Black SS, Armed SS, SS VT

circa 1944. Constructed from field-gray wool cloth, dark green collar, button placket with 6 field-gray tinted buttons. Complete with all insignia. Metal wire hand-embroidered collar tabs machine-sewn, dull shoulder boards with loops, branch color white. On the left sleeve with RZM metal wire hand-embroidered sleeve eagle, hand-sewn. On the chest, loops for 1 pin-on badge were removed. Medal ribbon bar attached. Interior with typical silk lining. The field tunic shows definite wear with light age and usage traces. Sleeve length 58 cm, shoulder width 42 cm, chest circumference 78 cm, length 61 cm, condition 2-.

circa 1943, manufactured from Italian camouflage fabric. Long version with hood (unlined), interior lined with lambskin. Outer sleeve length: approx. 64 cm, shoulder width approx. 54 cm, total length: approx. 105 cm. Buttons have been replaced, heavy signs of wear, seams of the lining and jacket are open at shoulder height for approx. 40 cm, areas of damage including to the drawstring at the collar, typical wear and age-related condition, condition 2-3

Chamber piece, circa 1944. Manufactured from field-gray Italian captured cloth, cut in the typical design for the Waffen-SS with belt loops, watch pocket with flap, trouser pockets also with flaps. Interior with typical chamber stamp for the Waffen-SS, “Betr.Ra.”. Measurements: waist circumference approximately 78 cm, total length approximately 97 cm. Worn piece, leg length has been shortened, small hole on right thigh, loop on back soiled. Very rarely found.

Depot piece, circa 1944. Manufactured from field gray Italian captured cloth, cut in the typical style for the Waffen-SS with belt loops, watch pocket with flap, trouser pockets also with flaps. Interior with typical depot stamp for the Waffen-SS, “Betr.Ra.”. Measurements: waist circumference approximately 70 cm, total length approximately 102 cm. Worn piece in untouched original condition. Very rarely found.

circa 1944. Originally issued as special clothing of the Kriegsmarine, for small combat units or submarine crews, but also issued to Waffen-SS tank crews. Black leather trousers. Interior with manufacturer's stamp “Bekleidung Genosschenschaft Prag I, 2.11.1943”. Measurements: waist circumference approximately 90 cm, total length approximately 115 cm. Unworn piece, however with foxing, condition 2+
Special clothing of the Kriegsmarine was frequently worn by tank units of the Waffen-SS in Normandy and later in the Ardennes.

Personal property item, circa 1944. These trousers are made from Italian captured material. White piping along the side seams for Infantry branch, lightly worn, waist circumference 72 cm, length 106 cm, condition 2+

Circa 1944. Front-made from Italian captured cloth, in typical Italian cut, loops for shoulder boards are present, the sleeve eagle in Bevo - woven execution. Measurements: shoulder width approx. 42 cm, outer sleeve length approx. 59 cm, overall length approx. 49 cm. Condition 3.

Elegant private-purchase item, manufactured by the firm Schwarz & Sohn, München in 1944. Made of field-gray wool cloth, dark green collar, field-gray tinted buttons. The sleeve eagle, cuff title, sewn-in shoulder boards and collar tabs were removed after 1945, but their positions are still clearly visible. On the collar, beside the impression of the collar tabs, rectangular discolorations are visible on both sides of the green cloth, originating from the reverse side of the collar tabs. On the left breast, loops for the long medal bar and 4 pin-back badges, on the right breast sewn the German Cross in Gold in cloth version. On the right upper arm with the chevron for Old Fighters, on the left upper arm applied the Demjansk Shield, pinned directly to the cloth and secured inside the lining with a backing plate. Under the dark green collar on left and right, 2 buttons for attaching the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Interior with field-gray lining, at the neck with large woven tailor's label “Christian Schwarz & Sohn München”, machine-sewn. In the interior pocket with printed tailor's label “Schwarz & Sohn München” with handwritten wearer designation “SS-Gruppenf. M. Simon 11.6.44, No. 708/2”. With sewn-in slit for wearing the leader's sword or chain dagger.
The field tunic shows clear wear with typical usage and age-related traces, in the lining a few small wear-related damages.
Included are 2 very good reproduction photos, taken during his surrender to the US Army in Southern Germany, on which the field tunic is clearly recognizable.
Additionally the following original documents:
Large photograph of Simon as SS-Gruppenführer with Knight's Cross together with an SS-Unterscharführer with Demjansk Shield (probably his driver). Gille wears exactly this field tunic. Verso marked “Agfa Brovira”, dimensions 17 x 23 cm.
Affidavit by Max Simon, Generalleutnant of the Waffen-SS, issued Allendorf, 4 July 1946. The declaration contains a description of the conditions in internment camp 75 and SS camp 73 in Kornwestheim, particularly the poor treatment of prisoners of war, some of whom had their prostheses removed! With original signature “Max Simon” former Generalleutnant of the Waffen-SS, signed and certified by the Allied guard personnel “Subscribed and sworn to before me this 9- day of July 1946”. Additionally the prisoner identification card “Seventh Army Internee Camp No. 5 Kornwestheim ‘Stets bei sich Tragen’”, issued to “Simon, Max Otto, No. 4 043, Baracke D”.
Questionnaire of the “Military Government of Germany”, bilingual German/English from 1947, over 6 pages of detailed curriculum vitae handwritten by Max Simon, with all promotions, all units etc. through and including 1945. The cover sheet has a cut (probably accidentally created when opening a letter), but complete.
2 discharge certificates/Certificate of Discharge from prisoner of war status, dated 1949, one from the refugee camp Friedland, the 2nd from the “Disbandment control unit”, both with personal signature “Max Simon”.
5 postcards from the family to Max Simon in captivity, 2 postcards from 1947 to POW Camp Wolfsberg/Kärnten, 3 postcards from the years 1951 - 1953 to the penitentiary Werl/Westfalen.
Letter from former comrade-in-arms and subordinate Martin Stange (last rank SS-Standartenführer) to Mrs. Elsa Simon-Binder from 1993, 2-page typewritten with a eulogy about his former superior, with personal signature.
Handwritten letter from Max Simon from the prison Werl to his family, dated “Werl, 26 July 1952”, 4 pages, with signature “Euer Max”.
SS Soldbuch in photocopy, issued 1942, with large uniform photograph and entries through 1945. The Soldbuch was copied with all pages and assembled like the genuine Soldbuch, which unfortunately no longer exists.
Additionally some research materials, printed from the Internet.

