History

Like every organisation during the Third Reich, forestry was placed under the control of the NSDAP. The Reichsforstamt (National Forestry Office) was created in 1934 to replace the regional forestry departments that had existed prior to this date. The goals of the Reichsforstamt were to extract economic value in the form of timber from the forests for the German industry, as well as preserve nature and natural monuments for the people as a part of German culture.
A sub-department for professional hunters employed by the government was created. Hunting matters had formerly been a part of the Ministry for Food and Agriculture, but were now placed under the influence of the Reichsforstamt.
Private forestry matters were placed under the care of the Reichsnährstand (National Nutritional Estate) in 1941.
The Reichsforstamt was headed by Luftwaffe leader Hermann Göring as Reichsforstmeister (minister of forestry).

The Reichsbund Deutsche Jägerschaft (National Society of German Hunters) was founded in 1934 as a statutory corporation for non-professional hunters. All existing hunting societies were disbanded and memberships transferred to the Deutsche Jägerschaft. Membership was mandatory for everyone with a hunting license.
Hermann Göring led the organisation as Reichsjägermeister (minister of hunting).

The Reichsforstschutz or Forstschutzkommando (Forestry Protection Service), in 1943 renamed to Forstschutzkorps (Forestry Protection Corps), was a paramilitary force instituted in February of 1940 in the General Government (occupied Poland). Made up of German forestry officials and ethnic Germans from Poland, the Forstschutz was tasked with regular forestry duties, as well as patrolling and protecting woodlands to keep them from being used by the Polish resistance. In 1942, Forstschutz personnel was also stationed in the Eastern European occupied territories where their work was heavily focused on anti-partisan operations.
Very little is known about the Forstschutz organisation today, and all items related to it are exceedingly rare.

A national Forestry buckle was introduced on April 22, 1938 to replace the individual state belt buckles. It is oval with the pebbled dome featuring a national eagle emblem facing to its right or the viewer’s left. Around it is an oak leaf wreath with a ribbon at the bottom.

The version for leader ranks was worn with the brocade belt, which was identical to the Heer (Army) brocade belt. The buckle is gold-coloured for higher leader ranks, starting at Oberlandforstmeister, and bright aluminum for ranks below Oberlandforstmeister.

The version for non-leader ranks is in burnished black for wear with the regular tunic and in bright aluminum for wear with the dress tunic.

The bright aluminum buckle was also worn by Luftwaffe Forestry Officials.