Rare Miner's Lamp for the Saar Plebiscite, "In Memory of the Saar 1935", Third Reich
Iron and brass, glass, with an applied plaque. An authentic miner's safety lamp (Davy lamp) that was modified as a commemorative item for the 1935 Saar plebiscite. A plaque is attached to the lower part of the lamp with the inscription "ZUM ANDENKEN / 13.1. 1935 / AN DIE SAAR" (In Memory / 13.1. 1935 / of the Saar) and a central swastika. The lamp is of the classic construction with a glass cylinder, wire gauze chimney, and a carrying hook, original as-found condition with a strong, authentic rust patina, H. 28 cm
This object is a historical document of the "Saar Plebiscite" on January 13, 1935. After the First World War, the Saar territory was administered by the League of Nations. In the plebiscite, over 90% of the population voted to rejoin the German Reich. The National Socialist propaganda celebrated this result as a great success. Numerous souvenirs were produced to commemorate this event. As the Saarland was a mining region, symbolic miner's lamps like this one were often used as honorary gifts or patriotic souvenirs.