Original Item. Only One Lot Available. This is a group of three original German political and historical magazines published between 1935 and 1940, consisting of two issues of Der Schulungsbrief, the central political training publication of the NSDAP, and one issue of Deutsche Kriegsopferversorgung, the periodical associated with the Nationalsozialistische Kriegsopferversorgung (NSKOV), the organization responsible for representing German war veterans and war victims.

The publications contain a substantial assortment of illustrated articles, military history, political commentary, photographs, artwork, and contemporary advertisements. Their dates span an important period of German history, beginning with the consolidation of the NSDAP regime in the mid-1930s and continuing into the first year of WWII.

The group consists of the following three issues:

Deutsche Kriegsopferversorgung - September 1935, 3. Jahrgang, Folge 12. Published in Berlin-Schöneberg, this magazine was intended for German front-line veterans, disabled servicemen, and other war victims. Its illustrated cover depicts a large eagle soaring above a group of standards and a prominent swas. flag. The publication combines material concerning veterans and the NSKOV with historical articles, illustrations, and period commercial advertisements.

Der Schulungsbrief - November 1937, IV. Jahrgang, 11. Folge. Published in Berlin under the authority of the Reichsorganisationsleiter der NSDAP, this issue bears the prominent cover title Volk in Waffen, meaning "People in Arms" or "Nation in Arms." The cover depicts a helmeted German soldier carrying a rifle with a fixed bayonet. Its military imagery reflects the emphasis placed on national defense, military service, and political instruction during the years of German rearmament.

Der Schulungsbrief - 1940, VII. Jahrgang, 3. Folge. Also published under the authority of the Reichsorganisationsleiter der NSDAP, this wartime issue has a striking illustrated cover depicting a helmeted German soldier preparing to throw a stick grenade. Produced during the first year of WWII, it belongs to the period when the publication increasingly addressed the ongoing conflict and Germany's political and military objectives in Europe.

The magazines contain extensive German-language text accompanied by numerous photographs and illustrations. Among the subjects represented are German military history, the development of weapons and warfare, historical military leaders, formations of troops, artillery, mounted soldiers, and the role of military service in German society. Several illustrated articles examine earlier periods of European warfare, including the use of cavalry, battlefield formations, and the development of military equipment.

Other material addresses contemporary European politics and the ideological interpretation of German history. One article bears the heading Deutschland kämpft für Europa! ("Germany Fights for Europe!"), presenting the conflict through the political arguments advanced by the regime. Additional pages include historical accounts, photographs of military personnel and formations, political commentary, and advertisements for German commercial products. The combination of historical subjects and contemporary political material is characteristic of the educational and propaganda publications distributed during this period.

All three magazines remain in good overall condition, with expected age toning, light creasing, scattered spotting, and wear along the edges and corners. The illustrated covers retain their principal artwork and lettering, while the interior printing remains generally clear and legible. The 1935 Deutsche Kriegsopferversorgung exhibits somewhat more pronounced discoloration and surface wear, particularly to its lighter-colored cover. The paper has aged naturally, and careful handling is recommended to preserve the original pages.

Historical Context

Following the NSDAP's rise to power in 1933, political education became an important part of the Party's efforts to establish ideological control over German society. The Party developed an extensive system of training offices, instructional programs, and printed material intended to educate members, officials, and affiliated organizations in its political doctrine.

Der Schulungsbrief originated in 1934 and became the central monthly training periodical of the NSDAP and the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF), or German Labor Front. Published by Franz Eher Nachfolger in Munich's publishing network, with Berlin as the publication location, it operated through the Party's political training apparatus. The periodical addressed a wide variety of subjects, including economics, history, racial doctrine, labor, international affairs, and political organization.

The Reichsorganisationsleiter der NSDAP, Robert Ley, held authority over much of the Party's organizational and training structure after his appointment in November 1934. His responsibilities included coordinating Party activities and developing the institutions responsible for instructing political leaders and members. Within this system, the Hauptschulungsamt, or Main Training Office, played an important role in preparing and distributing educational material.

