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.

Here we have a very nice wooden-handle brass stamp from what we assume is the Allgemeine-SS, but could also be the Waffen-SS, which were both part of the Gesamt-SS (Combined SS). The stamp measures about 1 1/2"W x 2 1/4"H and on the bottom is the reversed marking it stamps: ᛋᛋ = Brigadeführer. This is a rank equivalent to a Generalmajor on the Heer Army, and we assume that the owner had another stamp for their name, or would sign it over the stamp. In the Waffen-SS the complete title for this rank was "SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS", which is why we believe this is most likely from the Allgemeine-SS.

Everything about the stamp is totally correct, and the brass stamp is in great shape, showing staining on the bottom from past use with ink. We have tested it with a modern ink pad, and were able to get a nice stamp on paper after several tries, which is included.

A very interesting piece of German WWII militaria, ready to research & display!

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.