This document represents a transmittal letter for the Yule Candlestick (Jul-Leuchter), issued in July 1939 in Berlin by Heinrich Himmler in his capacity as Reichsführer-SS. This DIN A4 sheet bearing Himmler's facsimile signature belongs to the significant testimonies of the ideological instrumentalization of Germanic traditions by the SS in National Socialist Germany.

The Yule Candlestick itself was a central element of the SS substitute religion propagated by Himmler. The Yule festival, a Germanic winter solstice celebration, was established by the SS leadership as an alternative to Christian Christmas celebrations. Himmler, who had a pronounced interest in supposedly Germanic traditions and occult practices, systematically introduced new rituals and symbols for the SS from the mid-1930s onward.

The first Yule Candlesticks were produced in 1936 by the Allach porcelain manufactory, which belonged to the SS. These candlesticks were made of white porcelain and bore SS runes as well as Germanic symbols. Initially, they were only awarded to higher SS leaders; later, the circle of recipients expanded. By 1939, the distribution of these candlesticks had developed into an established tradition within the SS.

The year 1939 marks a special point in this development. It was the last peacetime year before the outbreak of World War II in September. The transmittal letters served to officially accompany the award of the Yule Candlestick and to emphasize the ideological significance of this gift. Himmler personally signed these letters, although for practical reasons facsimile signatures were usually used.

The letters were carefully formulated and emphasized the connection of the SS comrades with supposedly ancient Germanic traditions. They served indoctrination purposes and were meant to convey a sense of belonging to an elite community. Under Himmler, the SS developed a complex system of rituals, symbols, and ceremonies designed to emotionally bind members to the organization.

The use of the term “SS-Kameraden” (SS comrades) is indicative of the SS's propagated comradeship ideology. This emphasized the alleged equality within the “Protection Squadron” while simultaneously obscuring the hierarchical structures and the criminal nature of the organization.

Technically speaking, such transmittal letters were typically printed on official SS letterhead, often with the header “Der Reichsführer-SS” and the Berlin address. Himmler's facsimile signature was reproduced through printing processes, which was necessary given the large number of letters to be sent.

After 1945, such documents became historical sources providing insight into the ideological practices of the SS. They document the systematic efforts of the Nazi leadership to replace Christian traditions and establish a new worldview supposedly based on Germanic roots. Historians use such documents to analyze the mechanisms of ideological control and manipulation within the SS.

The condition of such documents varies greatly. The present specimen in condition 2+ indicates good to very good preservation, which is remarkable for paper items from this period. Many of these documents were destroyed after the war or lost in the postwar turmoil.

Today, such transmittal letters are found in museums, archives, and private collections. They serve exclusively for historical research and education about the practices of the Nazi regime. Their trade is legally permissible in Germany provided it serves purposes of civic education, science, or similar purposes.