A Second War Period Hungarian Levente Officer’s Belt Buckle

Buckle in molded aluminum, 52mm high, vaulted, in worn condition. A Scarce buckle.

Footnote: Levente Associations (Hungarian: Levente Egyesületek) were paramilitary youth organizations in Hungary in the interwar period and during the Second World War. It was established in 1921 with the declared purpose of physical and health training. Since mid-1930s they have de facto become an attempt to circumvent the ban for conscription imposed by the Treaty of Trianon and over the time it had openly become a pre-military organization under the leadership of veterans. Since 1939, by the Act of Defense, all boys of ages 12–21 were required to take part in levente. It is usually compared to Hitler Jugend of Nazi Germany and Opera Nazionale Balilla of Italy.