Tue Apr 03, 2012 9:17 pm

im stupid... your right ! the steel helmet on the mans breast plate is a total give-away...
super photo ! i dont see so many photos of this stahlhelm organisation.
thanks for the help.
Ian

DVX · **Joined:** Thu Nov 10, 2011 10:33 pm **Posts:** 73

Judging by the look of the people in photo, I'd say this pic dates back to the second half of 20', or very first years of '30s at least.
The Stahlhelm was a very important political association of veterans and German nationalists. Later it was absorbed by the Nazi party, but in half of the 20s it was a political organization bigger and with better possibilities rather than the more extremist, little and just emerging NSDAP.
Remember that at the time there was a wide galaxy of "righty" parties, organizations and veterans associations in Germany (and even in the lefty side too). The Stahlhelm was one of the most important, and represented a traditional German "right" respect to the NSDAP.
Mussolini liked the Stahlhelm much more than the NSDAP, but later the NSDAP took the power, not the Sthalhelm...
This pic (for me dating to the late 20s) with the Italian guest in a Stahlhelm ceremony is another little confirm of this quite well known conctacts (in a context o foreign policy) between the PNF and the Stahlhelm.

ID of Italian Fascists, Gorget, Medals, Iron Cross, Civilian

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