Schutzstaffel: The SS

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Algemeine-

Page 28

Fabulous Replica of SS-Totenkopf Death's Head Ring

Waffen-SS

Silver Honor Clasp of SS Women’s Auxiliaries, 1943 (Item SS 28-1; WAF 7-2)

DESCRIPTION: Here is a very rare Treuedienst silver clasp awarded for faithful service in the Women’s Auxiliary of the SS. Female auxiliaries in the Waffen-SS were divided into two categories: SS Auxiliaries (SS-Helferinnen): Those female signal personnel trained at the SS school located at Oberenheim/Alsace (Reichsschule für SS-Helferinnen Oberenheim.) and SS War Auxiliaries (SS-Kriegshelferinnen): All other auxiliary female personnel employed by the SS permanently or temporarily. The SS auxiliary was made up of females normally between 17 and 30 years of age. They were employed as telephonists, teleprinter operators, and radio operators. Selected female personnel were promoted to NCO or officer ranks after successfully passing special training courses. Reichsführer-SS Himmler authorized distribution of the following letter on 14 August 1943 on the subject of SS Female Auxiliaries:
The designation SS-HELFERINNEN remains confined to female personnel who have been trained in the Reichsschule-SS at Oberenheim/Alsace, tested, and incorporated into the Corps of SS-Helferinnen. All other female employees and workers who are in the service of the SS under contract or by virtue of an Emergency Service Order will be known as Kriegshelferinnen, insofar as they are entitled to be issued with service clothing (uniform) during their employment in accordance with the Führer's Order of 11 January 1943. Service clothing: The approved service clothing for SS-Helferinnen will also be worn by Kriegshelferinnen, but without distinguishing marks apart from the Hoheitsabzeichen on the headdress and left upper arm. SS runes, sleeve bands with the inscription "Reichsschule-SS," and unit emblems are reserved for SS-Helferinnen only.

The administration of the Kriegshelferinnen is the responsibility of the unit employing them, in collaboration with the SS-Wirtsehafts-Verwaltungs-Hauptamt, but the Chef der Fernmelderwesens (Head of the Communications System) is exclusively responsible for SS-Helferinnen.
The directives issued by the Reichsführer-SS on 30 November 1943 are applicable to the welfare of the SS-Helferinnen and Kriegshelferinnen, especially outside the boundaries of the Reich. These auxiliaries were a very necessary part of the SS organization in that they were able with their communications skills to function in duties that in essence freed up male personnel that were needed in other responsible positions. The silver bar was thought to be an award for special diligence to duty and devotion to the cause. It certainly was not a general issue.

The jeweler whom you can read about in our section “About Our Rings and Silver Insignia”, was the exclusive silversmith who produced these badges. They are quite beautiful with the SS runes in the center of the bar and well-defined oak-leave strands in behind with the separate letters spelling out ‘Helfen.’ There is an ‘800’ stamp evident, as well. The bar is slightly over 2 inches in length and about 1/4 inch thick. The item is one of the rarest of all SS insignia although certainly not the most costly. Adrian Forman’s first edition (1988) of his pricing book Foreman’s Guide to Third Reich German Awards...And Their Values shows this piece on page 155. He lists its value at $2,500.00, but this was in 1988. We are sure that in some 19 years the value of this item has increased. This is 100-percent genuine and yet we offer it at a figure that will surely jump at you. Why? Because if you read our section “About Our Rings…” you see that many items hitherto considered so rare as to be considered unattainable were now to be had because of our fabulous purchase at Stuttgart. We were able to procure things such as the Victory Rings that once were beyond the hope of the average collector’s dreams and all original and beyond reproach to the true historian. Of course, you can always expect the doubts and silly degradation of the halfwit forum Untermench, but the quality of these original pieces transcends their jealous ranting. So it is with great pride that Germania presents to the collecting world the SS Female Auxiliary bar at a very reasonable price.

