Black SS, Armed SS, SS VT

circa 1943. Pin-back badge made of fine zinc, hollow-embossed and toned, reverse with replaced pin. Worn, condition 2-.
Accompanied by a photocopy of an award certificate for the badge.
The Commemorative Badge of the Einsatzstaffel in Bronze was awarded to all members of the ES who had completed uninterrupted six-month service in the ES.


The Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen Mannschaft was a paramilitary National Socialist militia in the Independent State of Croatia during World War II.

Personnel matters and political education were formally the responsibility of the German “Volksgruppenführer” Branimir Altgayer, but in fact the later Hauptsturmführer of the Waffen-SS Jakob Lichtenberger commanded the unit. The DM was intended to unite “hereditarily healthy, racially and ideologically impeccable men over 21 (in exceptional cases over 18) years of age for the purpose of comradely education and physical training.” The Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen Mannschaft was established by the Croatian Head of State Ante Pavelić through the “Legislative Decree on the Establishment of a Militia of the German Ethnic Group within the Framework of the Croatian Ustasha Militia in the Independent State of Croatia” of July 31, 1941. The ES was deployed within the framework of the Ustasha militias, with the main task being the protection of German-inhabited localities. Initially, the strength of the ES was limited to one battalion, but due to the growing partisan threat, additional units were soon formed. By June 1, 1942, the ES reached a strength of 1,500 men, while two reserve battalions comprised an additional 1,200 men.

According to the agreement between the Croatian government and the German occupation authorities of September 16, 1941, the Volksdeutsche were to serve in their own formations within the Croatian Army. However, 10 percent of the conscripts of each year group were to serve in the Waffen-SS.

From June 1942, German conscripts between 17 and 30 years of age were to serve in the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division “Prinz Eugen” by decision of Heinrich Himmler. By the end of April 1943, the ES was dissolved and the personnel transferred to units of the Waffen-SS and the Police.

Soldiers of the Einsatzstaffel initially wore uniforms of the Croatian Home Guard (Hrvatsko Domobranstvo) from 1941, then from early 1942 uniforms in the style of the Waffen-SS. On the right black collar tab they wore two simple, vertical white/silver wolf's hooks, on the left black collar tab the white/silver rank insignia modeled on the left collar tabs of the Waffen-SS with six-pointed stars (which were adopted from the Austro-Hungarian and Croatian tradition).

Location Breslau, circa 1938. Brown plaque made of Böttger stoneware, dimensions 16 x 11 x 2 cm, depiction: knight with shield and SS runes, before swastika flag, in very good condition, rare.
The award plaque is illustrated in the reference work by Andre Hüsken "Katalog der Orden und Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Reiches 1871-1945", No. 74.17.

Location Breslau, circa 1938. Brown plaque made of Böttger stoneware, dimensions 16 x 11 x 2 cm, depicting: knight with shield and SS runes, before swastika flag. Storage damage, broken into several pieces.

The award plaque is illustrated in the reference book by Andre Hüsken “Katalog der Orden und Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Reiches 1871-1945”, No. 74.17.

Silver cup, height 4.2 cm, with applied honor badge of the SS-Heimwehr Danzig, reverse with fine engraving “SS Heimwehr Danzig 20.6.39. - 30.9.39.”, underside with jeweler's hallmark crescent moon, crown “835”. Used piece in good condition, the red enamel on the honor badge slightly damaged.
This cup is a commemorative item that was only awarded to the leaders of the SS Heimwehr Danzig who belonged to the unit for its entire existence.

The SS-Heimwehr Danzig, also known as Heimwehr Danzig, was officially established on June 20, 1939, when the local Senate under Albert Forster decided to form its own combat-effective force. Parts of the Danzig SS-Wachsturmbann “Eimann” were also incorporated into this new unit.
Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler supported the formation of the Heimwehr; he had suggested this step during a previous stay in Danzig. He dispatched SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans-Friedemann Goetze to Danzig for this purpose. Goetze was commander of the III. Sturmbann of the 4th SS-Totenkopfstandarte “Ostmark”, established in Berlin-Adlershof in October 1938. The III. Sturmbann was reinforced with the Anti-tank Training Storm of the SS-Totenkopfstandarten and approximately 500 additional volunteers. These volunteers, who reported to the new unit named SS-Sturmbann “Goetze”, came from Danzig and were predominantly members of the Wachsturmbann “Eimann”. On September 1, 1939, German troops crossed the Polish border, while the 1,550-man strong Heimwehr simultaneously began the engagement at the Polish Post Office in Danzig. The SS-Heimwehr also participated in the attack on the Danzig Westerplatte and subsequently served as a coastal guard in Danzig. On September 29, 1939, parts of the Heimwehr were transferred to Dachau. On September 30, 1939, with the dissolution of the Heimwehr Danzig, they were incorporated into the newly established SS-Division Totenkopf under Theodor Eicke.

