Item Description
Original Item: One-of-a-kind-set. The SS (Schutzstaffel - 'Protection Squadron') was originally formed in 1925, ostensibly to act as a small, loyal bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf H. Under the direction of the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the SS grew to be the most ruthless and feared organization of the 20th century. They were the vanguard of NSDAP and eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe.
When WWII began in earnest, the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) (SS Dispositional Troops) became the Waffen-SS ("Armed SS"), an official military branch of the SS organization. Its formations included men from NSDAP ruled Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands.
Here we have a wonderful Waffen SS personal photo album, with what looks to be mostly photographs they took themselves, with some professional photos / cards of cities towards the end of the album. It is covered with a lovely finished paper cover, bound at the edge with leather, which has a large Schutzstaffel ᛋᛋ doppelte Siegrune (Double Sig/Victory Rune) symbol painted on the center of the front cover. The album measures approximately 11” x 7 3/4”.
A total of 128 photographs fill the pages of this album, making it a treasure-trove of images taken from the viewpoint of a young, patriotic German soldier. These are contained on 20 pages, which are not captioned, and most pages are separated by "spiderweb" pattern "onion skin" separators. Almost all of the photos are attached using corner tabs, some of which are missing or have detached from the pages over the years.
The early photos show pictures of numerous Waffen SS soldiers, including both officers and what look to be recruits in training. There are some soldiers bearing the Totenkopf (Death's Head) Insignia of the 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf" on their collar tabs. The photos then change to pictures of a destroyed city, some showing the fires still burning, as well as some photos of paratroopers. These all look to be from the invasion of the Netherlands. There are also photos of downed German planes among these.
Then the album has many photos showing Waffen SS and other soldiers in service in various locations, showing pictures of some light armored vehicles as well as motorcycles. The closing pages of the album are filled with professional captured photographs of various areas in the Netherlands. Definitely some great historical research potential in these pages!
Historical records like this album have become priceless time capsules that provide an incomparable level of insight into the individual experience of the Second
World War, now that almost eighty years have passed.
The older albums such as these usually withstand the ravages of time. The leather or fabric covers may wear, but the pages stay well intact. The black paper albums of the early 20th century are more fragile, while the glue from magnetic albums can damage photographs. And, as with all old photographs, keep albums in a safe, climate controlled environment.
More on the 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf":
This elite division of the Waffen-SS of NSDAP Germany during World War II formed from the Standarten of the SS-TV. Its name, Totenkopf, is German for "death's head" – the skull and crossbones symbol – and it is thus sometimes referred to as the Death's Head Division.
The division was formed through the expansion of Kampfgruppe Eicke, a battle group named – in keeping with German military practice – after its commander, Theodor Eicke. Most of the battle group's personnel had been transferred to the Waffen SS from KZ camp guard units, which were known collectively as SS-Totenkopfverbände; others were former members of Selbstschutz: ethnic German militias that had committed war crimes in Poland.
The division became notorious for its brutality, and committed numerous war crimes, including the Le Paradis massacre.
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