SS Ring, SS-Unterscharführer Photo, Book

The images and text used on this and all other USM web pages are the copyrighted property
of USM Inc. Those images and the text may be used by others ONLY AFTER completion
of a formal international licensing agreement and payment of a licensing fee!

SS SKULL RING - GENUINE

AN ABSOLUTELY GENUINE SILVER SS SKULL RING
PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY A SS-UNTERSCHARFÜHRER
IN A SS-TOTENKOPFSTURM WHO SERVED AT
AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION CAMP

In a world of wonderful fakes, it is rare to find an absolutely SS silver skull and runes ring that can be directly connected to its first owner, a SS-Unterscharführer who served as a member of the SS Totenkopfsturm at Konzentrationslager Auschwitz (KLA or Auschwitz concentration camp) and Konzentrationslager Auschwitz-Birkenau (KLAII or Birkenau concentration camp) and shown in the portrait below. We purchased this ring, a SS photo book containing a portrait of the SS man (see below), and the Nazi Kennkarte of the SS man’s wife from the daughter-in-law of the deceased SS man in 2001 within a few miles of the town where the SS man had lived all his life.

This private purchase ring is made in precisely the same form and same materials as the SS Honor Ring presented to SS Officers by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler. The solitary difference between this and a SS Honor Ring is the lack of the Himmler inscription inside this ring. The skull and bones emblem of the SS was applied to a flattened spot on the front of this ring after it was properly sized. We have not cleaned the ring and no one has worn it since we bought it. It is precisely as we acquired in in 2001. The documentable existence of this ring and its connection to an identified SS member is proof positive that this style of ring was worn by SS personnel other than those who were awarded a SS Honor Ring.

The man who first owned this SS ring, H.M. (we will provide his name to the ring buyer), was a butcher in a small city south of the Donau (Danube) river in what is now Austria. When H.M. joined the SS on 17 April 1938 the country of Austria had been a part of the Grossdeutschland of Adolf Hitler (Anschluss) for just one week! That date is one of two engraved inside this solid silver ring - the other is 26 February 1947, the day H.M. was released from prison following World War II. Obviously, this man was still a very committed SS-er in spite of having spent a couple of years at hard labor for his convictions.

The ring is rather large, with an inside diameter of 21 mm (about 13/16 of an inch) and quite heavy. The width of the band is 6 mm or about 1/4 inch. The skull of course, is slightly taller. All details on the ring are clear and sharp. While the ring possesses all the signs that it was worn, it was not abused or defaced in any way.

The original owner of this ring died in the 1980s and left it to his son along with other mementos of the Third Reich. When the son died unexpectedly a few years later, it was the desire of his widow (daughter-in-law of H.M.) to sell the items, and we bought them. Along with the ring we also purchased H.M.s copy of the very, very heavily illustrated 1957 Plesse Verlag book ,,Waffen-SS im Bild’’ (The Waffen-SS in Pictures).

,,Waffen-SS im Bild’’ is one of the best books of its type ever printed and many of the photos that accompany this listing are from this rare book.

The 246-page profusely illustrated hardcover book ,,Waffen-SS im Bild’’ measures about 7 x 9-1/2 inches, has silver SS runes embossed on the green cloth over, and has H.M.s name, address and occupation (“Butcher and Meat Smoker”) stamped on the flyleaf inside the front cover.

On page 14 of the book below the text
is a line of type
which translates:

“Page 15 is reserved
for the insertion of
a personal picture.”

H.M. in the uniform of a SS-Unterscharführer of a SS Totenkopfsturm

On page 15 of ,,Waffen-SS im Bild’’ there is a 3-3/8 x 5-3/8 inch professional photographic portrait of the youthful H.M. in the uniform of a SS-Unterscharführer of a SS Totenkopfsturm - the personnel charged with running concentration camps in Nazi Germany. The photograph is not glued to the page but held in with “photo corners.”

On the back it is marked with the oval stamp of MIMOSA FOTO AUSCHWITZ and written by hand in ink is the date 1940 and the words Zur Erinnerung! and the man’s full signature. Some of the pages of this book have scotch tape stains near the bound edge.

Also included by the daughter-in-law in the sale of these SS mementos was the Third Reich Kennkarte or Civilian Nazi Identity Document of her mother-in-law’s (H.M.s wife). That 5-3/4 x 8-1/4 inch (folds to 4-1/8 x 5-3/4 inch) gray leinen document was issued 5 July 1943 and bears an expiration date of 5 July 1948. It has had the photo removed but clearly identifies the owner by her married name, Margareta M., shows her birthday as 7 April 1921 and her occupation as “Butcher’s Apprentice” (Fleischerlehrling).

When we bought this lot we agreed not to publicize the name or residence of the family out of respect for their privacy, and we will not.

Naturally, the eventual buyer of these items will take possession of them and will have all the details. The name and address details are sufficient to allow a new owner of this lot to complete any desired level of research into the life and military career of SS-Unterscharführer H.M. USM, Inc. will also supply a Certificate of Authenticity stating that all the items in this lot are absolutely genuine AND THAT they were purchased together as a single lot in precisely the condition they are now in from the daughter-in-law of the ring’s original owner, H.M.

Very, very rare
and in very
good condition.

To see a picture of another SS-Unterscharführer who worked at Mauthausen Concentration Camp, but wearing the same uniform that H.M. is wearing in the portrait above, click HERE.

This authentic silver SS ring is offered
**SOLD**.
We are happy to ship abroad at additional cost. Please inquire.

This USM Books website is Copyright © 2007 by USM, Inc., and the text and images on it are fully protected by international copyright law. It is therefore, illegal for anyone to take any of the material found here and use it for their own purposes without our written permission, irrespective of any excuse they may feel they have for doing so.