Original German WWII National Socialist State Veteran's Association Flag Pole Finial with Socket - NSRKB

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice WWII German National Socialist State Veteran's Association (Nationalsozialistische Reichskriegerbund - NSRKB) Flag Pole Finial or Topper (Fahnenstange Endstück). As the name implies, these were attached to the top of flag poles, as an additional indication of the affiliation.

This topper is made from brass, originally gilt and painted, and now displays a lovely matured patina due to age and oxidation. It measures 13 inches in overall height, including the 3 inch long socket on the bottom, and is just under 4 inches wide. The socket on the bottom still unthreads from the short steel rod on the bottom of the topper, which would be removed after use to avoid damage.

The design of this topper features a large central swas, which has the 1914 Iron Cross 2nd Class in the center on both sides. This is held inside a frame supported by another with Oak Leaves and acorns inside, and at the top is another small frame with the early pattern Kyffhäuser Monument shield inside.

Overall it is in very good patinated condition, with no deformation and traces of the original gilt finish still present. The original paint highlighting on the insignia on both sides is still partly present, and the topper is secure in the base socket. This is one in very nice condition, ready to add to any collection!

The Kyffhäuserbund (English: Kyffhäuser League) is an umbrella organization for war veterans' and reservists' associations in Germany, founded in 1900 to unify the various veteran's groups in Germany. It owes its name to the Kyffhäuser Monument (German: Kyffhäuserdenkmal), a memorial built on the summit of the 473 m high Kyffhäuser mountain near Bad Frankenhausen, in the state of Thuringia in central Germany. It was not a political affiliated organization, and was open to all German war veterans.

When the National Socialist party came into party however, as with all national organizations, the group was absorbed under the NSDAP umbrella. In the name of Gleichschaltung (Co-Ordination or NSDAPfication), the Kyffhäuserbund was after the NSDAP takeover of power in 1933. Five years later, its name was altered to NS-Reichskriegerbund ‘Kyffhäuser’ e.V. (National Socialist Reich Warriors Association ‘Kyffhäuser‘), becoming the sole and exclusive organization representing the Veterans´ interests in the Third Reich. The organization would then be disbanded in March of 1943 and its members would be drafted into Volksturm service in 1945, as the fall of WWII Germany approached.