PRICE: $1,850.00

Waffen-SS

Original -Ausweiss for an SS Musician (Item SS 28-2)

DESCRIPTION: This is a rare Ausweiss from the SS-Musikorps. The man was in the M/Z54 SS-Standart with SS-Ausweiss Nr. 212724. He was not at this time an NS Party member. He was born in Seegenfelde Kr. DT Krone July 18, 1908. He received his Ausweiss in June 15, 1934. The card bears the stamp of the Reichsführer-SS and Himmler’s facsimile signature is there also. The great picture attached has the NSDAP stamp over part of it. This handsome fellow is wearing everything he should wear including the early-style visor cap with early skull and eagle. His collar tabs are with the harp for the music corps and he wears the band epaulettes called ‘bird’s nests.’ This is the nicest one of these that we have had. It measures 3 1/2 x 5 inches and is in great condition. These have become virtually impossible to find.

PRICE: $850.00

Waffen-SS

Honor Ring (original), but in Worn Condition (Item SS 28-4)

DESCRIPTION: Here is an absolutely original Heinrich Himmler “Totenkopf Ehrenring,” but in very worn condition. The ring was the property of SS man Hans Höhl, who in 1934, became an Untersturmführer (2nd lieutenant). He received the ring in 1941, although we have not been able to trace the actual listing of this award at that time. His party number was 1933990; his SS number was 192635. In the 1930s, he was assigned to the

Oberaschnittstaff (mitte) headed by

-Gruppenführer Jeckeln at the time. This was the largest of the Oberabschnitt’s in Germany. The ring is in pretty good condition inside, as we have seen in many of these rings, while quite worn on the outside. The engraving inside is often OK! Of course the S/L is intact as is his name with the date 12/4/41, and facsimile signature of Himmler. The outside is quite stressed, but it is what it is, a rare

item that is beginning to take on the words “treasured object.” Only a little bit of the original design is discernable. Some of the oak leaf can be seen on both sides of the skull and some of the “S” runes in pyramid shape can be seen. The skull is evident, but the teeth and nostrils are passé. The size is about 9.5. Yes, worn, and probably worn proudly as it is evident that this

man wore it every day from 1941 to 1945, or whenever he was killed or surrendered. This is the chance to own a genuine honor ring that at least is authentic, if not so pretty anymore. We at Germania believe the real importance of these rings is who wore them, more than the condition. At least we have here a documented ring with for-sure provenance. Don Boyle, the only recognized authority on these rings, has seen this one and gives his certification with a written statement as to its authenticity. This will accompany the ring when sold.

PRICE: SOLD

Utterly Fantastic SS Album (Item SS 28-6; WAF 7-7; ALBUM 4-8)

DESCRIPTION: Collectors, archivists, museum personnel, here is a great SS album. According to the layout of the pictures it would seem that the album was put together by Herr Hugo Albert Denkhaus, 20/10/1919-2/3/1986. Denkhaus was an SS-Untersturmführer; at least at the time that the picture that appears on his death notice was taken. The large black-leather-covered album measures 11 1/2 x 15 inches and is filled with about 290 photos and a postcard or two. There are pictures of the young recruit Denkhaus and many of the pictures trace his history in the SS, but he also includes pictures of relatives, civilians, NSDAP, veterans’ organizations, and many school comrades, former work friends, etc., who were now in the Waffen-SS, navy, army, etc. There are pictures of SS men engaging in various sports, weapon maintenance, guard duty, clowning around, marching exercises, and at R & R. A great one has a team riding a rocket into space! There is a page where groups of SS soldiers are putting on reenactments of bygone Germanic times; scenes from the era of Frederick the Great, and the Franco-Prussian war are featured with vividly authentic costume. Gradually we move into appropriate photos up to the war, but before this there are pictures that he personally took at the 1936 Olympic Games that include at least four close-up pictures of Adolf Hitler. It is so rare to see snapshots of the führer. Usually only Heinrich Hoffmann or his staff was allowed to point a camera at Hitler. Four of the Olympic snapshots include Marshal Hermann Göring; also quite rare to be taken at a close angle by an SS man. Von Tschammer, the Reichssportdirektor, is also seen in these shots. There are two pages of pictures that appear to be competition between party functionaries such as the SS and SA; possibly at the Winter Olympics at Innsbruck. Another page chronicles the entry of the Wehrmacht into Vienna and here are two more candid pictures of the German führer and Göring in a remembrance ceremony and Göring in review of Wehrmacht troops as he salutes them from his Mercedes auto. There is also a very candid shot of Göring dressed in his bearskin cap (this is a really great one!) and two more of Göring who comes to his train compartment to wave and give the “Heil Hitler” salute to some admirers. There are great pictures of various guard posts and barracks of the SS. There are some really great pictures of typical soldiers in clown acts; Landsers with wives and sweethearts, horses, trucks, and ships. There is a picture of English war-dead coffins being reverently decorated by German soldiers; a visit to the Hindenburg Tannenberg monument; then into the scenes of war devastation and fiery action probably in Poland or France, bunkers, pillboxes, crashed planes, Christmas at the front, and perhaps out-of place-scene of the Nuremberg Parteitag (party rallies). The second to last pages are set aside for some miscellaneous pictures to include shots of more Christmas celebrations, various frontline R & R shots, and a page with six nice photos of what is probably a relative in the Kriegsmarine, two pictures of German army personnel, and a great postcard-type photo of a group of WWI soldiers from 1916. Possibly SS man Denkhaus’ father could be one of these Landsers. Then there is a page of pictures of the young lad of the Kriegsmarine with his proud mother and an army noncom and two Luftwaffe airmen. The last pages are dedicated to SS-Untersturnführer Hugo Denkhaus. There are two color pictures of his grave and about four of the remembrance cards with black mourning edges. The former SS comrades are shown at a memorial service honoring him and a larger remembrance picture of this brave soldier is presented with the words: “Wir trauern um unseren Kameraden: Hugo Denkhaus seine Ehre heiss treue.” This translates to: “We gather around our comrade Hugo Denkhaus. Your honor was called loyalty. This has to be one of the finest collections ever to be amassed in historically important archival pictures concerning the Waffen-SS in general, and we fervently hope it will fall into the hands and collection of someone who will treat it with the respect and honor that it deserves. How it ever came to be sold or discarded is a mystery to us, but it truly needs preservation.