The field tunic and documents originate directly from the Simon family, the Soldbuch was not sold at that time, perhaps it is still with the family today.

Max Simon (* 6 January 1899 in Breslau; † 1 February 1961 in Lünen), SS-Gruppenführer and Generalleutnant of the Waffen-SS. He was charged in several countries for his participation in war crimes and was twice sentenced to death, once in absentia. In the Federal Republic he was charged for his war crimes in 1945, but died in 1961 before the end of the proceedings.

This is a personally-owned piece, circa 1940. Open service tunic in the typical SS cut, manufactured from field-gray cloth in officer quality, complete with all insignia. Collar tabs machine-sewn, silver cord piping around the collar. Sewn-in dull shoulder boards, branch color white. On the left upper arm with hand-embroidered sleeve eagle, hand-sewn, on the cuff the black cuff title for all ranks of the Standarte, on the right upper arm with chevron for “Alte Kämpfer” (Old Fighters). The buttons nickel-plated, on the reverse with manufacturer “FLL Friedrich Lüdenscheid”. On the chest loops for a small ribbon bar and for 1 pin-back badge. Interior with olive-green lining, in the left hip pocket with sewn-in slit for wearing the SS chain dagger or officer's sword, at the neck with woven tailor's label “Linus Port Weilheim”. The service tunic is lightly worn, sleeve length 60cm, chest circumference 74cm, length 64cm, condition 2

SS-Sturmbann “N” was formed from personnel of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and SS-Standarte “Deutschland” in August/September 1936. The “N” stood for Nürnberg, the location of the Sturmbann with the mission to provide personnel for guards etc. at the annual Reich Party Rallies. The unit was subordinate to the Inspector of the SS-Verfügungstruppe in Berlin, but was controlled by Standarte “Deutschland”. In November 1938, the Sturmbann was integrated into a motorcycle rifle battalion and also filled the personnel of the SS anti-tank detachment in Ellwangen.

Personal property item, manufactured 1936. The greatcoat in fine heavy officer quality, the collar in field gray, complete with all insignia. On the collar the collar tabs in hand-embroidered metallic thread execution, hand-sewn. Sewn-in shoulder boards in standard Wehrmacht style, Waffenfarbe white. On the left upper arm with hand-embroidered metallic thread sleeve eagle for officers, hand-sewn, on the cuff the cuff title “Germania” in hand-embroidered metallic thread execution, hand-sewn. On the right upper arm the chevron for former members of the Police prior to 30.1.1933. Interior with green silk lining, at the neck the woven tailor's label “B. Hamkens Hamburg, Kaiser Wilhelmstr. 25/31”, in the interior pocket with tailor's label “B. Hamkens, Hamburg” with handwritten wearer designation “Strutz 6.11.1936”, on the side with sewn-in carrying clip and slit for wearing the officer's dagger or saber. Worn piece, in good condition.
One of the few uniform items with definitive provenance.

Erich Strutz, born 15.10.1904, NSDAP membership no. 4.490.795, SS membership number 264288, recipient of the SS officer's sword, SS honor ring, SA sports badge, Reich sports badge, member of the SS-Lebensborn, promotion to SS-Obersturmführer on 15.9.1935, belonged according to SS seniority list 1938/39 to II. Battalion, SS-Regiment 2 “Germania”. He died in an automobile accident in Hamburg in 1938.
Attached in photocopy the excerpt from the SS seniority list 1938.

The additional items from the estate of SS-Obersturmführer Strutz are illustrated in the Wehrmacht Award Forum WAF, including his service tunic (also manufactured by Hamkens), SS honor ring, documents, a photograph of the memorial stone at the accident site, etc.

field-gray herringbone twill fabric, collar tabs with only the rank insignia side remaining, shoulder straps are heavily worn, imprint of the sleeve eagle still visible. The sleeves have been shortened, numerous repair patches. Measurements: shoulder width approx. 42 cm, outer sleeve length approx. 55 cm, overall length approx. 76 cm. Condition 4-.

Chamber piece, circa 1944. Manufactured from field-gray Italian captured cloth, cut in the typical style for the Waffen-SS with belt carrying loops, watch pocket with flap, trouser pockets also with flaps. Interior without chamber stamp. Measurements: waist circumference approximately 82 cm, total length approximately 103 cm. Worn piece in untouched original condition. Very rarely found.

Circa 1943. Field-gray Italian captured cloth, with dark green collar. Complete with all insignia: hand-embroidered bullion collar tabs, machine-sewn, sewn-in matte shoulder boards with green Waffenfarbe (branch color). Right sleeve with sewn-on mountain troops badge, left arm with hand-embroidered bullion sleeve eagle. Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon sewn to buttonhole, on chest loops for 3 stick pins. Left hip pocket with slit for wearing officer's dagger, interior pocket with tailor's label “Walter Heinrich Gera”, owner's name crossed out. Sleeve length 60 cm, chest circumference 40 cm, length 83 cm. Lightly worn piece. Very rare.