Show us the LAPEL PINS

[MondoFW]

Haven't seen a thread for this, so...


V for victory!

Lot of 2 1939 NY World's Fair pins i got a while back

Keep 'em coming!

 

[MondoFW]

Another Ww2 pin of mine (sorry for bad pic quality)--this one incites a lot of conversation. I've even had some criticize it!

 

[crawlinkingsnake]

Since Jan 10, 1899 the fraternity for life

 

[crawlinkingsnake]

View attachment 123347 Another Ww2 pin of mine (sorry for bad pic quality)--this one incites a lot of conversation. I've even had some criticize it!

Who in hell could criticize this other than some former SS trooper!

 

[MondoFW]

Who in hell could criticize this other than some former SS trooper!

They're often intimidated by the fact that it's a piece of anti-Nazi ephemera FROM the era--Essentially, they don't like confronting history. It's bizarre to me, but I continue to wear it.

 

[Metatron]

If I may offer my thoughts on the 'To Hell with Hitler' pin. I think these pins came out mid-war when the full terror of the regime in question was not fully understood. So while of course people were being drafted, dealing with shortages and even paying the ultimate price, it seemed like a 'regular war' which the Allies were confident they could win, which explains the jovial and upbeat vibe the pin conveys. In hindsight the jolly and upbeat nature of the pin seems to clash with the full sordid terror of Hitler's regime very much at the forefront of people's minds in association with that war even though it is obviously anti-nazi. So taken out of the context of the time in which it was made, it might seem perhaps to not have the correct level of stoicism in relation to the subject matter. Whether or not that is logical, I do think this what is running through people's minds, maybe condensed into a 'something is off about this' reaction to the pin.
Now, I am very much not offended by your pin and am not the busybody or judgmental type that wants to police people's expression. But I wanted to make an attempt at devil's advocate on the perception people have of your pin.

 

[Canadian]

Mondo,

Both my grandfathers served, both overseas although one was stationed to Newfoundland and the other was a sailor. I talked with both grandfathers at length when I was able to appreciate it. My paternal grandfather, a Colonel of Infantry at the time, (he joined the army after WWII) told me, "I killed Germans. It was my job, it was something we all did. Hitler was evil and we stopped him from overrunning Europe. There were U-Boats and we sand a fair number of them". For him a pin like that might have made fun of the grim and awful goal, to send as many Germans packing from France as possible, and to send Hitler, literally to hell. But the expresion, "To hell with" might seem flippant, in the way we might say, "Too hell with it", meaning I don't want to do something, or that a task is beneath your status.

As every Canadian soldier knew, we were there to send Nazi's to hell. Saying that we are fed up with Hitler presents a different item, and your lapel pin seems more suited to something a child might wear, not knowing about the politics.

C.

 

[HanauMan]

I guess that I can show some of my pin collection here too.

German WWII pin issued to civilian auxiliary staff working for the Luftwaffe.

German WWII pin issued to civilian auxiliary staff attached to the Wehrmacht. The gothic letters read W G (Wehrmachts Gefolge).

German pins given out to members of the public for supporting the troops through donations, etc.

A 1951 enamelled souvenir Festival of Britain pin.

Anyone who was a kid in the 1960s - early 1970s received one of these on crossing the oceans with Pan Am. I got my first one in 1972. Not exactly a lapel pin but similar in nature nevertheless. By the end of the 1970s they were made in plastic and by the 1980s they were just a paper sticker!

 

[The Necktie Guy]

Saw these three pins on Etsy.

Late 1930's/early 1940's pin that was made before December 7, 1941. (Attack on Pearl Harbor)
"Stop the Aggressor, Boycott Japan."
Features an illustration of a dropping red bomb.

IT AIN'T GONNA RAIN NO' MO'

I think I'd want this as my first lapel pin:

 

[MondoFW]

Mondo,

Both my grandfathers served, both overseas although one was stationed to Newfoundland and the other was a sailor. I talked with both grandfathers at length when I was able to appreciate it. My paternal grandfather, a Colonel of Infantry at the time, (he joined the army after WWII) told me, "I killed Germans. It was my job, it was something we all did. Hitler was evil and we stopped him from overrunning Europe. There were U-Boats and we sand a fair number of them". For him a pin like that might have made fun of the grim and awful goal, to send as many Germans packing from France as possible, and to send Hitler, literally to hell. But the expresion, "To hell with" might seem flippant, in the way we might say, "Too hell with it", meaning I don't want to do something, or that a task is beneath your status.

As every Canadian soldier knew, we were there to send Nazi's to hell. Saying that we are fed up with Hitler presents a different item, and your lapel pin seems more suited to something a child might wear, not knowing about the politics.

C.

Sir, it was not in my mind to be flippant about Hitler's atrocities. Let's avoid this thread getting too heated, shall we?

I guess that I can show some of my pin collection here too.

German WWII pin issued to civilian auxiliary staff working for the Luftwaffe.

View attachment 125610

German WWII pin issued to civilian auxiliary staff attached to the Wehrmacht. The gothic letters read W G (Wehrmachts Gefolge).


View attachment 125611

German pins given out to members of the public for supporting the troops through donations, etc.

View attachment 125612

A 1951 enamelled souvenir Festival of Britain pin.

View attachment 125613

Anyone who was a kid in the 1960s - early 1970s received one of these on crossing the oceans with Pan Am. I got my first one in 1972. Not exactly a lapel pin but similar in nature nevertheless. By the end of the 1970s they were made in plastic and by the 1980s they were just a paper sticker!

