Original 1930s German RAD Abtlg. 7/191 Oldenburg "Reserve hat Ruh" Commemorative Wooden Spade

Original and finely crafted 1930s German Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) commemorative wooden spade (Erinnerungsspaten), commissioned to mark the completion of a conscript's mandatory labor service. Because the spade served as the primary emblem of the RAD, departing personnel traditionally kept personalized wooden spades as lasting mementos of their service. Design & Carved Details: The shaped wooden space is flanked at the neck by two carved oak-leaf sprays and anchored by a turned wooden shaft with a traditional T-grip base. Spade & Shaft Inscriptions: The front of the blase is boldly hand-lettered "Reserve hat Ruh" (The reserve is at rest), the classic German discharge motto, while the shaft carries a vertical inscription reading "Erinnerung an meine Dienstzeit" (In memory of my service time). Unit Crest & Provenance: The upper shaft features a hand-painted quartered shield incorporating the RAD spade-and-wheat motif alongside the regional red-and-gold bars of Oldenburg, with "Abtlg. 7/191" lettered directly beneath—identifying RAD-Abteilung 7/191 "Waltbert," stationed at Kamperfehn near Friesoythe in Oldenburg (Arbeitsgruppe 191 Cloppenburg, Arbeitsgau XIX Niedersachsen-West). Condition: Honest, untouched original vintage condition with rich age patina to the varnished hardwood, showing light surface wear and natural grain crazing consistent with a piece over 85 years old.