Offered here is an exceptionally rare Original 1938 German–Japanese Youth Exchange Commemorative Badge (日獨青少年團交驩記念章), preserved in its original Japanese wooden presentation case bearing the maker’s gilt inscription. This is one of the most desirable surviving commemorative pieces relating to the historic Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend) official visit to Imperial Japan in 1938, representing one of the earliest and most important examples of German–Japanese political and cultural cooperation immediately prior to the Second World War.
€ 5.500
Out of stock
Offered here is an exceptionally rare Original 1938 German–Japanese Youth Exchange Commemorative Badge (日獨青少年團交驩記念章), preserved in its original Japanese wooden presentation case bearing the maker’s gilt inscription. This is one of the most desirable surviving commemorative pieces relating to the historic Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend) official visit to Imperial Japan in 1938, representing one of the earliest and most important examples of German–Japanese political and cultural cooperation immediately prior to the Second World War.
Purchased directly from a respected dealer in Tokyo, Japan, for €5,500, this example represents an increasingly difficult item to locate on the international market, particularly when complete with its original fitted presentation case. Examples of this quality are seldom encountered outside advanced collections of Third Reich and Imperial Japanese historical memorabilia.
During the summer of 1938, an official delegation of approximately thirty members of the Hitler Youth, led by Reinhold Schulze and Rolf Redeker, travelled throughout Japan on an extensive goodwill tour. The delegation arrived at Yokohama on 16 August 1938 and spent almost three months visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Nikkō, Hokkaidō, Mount Fuji and numerous military, educational and cultural institutions before departing from Kobe in November 1938. The visit formed an important component of the rapidly expanding relationship between Germany and Japan following the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1936.
To commemorate the occasion, specially produced badges were manufactured in Japan. These served both as official souvenirs and, in certain versions, presentation pieces for members of the visiting German delegation and their Japanese hosts. Modern research distinguishes between a more common non-metal version and a considerably scarcer metal version, the latter having been issued to members of the official German delegation and, on documented examples, manufactured in silver.
The badge is of rectangular form and beautifully enamelled, displaying the national flags of Germany and Imperial Japan side by side.
The lower blue enamel panel bears the inscription:
日獨青少年團交驩記念
which translates as:
“Japan–Germany Youth Exchange Commemorative” or “Commemorating German–Japanese Youth Friendship.”
Unlike later wartime propaganda pieces, this badge represents a specific diplomatic event and symbolises the youth exchanges that strengthened relations between the two nations during the late 1930s.
The quality of manufacture is immediately apparent, with finely executed vitreous enamelling, crisp borders and excellent colour preservation.
An outstanding feature of this example is its survival in the original Japanese presentation case.
The interior lid retains its original purple silk lining with gilt maker’s inscription:
東京 九段
長島本舗製
translated as:
“Manufactured by Nagashima Honpo, Kudan, Tokyo.”
Nagashima Honpo was a respected Tokyo manufacturer of presentation medals, badges and commemorative insignia during the pre-war period and supplied numerous official organisations with high-quality presentation pieces. Surviving cases bearing this maker’s mark are considerably scarcer than loose badges and substantially enhance the historical significance of the set.
Observed characteristics include:
Objects associated with the 1938 Hitler Youth visit to Japan occupy a unique position within both German and Japanese militaria collecting.
The delegation represented one of the largest international exchanges undertaken by the Hitler Youth before the outbreak of the Second World War and was widely publicised in both countries. The visitors were received by senior government officials, military leaders, educational institutions and members of the Imperial Household, reflecting the growing political and ideological relationship between Germany and Japan.
Consequently, surviving commemorative items issued specifically for the visit are historically significant artefacts documenting one of the defining diplomatic events preceding the Tripartite Alliance.
Complete examples retaining their original Japanese presentation cases are exceptionally scarce.
Many surviving badges have lost their original cases, while others are encountered with replacement fittings or damaged enamel. Research has also shown that original pins were susceptible to becoming detached over time, making complete untouched examples particularly desirable.
Finding an original example in Japan today has become increasingly difficult owing to strong domestic demand and the limited number of surviving pieces remaining in Japanese collections.
Based upon the photographs supplied, the badge displays numerous characteristics consistent with documented original examples:
Final authentication would naturally require examination of:
Nevertheless, the visible characteristics compare favourably with published reference examples of the 1938 issue.
The acquisition directly from Japan adds further interest, as relatively few examples remain outside Japanese collections.
This badge represents one of the finest surviving commemorative artefacts associated with the official 1938 Hitler Youth mission to Imperial Japan. Unlike generic political or propaganda insignia, it commemorates a specific diplomatic event that played an important role in strengthening relations between Germany and Japan immediately before the Second World War. Complete sets with the original Nagashima Honpo case are seldom offered for sale and are highly sought after by advanced collectors of German, Japanese and diplomatic militaria.
Given:
an estimated current market value would be:
£5,500–£8,000
Exceptional provenance linking the badge to an identified member of the 1938 delegation could increase its value substantially.
Object Type: Diplomatic Commemorative Badge
Country: Empire of Japan / Germany
Date: 1938
Manufacturer: Nagashima Honpo, Kudan, Tokyo
Material: Enamel, metal, hardwood, silk
Occasion: Official Hitler Youth Visit to Japan, 1938
Historical Period: German–Japanese Relations prior to the Second World War
This is an exceptionally scarce surviving commemorative of one of the most significant pre-war diplomatic exchanges between Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, made all the more desirable by the survival of its original Japanese presentation case and its excellent state of preservation.
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