Black presentation case with silver-printed runes, interior with silk lining and bordeaux-colored velvet insert. Condition 2.
Rarely found individually.

Medal for 8 years of service, toned base metal with drop-shaped suspension loop, with ribbon section, condition 2. Complete in original presentation case. The lid with silver-embossed SS runes is damaged, 2 side edges are missing. The bottom of the case has 2 cuts at the edges.

Medal for 8 years of service, blackened base metal, with teardrop suspension loop, with wide ribbon. In original cardboard presentation case. The lid with embossed silver runes. Unworn, however the lid is loose from the lower part of the case, the edges at the corners of the upper part are torn. Condition 2.

Medal for 4 years of service, blackened base metal, with teardrop suspension loop, with wide ribbon. In original cardboard presentation case. The lid with embossed and whitened runes. Unworn, however the lid is loose from the lower part of the case. Condition 2.

Medal for 8 years of service, toned bronze alloy with teardrop suspension loop, with ribbon section in damaged presentation case. The lid with silver runes, three sides of the lid are missing. Condition 2.

Medal for 8 years of service, toned base metal with drop-style suspension loop, with ribbon section in original presentation case. The lid with silver runes. The paper hinge still intact, condition 2.

Fire-gilt bronze with polished edges, attached to teardrop-shaped suspension loop, complete with original ribbon featuring embroidered gold SS runes. Condition 2. Very rare.

Miniature of the cross for 25 years of service, gold-plated base metal, height 10 mm, on long pin. Unworn, on an original LDO sales card, condition 2.
Extremely rare. 

The Long Service Awards for the SS were instituted on January 30, 1938, on the 5th anniversary of the National Socialist seizure of power by Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler. The award was intended for all units of the SS-Verfügungstruppe, the Totenkopfverbände, and the SS-Junkerschulen. On October 21, 1938, the appearance of the Long Service Award was established by decree. The award consisted of 4 classes. The 1st Class was awarded after 25 years of service, the 2nd Class after 12, the 3rd Class after 8, and the 4th Class after 4 years of faithful service.

circa 1943. Pin-back badge of non-ferrous metal, hollow embossed and silver-plated, reverse with 2 horizontal attachment brackets, one broken off. Worn condition, good.

The Commemorative Badge of the Einsatzstaffel in Silver was awarded to all members of the ES who participated in the founding of the ES and attended the first training course from September 28 to November 4, 1941 in Zagreb, or members who completed an uninterrupted 18-month service in the ES, or ES members who were wounded in the war.


The Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen Mannschaft was a paramilitary National Socialist militia in the Independent State of Croatia during World War II.

Formally responsible for personnel matters and political education was the German “Volksgruppenführer” Branimir Altgayer, but in fact the later Hauptsturmführer of the Waffen-SS Jakob Lichtenberger commanded the unit. The DM was to comprise “hereditarily healthy, racially and ideologically sound men over 21 (in exceptional cases over 18) years of age for the purpose of paramilitary training and physical conditioning.” The Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen Mannschaft was formed by the Croatian head of state Ante Pavelić through the “Legislative Decree on the Establishment of a Militia of the German Ethnic Group within the Croatian Ustasha Militia in the Independent State of Croatia” of July 31, 1941. The ES was deployed within the framework of the Ustasha militias, with the primary mission being the protection of German-inhabited localities. Initially the strength of the ES was limited to one battalion, but due to the growing threat from partisans, additional units were soon formed. By June 1, 1942, the ES reached a strength of 1,500 men, while two reserve battalions comprised an additional 1,200 men.

According to the agreement between the Croatian government and the German occupation forces of September 16, 1941, the Volksdeutsche were to serve in their own formations within the Croatian army. However, 10 percent of the conscripts of each year group were to serve in the Waffen-SS.

From June 1942, by decision of Heinrich Himmler, German conscripts between 17 and 30 years of age were to serve in the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division “Prinz Eugen.” By the end of April 1943, the ES was dissolved and the personnel transferred to units of the Waffen-SS and the police.

From 1941, soldiers of the Einsatzstaffel initially wore uniforms of the Croatian Home Guard (Hrvatsko Domobranstvo), then from early 1942 uniforms in the style of the Waffen-SS. On the right black collar tab they wore two simple, vertical white/silver Wolfsangeln, on the left black collar tab the white/silver rank insignia modeled after the left collar tabs of the Waffen-SS with six-pointed stars (which were adopted from the Austro-Hungarian and Croatian tradition).