Hello all.
Here is something very special I have just added to my collection. Its an MK given to Emil Maurice by Karl Fiehler - Mayor of Munich. It was specially made for Maurice with the page basically giving thanks for his service to Munich and the NSDAP.
Emil Maurice was SS member number 2 and a founder member of the organization. Strangely he was of mixed German Jewish descent. As Heinrich Himmlers power increased he tried to dismiss Maurice from the SS, Hitler stood by his old comrade and allowed Maurice to stay in his position. A little history below courtesy of Wikipedia:
Emil Maurice (19 January 1897, Westermoor – 6 February 1972, Munich) was an early member of the National Socialist German Workers Party and a founding member of the SS. Together with Erich Kempka, he served as one of Hitler's personal chauffeurs. Unusually, he was one of the few mischlings (a person of mixed Jewish and ethnic German ancestry) to serve in the SS.
After Hitler's release from prison, the Nazi Party was officially re-founded. In 1925, Hitler ordered the formation of a new bodyguard unit, the Schutzkommando (protection command). It was formed by Julius Schreck and included old Stoßtrupp members, Maurice and Heiden. That same year, the Schutzkommando was expanded to a national level. It was renamed successively the Sturmstaffel (storm squadron), and finally on 9 November the Schutzstaffel (abbreviated to SS). Hitler became SS member No.1 and Emil Maurice became SS member No. 2. At that time, Maurice became an SS-Führer in the new organization, although the leadership of the SS was assumed by Schreck, the first Reichsführer-SS. Maurice became Hitler's chauffeur.
He reportedly had a brief relationship with Hitler's niece, Geli Raubal, which led to his dismissal as Hitler's chauffeur.
When the SS was reorganized and expanded in 1932, Maurice became a senior SS officer and would eventually be promoted to the rank SS-Oberführer. While Maurice never became a top commander of the SS, his status as SS member #2 effectively credited him as an actual founder of the organization. Heinrich Himmler, who ultimately would become the most recognized leader of the SS, was SS member #168.
The MK is signed by Fiehler in ink. A little history below:
Karl Fiehler (31 August 1895 - 8 December 1969) was a German politician of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and Lord Mayor of Munich from 1933 until 1945.
I obtained the book through the family of Emil Maurice - I am not a collector of SS items generally as you may know, but this will fit nicely into my collection.
Cheers
Dave Holden
www.broadswordmilitary.com
Here is something very special I have just added to my collection. Its an MK given to Emil Maurice by Karl Fiehler - Mayor of Munich. It was specially made for Maurice with the page basically giving thanks for his service to Munich and the NSDAP.
Emil Maurice was SS member number 2 and a founder member of the organization. Strangely he was of mixed German Jewish descent. As Heinrich Himmlers power increased he tried to dismiss Maurice from the SS, Hitler stood by his old comrade and allowed Maurice to stay in his position. A little history below courtesy of Wikipedia:
Emil Maurice (19 January 1897, Westermoor – 6 February 1972, Munich) was an early member of the National Socialist German Workers Party and a founding member of the SS. Together with Erich Kempka, he served as one of Hitler's personal chauffeurs. Unusually, he was one of the few mischlings (a person of mixed Jewish and ethnic German ancestry) to serve in the SS.
After Hitler's release from prison, the Nazi Party was officially re-founded. In 1925, Hitler ordered the formation of a new bodyguard unit, the Schutzkommando (protection command). It was formed by Julius Schreck and included old Stoßtrupp members, Maurice and Heiden. That same year, the Schutzkommando was expanded to a national level. It was renamed successively the Sturmstaffel (storm squadron), and finally on 9 November the Schutzstaffel (abbreviated to SS). Hitler became SS member No.1 and Emil Maurice became SS member No. 2. At that time, Maurice became an SS-Führer in the new organization, although the leadership of the SS was assumed by Schreck, the first Reichsführer-SS. Maurice became Hitler's chauffeur.
He reportedly had a brief relationship with Hitler's niece, Geli Raubal, which led to his dismissal as Hitler's chauffeur.
When the SS was reorganized and expanded in 1932, Maurice became a senior SS officer and would eventually be promoted to the rank SS-Oberführer. While Maurice never became a top commander of the SS, his status as SS member #2 effectively credited him as an actual founder of the organization. Heinrich Himmler, who ultimately would become the most recognized leader of the SS, was SS member #168.
The MK is signed by Fiehler in ink. A little history below:
Karl Fiehler (31 August 1895 - 8 December 1969) was a German politician of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and Lord Mayor of Munich from 1933 until 1945.
I obtained the book through the family of Emil Maurice - I am not a collector of SS items generally as you may know, but this will fit nicely into my collection.
Cheers
Dave Holden
www.broadswordmilitary.com
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