PRICE: $2,500.00

SS Bottle from Dachau Krautergarten (Item SS 28-7)

DESCRIPTION: Here is a very rare item from the Dachau concentration camp. This garden and bottling facility was connected to the camp complex and was a favorite project of SS-Reichsführer Himmler, himself. The SS and NSDAP were extremely health conscious; cigarettes were frowned upon and even forbidden in the Luftwaffe and Allgemeine-SS. The experimentation in herbal treatment and cures continued right up to the end of the Reich in 1945. Wholegrain breads and the soy bean were extolled. The SS legions drank gallons of sparkling Aqua Vita. Today, Fachingen Mineralwasser is the “aqua vita” from those times and is the most-sold health water in Germany. Our historical advisor is related to the von Johnston family that is the sole producers of this natural beverage. We believe this bottle offered here once held the “aqua vita” water so precious to the SS and we believe it is from the famous herb garden at Dachau. The garden, personally supervised by Himmler, was worked by Polish and Lithuanian persons; often monks and priests and other clergymen who, although often convicted of treasonous activity, were selected for these labors because of their interest in herb experimentation. The bottle is dark green and I can tell you as a clinical nutritionist that this is the proper way to bottle medicinal or beneficial liquids because sunlight oxidizes and thus deteriorates the contents. The cap is the porcelain snap-tight style like the beer bottle at Item SS 23-4. (Please read this, also) On the cap are the initials and words as follows: “TP. Üb. PI Heidelager SS Eigentum.” A “Heidelager” is the name for a health camp and we believe this was another name for the Dachau herbal garden facility or adjacent to it. “SS Eigentum” means “SS property.” The bottle is 8 3/4 inches high. The body is about 3 inches wide. The cap is 1 3/4 x 1 inch. The condition is perfect and the item is extremely rare being also a positive side of SS general activities; more rare than an SS officer’s chain-link dagger. What GIs would bring home a bottle of water??? But I’m sure when they see this they will wish they had, right?

PRICE: $650.00; extra rare

Page Twenty-eight

Fabulous Replica of SS-Totenkopf Death's Head Ring

Please refer to item designator in parentheses in all correspondence.

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If you prefer, contact 'Germania' at PO Box 68, Lakemont, GA 30552
or call at 706.782.1668.

Please! do not call during the wee hours of the morning. The best time for calling us is between 10am and 12 noon and between 9 and 11 pm eastern time.