A Very Rare American Frauenschaft Badge of the German American Bund

Badge in bronze, with blue and white enamels, centering a rising swastika in bronze, below letters “AV” (Amerika-Deutsch Volksbund), 32.22mm x 38.0mm, pin back, no enamel damage, in near mint condition and very rare. Footnote: The German American Bund, or German American Federation (German: Amerikadeutscher Bund; Amerikadeutscher Volksbund, AV), was an American Nazi organization established in 1936 to succeed Friends of New Germany (FONG), the new name being chosen to emphasize the group's American credentials after press criticism that the organization was unpatriotic. The Bund was to consist only of American citizens of German descent. Its main goal was to promote a favorable view of Nazi Germany. The organization existed into the mid-1930s, although it always remained small, with a membership of between 5,000–10,000, consisting mostly of German citizens living in the United States and German emigrants who only recently had become citizens. In December 1935, Rudolf Hess ordered all German citizens to leave the FONG and recalled all of its leaders to Germany. In early 1940’s the leaders of the Bund were arrested and prosecuted for anti-American activities.