Der Stahlhelm / Stahlhelmbund Collection

[wilhelm Saris]

..

They should fit onto the leather shoulder-belt, as that is where they were worn!

[ATTACH]4610975[/ATTACH]

[wilhelm Saris]

The larger and smaller 1918 version. For reasons of security the reverse is not shown!

It is my opinion just a few persons only are interested to see this stuff.
A pity as I could show much more rare Stahlhelm items. It's now up to others
to show some rare items.

KL -4-.jpg

[Gary B]

Thanks for posting these pictures.

Gary B

[wilhelm Saris]

Interesting article I wrote for the Military Advisor with seven pages
with about 18 photographs with the original patch, its design, and its
wearing, supplied by Karl Brunkhorst from the USA Stahlhelm-unit
from New York.


[ATTACH]4613144[/ATTACH]

here the Original design for the patch:

[wilhelm Saris]

here the Original design from the patch, from Brunkhorst:

img046.jpg

[dastardly]

Wilhelm, you really do have the most interesting Stahlhelmbund memorabilia out there. Thanks again for sharing it with all of us, Chris

[wilhelm Saris]

Wilhelm, you really do have the most interesting Stahlhelmbund memorabilia out there. Thanks again for sharing it with all of us, Chris

I's all from a friend. Was able to inspect and hold the patch and all the other
stuff from the USA, as the design.
I am not quickly thrilled, but here I was!

[wilhelm Saris]

I see only viewers, but hardly any cooperation.
The group of interested people is just small and so I think
it was a wise decision, to cancel the writing for a book
about the Stahlhelm-organization. For years I worked for that,
to gather regulations, photographic material and so on.
A second attempt failed two years ago.

The publishers asked, were not interested and were not shouting
hurrah! The number of printed books would be too small, it was
their opinion. Other then that: it could not be done in one volume,
due to the masses of information and material. For example my
article about the "Alte Garde" badges, once published in the
"'Military Advisor", had 16 pages. And I had reduced the number of
photos, to get it published. The section about the organization in
my books about gorgets was 55 pages and also here I had to reduce
what was available. The number of pages about shoulder-belts,
buckles and the lots of insignia to wear with the belts would have
been at least 70 pages or more. Just three subjects.

The other reason to stop was: over 750 negatives, photographed
from documentation, about uniforms, insignia, flags, meetings,
marches and events, were lost one day. My "ego"-photographer in
those days was quite slovely and never found them back.
Weekends photographing the available material, especially collected
from the Stahlhelm-Archiv, were useless. To start all over again was
asked to much. So, it was over and out!

[dastardly]

Wilhelm, that is sad to hear that you have abandoned your Stahlhelmbund reference book for lack of interest. You are correct that it would probably not have sold hundreds of copies, but what militaria reference books do? There is a limited market for any of them, but yes, German veteran's groups would have surely been at the bottom end of the interest level. You know that I would have gladly provided anything/everything from my collection for your book that you needed and I have 3 other Stahlhelmbund specific collectors who surely would have done the same (one of whom who also has a pair of 1918 badges). Book or no book, what is important is that you make sure that you have a plan in place to pass someone or some organization all of your Stahlhelm knowledge and photographs, documentation, reference material, etc. before you leave this earth because it would be a tragedy if it all died with you (even worse than the 750 negatives that were already lost). You have taught me much about der Stahlhelm and I still reference your HJ Handbook and Headgear of Hitler's Germany books regularly so don't think that your countless hours of research, photo-taking, writing, and editing were for nothing. Thank you again for everything and please stay safe and healthy, Chris

[wilhelm Saris]

I cancelled it after the advise of the publishers. I was not in the mood to find another publisher and now I would not even start to rewrite all of it.
What will happen with my files after "I am gone" I do not know. The interested guys for the Stahlhelm-material backed off, as they just wanted the
material, but were not intending to eventually write about it!
People do not have any idea about the stuff to be shown, let alone the arm patches and numerous cuff-bands. Or the buckles from which I have over
200 of them.

I know my friend David Littlejohn once also was planning a book about all veteran's organizations, but cancelled it, when Bender denied publishing.
The draft largely is in my possession. To be honest, the draft was a mess and above that he had no idea what he was talking about with most of it!
He even had included material which I had told him NOT to be used.

[wilhelm Saris]

Nobody. Is nobody able to show us some material?
Is the group of interested persons for Stahlhelm items so small?

Photos will do also, as often one can see some nice items be worn!

[dastardly]

Wilhelm, It looks like it's just you and I. I wish that were true, but I know it's not because other than the common entry badges, common tinnies, and district patches, bidding is almost always fierce on most Stahlhelmbund items that go up for auction. Rarer tinnies, pennants, flags, collar insignia, cufftitles, belt buckles, and headgear always receive bids and usually sell for more than their opening reserve prices. I find that in general, Stahlhelmbund photo albums are always a hot item and can get very expensive ($300-$500 each) at auction. I just think that there are many more Stahlhelmbund collectors in Germany/Europe than in the U.S. and most of them are not members of the WAF.
To continue with displaying my Stahlhelmbund collection, I have attached some of their paperwork. These are actually some of my most cherished items because finding examples of their award citations, service diplomas, sports events documents, and membership IDs is much harder than finding any of their metal or cloth items. Enjoy, Chris

[wilhelm Saris]

Chris, great to see some stuff from your collection.

I hardly do have contact with members from the Bund these days. The elder, I learned to known during an annual event,
are either dead or to old and not able to work with a computer; the younger I most often avoid, as they are for me too right winged.
I am not fond of getting into trouble! So my motto is: stay away!!

[dastardly]

Wilhelm, I have attached a picture of the 4 Stahlhelmbund gorgets in my collection. What do you think of the bottom two in the picture (I have enlarged those two for better viewing)? Were examples like this worn or are these fantasy pieces? Thanks, Chris

[wilhelm Saris]

Wilhelm, I have attached a picture of the 4 Stahlhelmbund gorgets in my collection. What do you think of the bottom two in the picture (I have enlarged those two for better viewing)? Were examples like this worn or are these fantasy pieces? Thanks, Chris

I do not like them. I do not like the gilding of the chains, but also other aspects!

I know from price-lists that the basic gorget was available and one could ask for an inset,
which one desired, but I haven't seen the insets on old ones and I have observed over 60
gorgets from the Bund when I researched for my gorget-book.

It might be posssible they were used by the new Bund (this might be possible, but I have
not seen them at events. In use I saw the old versions), or even might be fantasy. Can you
make scans from the reverses?