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 Totenkopf SS personal photo album, with what looks to be all photographs they took themselves (or had others take of them), with possibly a few professional shots. It is covered with a lovely textured burgundy leatherette cover, which has an embossed silver stahlhelm helmet on a black background, which is itself embossed with a black ᛋᛋ Doppelte Siegrune (Double Sig/Victory Rune) insignia of the SS. Just to the right of this it is also embossed in silver with Meine Dienſtzeit (My Service), a standard inscription seen on the front of these military photo albums. The album measures approximately 10” x 7 1/2”, and is bound together with black cord.

A total of 68 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 the 17 pages of the album, which are not captioned, and most pages are separated by spiderweb pattern "onion skin" separators. All of the photos look to be attached to the album using period corner attachments, and the photos are in really good condition.

As a real treat, the inside of the front cover and the first page show pictures of the owner of the album, who has the iconic Totenkopf (Death's Head) on his uniform, which should be for the 3rd SS Panzer Division. However surrounding his picture on the front inside cover is a set of original SS helmet decals, including both the Runes and the NSDAP Party Shield! Also on the inside of the back cover is an original embroidered SS Sports Shirt insignia! These items alone are highly collectible, making this a very desirable album.

Regarding the contents of the album, there are a wide variety of scenes shown, showing the daily life of soldiers during the war. There are a few pictures of armored vehicles, but in general it looks like this soldier mostly documented daily life, and not battle scenes and their aftermath. Definitely some great 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.