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 German WWII Wehrmacht=Photoalbum owned by a member of the Waffen SS, with what looks to be mostly photographs they took themselves, with some professional photos / cards mixed in. It is covered with a lovely finished paper cover, which has a large Iron Cross 1939 embossed in the center. The album measures approximately 8” x 9 1/2”, and the front has a title page for information about the owner, followed by 16 pages for notes, which were left blank. The back of the title page is marked Meine Erlebniſſe und Erinnerungen (My Experiences and Memories).
We have had these before with no information entered, but this example has a photograph of the owner, over his name Willi Hartung, along with his basic personal details. He was born 14. 4. 1910, and enlisted in the armed forces 7. 3. 1939. There is then a list of when he was promoted (though not what rank), as well as the awards he received. Looking at the pictures, he looks to have been ranked as an SS-Unterscharführer (SS-Junior squad leader), a rank equivalent to a Heer Unteroffizier or U.S. Army Sergeant.
After this it indicates that his service ended with the Kapitulation, or the end of the war. It also gives the units he was in, which include the ᛋᛋ-T.V., ᛋᛋ-Pol.-Div., and H.-J. Div.. It also has the following message at the very end: Ab Mai 1945 als Kriegsverbrecher wegen Zugehörigkeit zur Waffen-SS verfolgt! (From May 1945 held as a war criminal for belonging to the Waffen SS!), which is not surprising given the units he was a member of. We can find no record of this however.
A total of 61 photographs fill the pages of this album (including the title photo), with 5 loose photos included, making it a treasure-trove of images taken from the viewpoint of a young, patriotic German soldier. These are contained on the first 9 of the 16 total photo pages, almost all of which are captioned giving information about the location and often DATES, a real rarity! Most pages are separated by "spiderweb" pattern "onion skin" separators, and 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 pictures on the following pages start in the Breslau area with training, and later move on to Paris, France, and finally Holland. There are many photos at leisure, and at times it seems almost like a tourist album, except for the fact that they are in occupied territories stripped of their freedoms. Very interestingly, there are even pictures of what look to be African soldiers from Senegal and Niger, definitely not something one would expect in a Waffen SS album. 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.
- This product is available for international shipping. Shipping not available to: Australia, France, or Germany
- Due to legal restrictions this item cannot be shipped to Australia, France or Germany. This is not a comprehensive list and other countries may be added in the future.
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon
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