Yugoslavia, Republic. A Rare Corpus of National Defence Buckle, Badge & Photograph, c.1944

A Rare Corpus of Yugoslav National Defence Buckle, Badge & Photograph - Belt buckle in nickel, center in tombac, 8x5.5cm; KNOJ badge, 47x57mm, in silvered tombac; and a period photo dated 1944 of a KNOJ Officer. Footnote: KNOJ formations (Corpus of Yugoslav National Defence), were formed at the end of the 1943 and the beginning of the 1944, officially with purpose of combating the fifth column (Nazi collaborators and sympathizers), as well as Ustasha, Chetnik and other anti-Partisan forces. In essence, these well trained and ruthless units were formed to be in charge of interrogation and often liquidation of Nazi sympathizers and anti-Partisan forces. Rare buckle and badge of a special purpose Partisan unit.