Czechoslovakia Buckle

[Custermen]

Back in the 1990's, I made a great trade.  This guy saw my USSR Air Force visor cap and he wanted one for his boss and a navy visor cap for himself.  In exchange, he gave me a bag of WW2 souvenirs.  The bag includes some pre-1939 German items--belt buckle, EK2 & another medal-- plus a Luftwaffe buckle, an Army buckle and an SA cap insignia.  Also in the bag was a brass Czechoslovakia belt buckle.

It is distinguished by the shield on the Lion and the tail shaped like an 8.  

 

I would like to see a vintage photo of a soldier wearing this buckle.

 

 

 

 

[SARGE]

Here you go.  From a photo album circa pre-war to wartime military & Police service.  The enlisted Czech soldier on the right in this flag bearing ceremony is wearing your buckle.

 

 

[Custermen]

6 hours ago, SARGE said:

Here you go.  From a photo album circa pre-war to wartime military & Police service.  The enlisted Czech soldier on the right in this flag bearing ceremony is wearing your buckle.

Thanks.  

This was before Germany took over Czechoslovakia but their uniforms already copied the Germans?  When Germany took over, did Germany make them remove their Czech belt buckles and replace it with something more Nazi?  

This is a bit of uniform history that I don't know anything about. 

[Custermen]

I've tried googling but I never know what I'm seeing when I get a hit.  It could be Czech Army 1962.  

 

I did find a forum with posts of several photos.  Here are two that have a similar setting and pose.  I guess these are the same belt buckle.

 

 

[Custermen]

I did find this interesting photo with the Lion and coat of arms painted in the background.  I'm sure this is pre-1939---I presume the date on the artwork is accurate.

  

[SARGE]

The first photo is dated 1934 and the last one 1938.  These are pre-occupation Czechoslovakian soldiers.  The Germans allowed a small standing Czech Army and Police forces (Gendarmerie or "CET" / "CETN") during the war and issued uniform plates for them in German field manuals.  They allowed them to wear these pre-war uniforms with slightly different insignia indicating the German split of Czechoslovakia into its two constituent parts with an independent Slovakia.  This light hand changed with the assignation of SD General Reinhard Heydrich hardening the occupation.  At any rate, you will see some pre-war Czech uniforms and equipment still being worn until the end of the war.  

 

BTW, the large Czech arms factories such as Skoda Werk, etc. continued to make this equipment under German occupation, such as tanks to bayonets.