Pass

[magprint]

Has anyone ever seen one of these before.

I would appreciate any opinions one way or the other - this is way out of my collecting scope.

Thanks,
Rich Moran

[bhholst]

Sonderausweiss

Hello Richard.
While I have no recollection of ever having seen such pass in literature or being offered for sale I can provide the following information:
Sperrkreis A was the innermost area in A.Hitler's H.Q. accessible only to a very small circle of people . The commandant of the entire H.Q. was an officer (Lt.Col. or Col. ) Greve as shown on the pass. (Have not found a precise source but the name is associated strongly in my memory with that of the commandant there)
A list of the members of the Reichssicherheitsdienst ( Hitler's personal security detail) dated Jan. 1945 lists thre members named Danner, one SS-Ustf and two Ostf..The pass gives no first name but was to be presented together with I.D. card as noted on it.
The SS component in H.Q.was increased following the attempt on H.'s life on 20.Jul.1944 but the person here seems to have been part of the R.S.D. permitted in the innermost area to provide security.
Sources :
Peter Hoffmann , Hitler's Personal Security and The History of the German Resistance 1936-1945. Aaron L.Johnson, Hitler's Military Headquarters , Organization, Structures and Personnel.
Bernhard H.Holst

[magprint]

Thanks

Thanks Bernhard,

I am making a display of uniforms that include one or two of Hitlers LAH men and GD Kommando's.

Does your source specify that Danner was a member of LAH ?

Thanks,
Rich

[bhholst]

SS-Ustf. Danner

Hello Richard.
The person listed on the pass you show was most likely a member of the personal security detail for A.Hitler(Reichssicherheitsdienst). This unit was not a component of the Waffen-SS. The list I quoted in my earlier reply lists two of the several Danners as also having a Kriminal Sekraetaer rank. Most others in the list have different ranks in the Crimianal police as well.Therefore members of the criminal police rather than the Waffen-SS . I should review the several sources further to find more precise information as to what branch they belonged to in the rather complicated organizational set-up of the Third Reich.
Bernhard H.Holst

[magprint]

Thanks Again

Bernhard,

Thank you very much for all your efforts.

Regards,
Rich

[bhholst]

F>H>Q>Commandant

Hello Richard.
To ty up loose ends I must correct an earlier mention of the F.H.Q.Commandant's name: this was Lt.Col. Gustav Streve. After srutinizing the signature on the pass it is more likely "Streve" rather than that given by me earlier as "Greve".
P.Hoffmann is my source.
R.S.D. personnel were S.D. officers. They wore blank rt. collar patches (supported by pictures and were apparently recruited from Gestapo personnel.hence the Criminal Police ranks. Funds came from the Ministry of the Interior.Source also P.Hoffmann..
I hope the above clears matters.
Bernhard H.Holst

[magprint]

Many Thanks

Bernhard,

Again, many thanks for all your efforts. The piece may be real but it is not to a LAH officer so cannot be used in my display.

Many thanks for your precise information.

Best regards,
Rich