BELT BUCKLE CONSTRUCTION
The belt buckles of the Third Reich were built from a variety of materials. There are instances in which the type of material is dictated by the period of the war in which the manufacturing took place. Some of the materials grew scarce as the war progressed and the tied turned against Germany.

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Square Type Consists of posts that create 90 degree angles. The base is enforced by supports that extend to the left and right of the base posts. The catch is spot welded to the body.

Rounded type Very similar to the square type except that the corners are rounded and there are no extra support braces. The catch is an integral component of the body.

Thick Type This catch system consists of thick posts and bridge. They are consideably thicker than other catches. They are fully integrated to the body of the buckle.

Cave Type This type of catch mechanism is fully integrated with the body of the buckle. It consists of an opening that makes a cave structure where the opposite end of the belt can be secured.

Heavy Type This type of catch mechanism is fully integrated with the body of the buckle.

Belt flap photo	The belt had an extra leather flap sewn to its inside. The flap had multiple sets of holes punched in it. This would allow the soldiers to adjust the belt buckle to accomodate for varying waist sizes.
Belt Buckle Prongs photos	The buckle was equipped with two equal length prongs which were attached to a cylindrical structure. This design allows the prongs to move well over 180 degrees. This action facilitates the ability of the prongs to be attached to the flap of the belt.
Belt hook photo	One end of the belt has a hook attached to it. The hook was employed to secure the end to the catch in the belt buckle. Once in place the belt was firmly attached to the soldier.

This belt buckle along with the other types are currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this badge. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the buckle.