Original Item: Only One Available. The SS (Schutzstaffel) was originally formed in 1925, ostensibly to act as a small, loyal bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf AH. 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 Germany eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe.

Das Schwarze Korps ("The Black Corps") was the official newspaper of the Schutzstaffel (SS). This newspaper was published on Wednesdays and distributed free of charge, and all SS members were encouraged to read it. The chief editor was SS leader Gunter d'Alquenm and the publisher was Max Amann of the Franz-Eher-Verlag publishing company. The paper was hostile to many groups, with frequent articles condemning the Catholic Church, Jews, Communism, Freemasonry, and others.

This is a lovely collection consisting of two issues of "Das Schwarze Korps", one dated 6. August 1942 and another dated 21. September 1944, both printed in Berlin. They are in very good condition, showing the expected discoloration from age, and the larger 1942 edition measures 18 1/2" x 12 3/4". We can also see that the quality had gone quite a bit downhill by September 1944, by which time Paris had been liberated by the Allies, and it was clear to most that the Third Reich's days were numbered.

Also included is a Frauen und Mädchen stricken und nähen für Soldaten (Women and girls knit and sew for soldiers) insert, which has examples of winter clothing that could be produced by the home front women and girls to support the soldiers. This definitely would have been produced late in the war, when Germany was being pushed back from the Eastern Front.

Some great German WWII Era research materials, ready to be a great translation project!

The Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), was originally formed in May 1923 as the Stosstrupp Adolf AH, (Shock Troops Adolf AH), and was redesignated Schutzstaffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925 with the official acceptance of the name verified on the second anniversary of the failed Munich "Beer-Hall" Putsch on November 9TH 1925. On January 6TH 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed as Reichsführer-SS, (National Leader {of the} SS), and on July 20TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30TH 1934, purge of the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm Troopers) on the "Night of the Long Knives", the SS was rewarded by AH by being granted the status of an independent organization under direct control of the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party). The SS developed the distinctive SS style cap skull and cross bones on October 6TH 1934 and introduced the SS pattern national cap eagle in February 1936. After their introductions the skull and eagle were to be worn on all forms of SS headgear. In 1944 the SS developed a single piece of cap insignia which incorporated both the skull and eagle on a one piece trapezoid base for wear on the M43 field cap. Originally these trapezoidal pieces of insignia were produced in a machine woven version until a final, embroidered version was introduced in late 1944. The first versions of the trapezoidal cap insignia featured dual rows of teeth in the skull while later versions only had a single row of teeth. Panzer personnel’s cap trapezoids were produced with a black base to match the color of the cap it was to be worn on.