Attributed Gold Party Badge Thread

[Br. James]

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the clarification. I thought it might be an earlier photo of Petersen.

Cheers,

Br. James

[TxGauleiter]

Any recent additions that could be added to this thread?



Also, what are some of the "celebrity" GPBs out there that collectors know about, even if we don't know exactly where they reside?

For example, Ulric sold Julius Schaub's badge, as well as Jakob Grimminger's, although we probably don't know where they ended up..

I know that Franz X Schwarz's GPB is out there, as is Adolf Wagner's.

What others are there out there?


Finally, do you think recipients who died during the regime were buried with their badges on their lapels?

[Br. James]

"...do you think recipients who died during the regime were buried with their badges on their lapels?"

Hi TxGauleiter,

It's my impression that when a GPB Träger of either the numbered or the AH Honorary badge variety died, he/she was expected to have arranged for the badge(s) to be returned to the Reichschatzmeister's Office. I may be mistaken in this impression...? As for the badges' presence at a funeral, I believe we've seen a number of photos of Ordenkissen -- pillows on which the deceased person's decorations are displayed by the coffin and carried in procession -- which included the GPB in a prominent position. I doubt whether any significant badge, decoration or order was actually buried with the deceased.

Br. James

[ErichS]

I know that the BO could be retained by the family. Was there a rule that the GPB had to be returned when the recipient died?

[JoeW]

In correspondence I have seen in SS files between a deceased member's family and the party, GPBs have been retained by the family. But I do not recall having seen a stipulation from the Reichsschatzmeister's Office to the effect that GPBs either had to be returned or could be retained. I will search again.

[ErichS]

Thanks Joe. I wonder if it ever got to be a problem that family members of the deceased wore the badges that they were not entitled to wear, hence required to be returned.

[JoeW]

It was precisely that problem that I read about in the SS file in question. The father desired to wear his deceased son's GPB, but Schwarz's office nixed the idea.

[der-hase-fee]

Here is 65072 attributed to Heinrich Lachner.

[der-hase-fee]

And 98085 to Willy Köhler.

[der-hase-fee]

SS-Oberführer Walter Turza

Walter Turza was instrumental for forming the SS in Vienna. Heinrich Himmler ordered the then 39 years old SA-Mann Turza in early 1930 to organize it.

Turza had joined the NSDAP in September 1926, with number 51282. He was dismissed from the SS and the party on 9. November 1932, but re-admitted in September 1937.

Turza was promoted as follows:

SS-Untersturmführer 12.9.37
SS-Hauptsturmführer 14.3.38
SS-Sturmbannführer 11.9.38
SS-Standartenführer 1.9.39
SS-Oberführer 20.4.44

Turza had received the following decorations:

Wound badge 1918 in black
War Merit Cross w/o sword, both 2nd and 1st class
Landesorden
GPB 9. November 1944
NSDAP Long Service Awards in bronze and silver
SS Long Service Awards
SS Honor Sword
SS Honor Ring

Book reference: Rothländer, Christiane, Die Anfänge der Wiener SS

Book reviews:
http://www.koeblergerhard.de/ZIER-HP...erWienerSS.htm
https://www.profil.at/home/nationals...nebande-322499


51282-1.jpg

51282-2.jpg

[salzmann]

Sehr schön

[der-hase-fee]

Added information from Preradovich's "Österreichs HÖHERE SS-FÜHRER".

Walter Turza was instrumental for forming the SS in Vienna. Heinrich Himmler ordered the then 39 years old SA-Mann Turza on 1st January 1930 to organize it.

Turza had joined the SA on 1st Juli 1923 (first Innsbruck, as of 1st October 1924 Vienna), in 1924 the NSDAP in Austria and the NSDAP-Hitlerbewegung in September 1926, with number 51282.


As the leader of SA-Sturm 1 he participated in Reichsparteitage 1927 and 1929.



He was dismissed from the SS and the party on 7th or 9th November 1932, but re-admitted in September 1937.


His dismissal is documented in an exchange of letters between Himmler and Angela Raubal, Hitler's half sister. She had heard of his dismissal - a SS officer not being an early supporter had supposedly replaced him - from friends in Vienna and tried to motivate Himmler, by suggesting she did not want to have to bring the subject to her brother's attention, to reinstate Turza. Himmler responded that he was well aware of the dismissal, and his replacement, Dr. Walter Graeschke (http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=930086), had been an early supporter since 1922 (he had joined the SS only on 5th July 1931). Specifically, Himmler elaborated that Turza had struggled with his leadership roles, started a careless life style and run up a tab in Linz the SS was paying off. Furthermore, after the first disciplinary action, Turza was said to have threatened to reveal SS internal affairs to Austrian officials, which ultimately got him dismissed.


It is unclear what exactly motivated Himmler to personally welcome Turza back into the SS during the Reichsparteitag 1937 (6. - 13. September in Nuremberg). A Parteigericht had ruled him innocent on 23.5.38 (it is implied that is was reviewing his dismissal several years earlier). This may have been a self initiated investigation cleverly timed right after the Austrian Anschluss on 13.3.38 (my speculation only).


Turza was promoted as follows:


SS-Sturmführer 28.4.30 (Führer Sturm 77 Vienna)

SS-Sturmbannführer 1.3.31
SS-Standartenführer 19.6.31 (first at this rank in Austria; leading 11. Standarte Vienna and administrating 38. Standarte Graz)


SS-Untersturmführer 12.9.37
SS-Hauptsturmführer 14.3.38
Leader of II. Sturmbann of 11. Standarte Vienna 1.5.38

SS-Sturmbannführer 11.9.38
SS-Standartenführer 1.9.39
SS-Oberführer 20.4.44

Turza had received the following decorations:

Wound badge 1918 in black
War Merit Cross w/o sword, both 2nd and 1st class
Landesorden
GPB 9. November 1944
NSDAP Long Service Awards in bronze and silver
SS Long Service Awards
SS Honor Sword
SS Honor Ring

[Br. James]

Thank you, Andreas, for this fine work of research on this aspect of an early SA and SS member whose career touched the Inner Circle of the TR! Most interesting!

Br. James

[schoenwurf]

#72004

Notice the number is engraved. His NARA SS Akten included as his prerequisite photograph a portrait view in suit wearing a (the?) small party badge.

I have two or three others, but they are really nobodies: candy maker, baker and such.Like the young man in Thuringia who had a penchant for ordering more badges.

Oh we've got a pair here ...

[der-hase-fee]

Oh we've got a pair here ...

Reunite !