The publications were intended to promote a common ideological understanding among the Party's membership. Political training was conducted through an extensive hierarchy extending from regional Gau organizations to local Party groups. Printed instructional material made it possible to circulate centrally developed lessons throughout this network, while providing material for organized political discussions and training meetings.

The military themes prominent in these publications also developed within the context of Germany's rearmament. In March 1935, the German government publicly announced the expansion of its armed forces and reintroduced compulsory military service, openly violating the military restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. The new Wehrmacht expanded rapidly in the following years, accompanied by government campaigns promoting military preparedness and the restoration of German military strength.

Military history occupied an important place in this propaganda. Earlier German wars, historical commanders, and military traditions were incorporated into a broader political narrative that portrayed military service as an essential expression of national duty. Particular attention was given to the First World War, which remained central to the political culture of the NSDAP. The experiences of German soldiers between 1914 and 1918 were repeatedly invoked to promote sacrifice, comradeship, obedience, and national unity.

The emphasis on military preparedness intensified alongside Germany's increasingly aggressive foreign policy. The remilitarization of the Rhineland in March 1936, the annexation of Austria in March 1938, and the occupation of the Czech lands in March 1939 formed part of the expansionist policies that preceded the outbreak of WWII. During this period, political-training publications helped present the regime's actions as legitimate efforts to restore German national rights and security.

Following the invasion of Poland in September 1939 and the declarations of war by Britain and France, the Party's propaganda apparatus increasingly concentrated on justifying the war and explaining Germany's military objectives. Political instruction incorporated accounts of current events, military developments, and arguments concerning Germany's position in Europe. Historical material continued to appear, frequently interpreted in ways intended to reinforce the regime's contemporary political claims.

The Nationalsozialistische Kriegsopferversorgung (NSKOV) developed within a related system of political organizations, although its immediate responsibilities concerned the welfare and representation of former servicemen and war victims.

Established in 1933 under the leadership of Hanns Oberlindober, the NSKOV became the principal NSDAP organization concerned with the interests of disabled veterans, surviving dependents, and other individuals affected by military service and wartime losses. Oberlindober held the title of Reichskriegsopferführer, or Reich Leader of War Victims.

Its formation occurred while the new government was reorganizing Germany's existing veterans' and welfare associations. The NSKOV took part in the wider process of Gleichschaltung, through which independent organizations were brought under the political control or influence of the NSDAP. Representation of disabled veterans and war victims became increasingly concentrated within organizations operating under the new regime.

The NSKOV addressed practical matters that had remained important since the end of the First World War. These included disability pensions, compensation, medical treatment, employment opportunities, housing, and assistance for widows and surviving dependents. The economic difficulties of the Weimar period and the effects of the Great Depression had left many veterans and their families in difficult circumstances, making questions of financial support and social provision politically significant.

Oberlindober and the NSKOV participated in discussions surrounding reforms to Germany's war-victims' benefits system. During 1933, proposals for improving pensions and assistance became the subject of exchanges between Party officials and government ministries. The government's financial priorities, however, limited the resources available for substantial increases in benefits, creating tensions between the demands advanced on behalf of veterans and the administration's economic policies.

The NSKOV also promoted organized commemorative activities and the public recognition of former soldiers. Its members participated in ceremonies, veterans' gatherings, and events honoring the German dead of the First World War. Such activities formed part of the regime's broader effort to incorporate remembrance of the war into its political institutions.

By the middle of the 1930s, Germany's veterans' organizations had become closely tied to the political and administrative structures of the Third Reich. The NSKOV provided an institutional connection between the experience of the First World War and the increasingly militarized society developing under the NSDAP.

The organization continued to operate during WWII, when the number of disabled servicemen and surviving dependents grew as a result of the new conflict. Its welfare responsibilities consequently acquired renewed importance, while its ideological and commemorative activities remained closely connected to the regime.