View attachment 125614

Interesting pins! Not sure how versatile they are, though! Keep em coming.

 

[Woodtroll]

"Let's avoid this thread getting too heated, shall we? "

I don't think any of the replies to your post were heated; you said the reactions to the Hitler pin seemed bizarre to you, and I think a couple of folks chimed in to explain those reactions. I don't think either you as the original poster or the replying posters were setting out to offend anyone, just stating their perspectives. I knew a lot of WW II vets first hand (including some relatives); none of them wanted to be there, but they all saw it as something that had to be done. As others have explained, the pin would come off to them as immature or "cutesy" to use a contemporary term, but from this time and distance may not seem that way to you. I sincerely agree with the literal sentiment of the pin, and would add the attackers of 07 Dec. to that same list in spades, but would not wear a pin with the sentiment expressed that way.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Not as vintage as most but when I was a kid traveling with my parents there were a lot of “Travel local” campaigns so we would intentionally stop at the information Booths just to pick up a new badge.

Brooks is a small town in southern Alberta, the brown with the beaver is a “Parks Canada” badge the other three are different travel campaigns from Alberta and BRitish Columbia.

Oh and just for fun

Johnny


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[HanauMan]

Interesting pins! Not sure how versatile they are, though! Keep em coming.

Not sure what you mean by 'versatile' though I'm guessing you mean as in wearing them today. Nope, they are neat collectables and I wouldn't wear them. However, these two pins are worn almost daily and they adorn my ball cap;

Vintage roadrunner pin (probably 1940s / 50s).

Arizona Airlines plastic cactus pin.

Here is another old pin from around 1970 / 71. Who remembers when the Apollo 10 capsule did a tour and huge crowds lined up in various towns and cities to peek inside the capsule? I was only 5 when I saw Apollo 10 but I still recall the blackened outer hull and looking into the capsule. They gave away these pins as a souvenir, still have mine.

 

[Winston Carter]

Bought some of these at V.A. I'm retired Navy so I like to use them as hat pins.

 

[Redfokker]

Since Jan 10, 1899 the fraternity for life

I have read the responses to this "Hitler Pin" and feel the need to put in my two cents worth. Just because something had a skull and cross bones on it does NOT make it a NAZI pin. In fact the only resemblance to the NAZI Totenkopf here is sketchy at best. More than likely, the skull and cross bones were more for a Fraternity marking than anything political. Reference the Yale group called the Skull and Bones. People need to study history more closely. If they had put a Swastika on a Fraternity pin in the 1940s, that would be another thing. A couple of decades earlier than that...good luck symbol! I just fell off my soap box...damn.

 

[Woodtroll]

Maybe I’m misunderstanding something here, but my response (and I thought, those of Metatron and Canadian) was directed towards MondoFW’s remark that he didn’t understand folks’ reaction to his “To Hell with Hitler” pin; these were not in reference to the skull and crossbones pin. To be truthful, the remark of “Let’s avoid getting too heated, shall we?” is what drew my attention, as I think the responses were an attempt to explain those reactions he saw as puzzling, and I found his remark to come across as flippant, like a young dog calling down an old one.

If I’m confused here on the replies or the pin in question, I apologize for contributing to the confusion. No hard feelings were intended towards anyone (well, except the Nazis and Pearl Harbor attackers).

 

[MondoFW]

Maybe I’m misunderstanding something here, but my response (and I thought, those of Metatron and Canadian) was directed towards MondoFW’s remark that he didn’t understand folks’ reaction to his “To Hell with Hitler” pin; these were not in reference to the skull and crossbones pin. To be truthful, the remark of “Let’s avoid getting too heated, shall we?” is what drew my attention, as I think the responses were an attempt to explain those reactions he saw as puzzling, and I found his remark to come across as flippant, like a young dog calling down an old one.

If I’m confused here on the replies or the pin in question, I apologize for contributing to the confusion. No hard feelings were intended towards anyone (well, except the Nazis and Pearl Harbor attackers).

I detected some dejection from Canadian, and I figured this thread would get political if I didn't try to immediately stay on topic. I understood his point, but didn't want this to become some vehement political discussion, which I like to avoid, in our current political climate. That's why I wanted to get back on topic swiftly.

Show us more pins, gents!

 

[Winston Carter]

TKE PIN
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tau_Kappa_Epsilon

 

[Redfokker]

I detected some dejection from Canadian, and I figured this thread would get political if I didn't try to immediately stay on topic. I understood his point, but didn't want this to become some vehement political discussion, which I like to avoid, in our current political climate. That's why I wanted to get back on topic swiftly.

Show us more pins, gents!

My comment was more directed at the general public who commented on your pin without having a clue to it's origin and meaning. Nobody here on the lounge would be so ignorant.

 

[Canadian]

Mondo,

No need to argue over it. I don't have any political intentions. I really enjoy reading your posts, you're interesting and very practical. You strike me as the kind of guy who tries his best to be informed and has an excellent hobby.

Something you probably don't know is that I'm studying to eventually become a minister. I have a Masters degree in the area. There are three ways to look at the phrase, "To hell with". It can be literal (as in we ask God to send somebody to hell, a sketchy request at the best of times). It can be metaphorical (we ask God for victory because we determine the enemy to be evil). Thirdly, it can be popular. In that sense, we say we are sick of Hitler, we say "to hell with Hitler" because we casually oppose him, that we consider him a bother.

The expression is not bad. But I think the gravity of WWII was such that people were dying every day, in terrible manners, and saying that Hitler was an annoyance would be to discount their sacrifice.

I have no doubt that Hitler is in hell.