German 1935 Olympiahilfe Förderungsrennen Enamel Badge Stübbe Berlin Olympic

Original German enameled fundraising badge issued in 1935 for the Förderungsrennen der Deutschen Olympiahilfe — the "Promotional Race of the German Olympic Aid" — a motorsport-themed fundraising event held in support of German preparations for the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympic Games. The badge was produced by A. Stübbe of Berlin, with the maker name and the Ges. gesch. (gesetzlich geschützt, "design legally protected") notice impressed on the reverse, confirming registered-design status under German commercial law of the period.

The badge takes the form of a horizontally oriented oval, measuring approximately 2 1/4 inches (57 mm) across the long axis and 1 1/2 inches (38 mm) at the short axis, struck from a stamped metal base and richly enameled in royal blue with a finely pebbled ground field. The obverse design is centered on a stylized period Grand Prix racing car shown in three-quarter view from the front and right, executed in cream and black enamel — the open-wheeled silver-arrow profile, exposed mechanical detailing on the front and rear axles, prominent radiator grille at the front, and seated driver visible behind the steering wheel. The choice of subject reflects the commanding international position of the German racing teams of the period, particularly the Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix programs, whose competition successes were widely identified with German engineering prestige.

Below the racing car, the five interlocking Olympic rings are rendered in enamel, the symbol of the International Olympic Committee and the universal mark of the Olympic movement. The encircling raised legend reads FÖRDERUNGSRENNEN · DER DEUTSCHEN OLYMPIAHILFE 1935 — "Promotional Race of the German Olympic Aid 1935" — curving above and below the central design.

The reverse retains the original horizontal pin and C-catch assembly, fully functional, together with the impressed maker mark A. Stübbe Berlin and the Ges. gesch. protection notice in two lines. A. Stübbe of Berlin was a recognized producer of enameled badges and tokens of the inter-war and 1930s period, with documented production for sporting events, civic associations, and fundraising organizations. The firm's marked output is recognized in the collector reference literature for the 1930s German enameled badge category.

The German Förderungsrennen translates as "promotional race" or "fundraising race"; Olympiahilfe as "Olympic Aid," denoting the organized fundraising effort to underwrite German athletic preparation, training, and participation in the forthcoming Olympic Games. The 1936 Summer Olympics were held in Berlin from 1 to 16 August 1936, with the Winter Olympics held earlier that year at Garmisch-Partenkirchen from 6 to 16 February. Fundraising for the German national effort was conducted throughout 1934 and 1935 through a coordinated network of public events, sporting exhibitions, and commemorative items, of which the present badge is a representative example.

Condition is honest and consistent with a piece carried during the period and stored thereafter. The royal blue enameled field retains substantial vibrancy across the obverse, with the central racing car composition, Olympic rings, and encircling legend all clearly defined and fully legible. Light surface scratching is visible across the cream enamel of the racing car body, consistent with handling wear, and minor enamel loss is noted at scattered points in the recessed legend areas. The pebbled blue ground retains the bulk of its original color and luster. The reverse shows expected dark surface oxidation across the unenameled metal field, consistent with long-term storage, but the A. Stübbe Berlin and Ges. gesch. marks remain crisply legible. The pin and catch assembly is intact, functional, and original to the piece.

For the collector of 1936 Berlin Olympic memorabilia, German inter-war enameled badge production, or the broader category of pre-war German motorsport and sporting fundraising material, the Förderungsrennen der Deutschen Olympiahilfe 1935 badge is a documented type with clear maker attribution, intact enamel, and substantial visual presence. The combination of the Grand Prix racing motif and the Olympic rings makes it a crossover piece of interest both to Olympic collectors and to motorsport historians, and pieces with the Stübbe maker mark are among the more reliably attributed examples in the field.