Hey guys-
I thought I’d share with you one of my latest discoveries regarding a 1st pattern Blutorden I have in my collection which goes to show exactly why researching attributable items can really 'pay off.'
About a year and a half ago, I acquired a 3-digit Blood Order from a well-know US dealer. It was offered with very limited research on the original owner- stating that it was originally issued to a SS-Officer by the name of Otto Ertl who served with the LSSAH. Not a heck of a lot to go on, but – as is the case with most attributable items – there was definitely potential for research.
After a few months of digging I was unsuccessful in turning up any ‘real’ info on Ertl and so I started a thread here with hope that someone might be able to help me with my quest. Shortly after I started the thread, I received a very friendly PM from Raymond Griffiths who supplied me with some great info on Ertl which he had contained in his vast network of SS reference files. Raymond also put me in touch with John Moore who – in less than 24 hours after I contacted him – provided me with high resolution scans of Ertl’s entire SS file contained in the US National Archives. There was loads of information; Ertl joined Bund Oberland in 1919 and participated in the 8/9 November 1923 putsch; joined the SA in 1927 and served in SA-Standarte ‘Leibstandarte München,’ joined the SS in 1929 (SS number 4,564) was a SS-Totenkopfring recipient and served with the LSSAH in the invasions of Poland and France, VoMi from 1942 to 1944, and by 1945 was serving as an inner-camp guard at KL-Flossenbürg. Unfortunately, amongst all that information, there was no photo, and if you’re like me, it’s most rewarding to put a face with a name (and career.) I scoured each page of the SS research file from top to bottom looking for any info that might lead me to a period photograph of Ertl, and then I came across something that really gave me hope; Ertl was the Standard bearer for the 1-SS Standarte from 1935 to 1938. Crossing my fingers, I started a thread inquiring if anyone happened to know of any period photographs of the “Julius Schreck” standard. Low and behold, a forum member by the name of Keifer Kahn replied that on page 265 of Ulric of England’s “Deutschland Erwache” there was a picture of the “Julius Schreck” standard bearer at the 1937 Reichspartitag! Needless to say, I purchased a copy off of amazon.com the same day, and when it arrived I raced to page 265. There, in all its black and white glory, was a picture of Otto Ertl and of all things - wearing his blood order! I nearly fell off my chair. Thanks to the help from fellow collectors, I was able to locate a period photograph of Ertl with his Blood Order - the very same Blood Order I have in my collection - in wear, holding his SS unit's standard.
It’s pretty amazing to have an original Blood Order to an SS officer with such a low SS number and such a lengthy career in the SS, but to have a period photograph of him with the actual Blood Order in wear is above and beyond what I ever expected to find.
I’d like to thank the following people who helped me along the way: Bill Shea, Keith Williams, Jon Fish, Robin Lumsden, Raymond Griffiths, Erich Bendorff, Greg Waldron, Keifer Kahn and John Moore.
So, let this be a lesson to all of you with attributable items – network with your fellow collectors and do your research!
Rob
I thought I’d share with you one of my latest discoveries regarding a 1st pattern Blutorden I have in my collection which goes to show exactly why researching attributable items can really 'pay off.'
About a year and a half ago, I acquired a 3-digit Blood Order from a well-know US dealer. It was offered with very limited research on the original owner- stating that it was originally issued to a SS-Officer by the name of Otto Ertl who served with the LSSAH. Not a heck of a lot to go on, but – as is the case with most attributable items – there was definitely potential for research.
After a few months of digging I was unsuccessful in turning up any ‘real’ info on Ertl and so I started a thread here with hope that someone might be able to help me with my quest. Shortly after I started the thread, I received a very friendly PM from Raymond Griffiths who supplied me with some great info on Ertl which he had contained in his vast network of SS reference files. Raymond also put me in touch with John Moore who – in less than 24 hours after I contacted him – provided me with high resolution scans of Ertl’s entire SS file contained in the US National Archives. There was loads of information; Ertl joined Bund Oberland in 1919 and participated in the 8/9 November 1923 putsch; joined the SA in 1927 and served in SA-Standarte ‘Leibstandarte München,’ joined the SS in 1929 (SS number 4,564) was a SS-Totenkopfring recipient and served with the LSSAH in the invasions of Poland and France, VoMi from 1942 to 1944, and by 1945 was serving as an inner-camp guard at KL-Flossenbürg. Unfortunately, amongst all that information, there was no photo, and if you’re like me, it’s most rewarding to put a face with a name (and career.) I scoured each page of the SS research file from top to bottom looking for any info that might lead me to a period photograph of Ertl, and then I came across something that really gave me hope; Ertl was the Standard bearer for the 1-SS Standarte from 1935 to 1938. Crossing my fingers, I started a thread inquiring if anyone happened to know of any period photographs of the “Julius Schreck” standard. Low and behold, a forum member by the name of Keifer Kahn replied that on page 265 of Ulric of England’s “Deutschland Erwache” there was a picture of the “Julius Schreck” standard bearer at the 1937 Reichspartitag! Needless to say, I purchased a copy off of amazon.com the same day, and when it arrived I raced to page 265. There, in all its black and white glory, was a picture of Otto Ertl and of all things - wearing his blood order! I nearly fell off my chair. Thanks to the help from fellow collectors, I was able to locate a period photograph of Ertl with his Blood Order - the very same Blood Order I have in my collection - in wear, holding his SS unit's standard.
It’s pretty amazing to have an original Blood Order to an SS officer with such a low SS number and such a lengthy career in the SS, but to have a period photograph of him with the actual Blood Order in wear is above and beyond what I ever expected to find.
I’d like to thank the following people who helped me along the way: Bill Shea, Keith Williams, Jon Fish, Robin Lumsden, Raymond Griffiths, Erich Bendorff, Greg Waldron, Keifer Kahn and John Moore.
So, let this be a lesson to all of you with attributable items – network with your fellow collectors and do your research!
Rob
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