A couple of Cultural items

[Thorsten B.]

Now back to the roots!

Yes indeed - let´s get back to the roots now and have fun!

The Yule wreath is based in this one:

[Thorsten B.]

The stave is quite an unusual wooden stick that sometimes can be found in open nature and in the forest.

It was very popular among students within the 19th century and this shown example is the most notablest one - it´s shape is due to a growing clematis orbiting a young fresh branch of a tree, the cornel cherry tree.

These luxurious walking sticks were used by the students in Jena for example to defend themselves and stave off sudden strikes of the enemy within duells of students.
So it was not only a walking stick but also a weapon for defense within an elitist group among german students made of very hard wood!

Quite interesting historical background in regards to the self-definition of the SS, isn´t it?

[Thorsten B.]

The Ziegenhainer Stock

The real naturally grown stick is called the Ziegenhainer Stock.

Lateron the Ziegenhainer stick was copied as some kind of mass product via wood turning lathe.

Within these duells these sticks were used by the Sekundanten, they were the helpers of the two student having the duel.

With the Ziegenhainers they were responsible within the duel that no forbidden strikes could take place.

Here you see such a scene in a sketch from 1832/33:

[Thorsten B.]

Both Sekundanten held their Ziegenhainer sticks ahead of the two students having the duel to hold off forbidden strikes.

As you can see they use the common - and not the more exclusive and naturally very rare contorted ones - Ziegenhainer waliking sticks.

[Thorsten B.]

Now back to the sporked wheel supporting the stave:

The pic I have shown in comment 680 depicts as one can read:

"Das Radkreuz - The wheel wrench / or lug wrench

(hergestellt durch das Deutsche Heimatwerk, Düsseldorf, Hindenburgwall 42)

(manufactured by the Deutsches Heimatwerk, Düsseldorf, Hindenburgwall 42)"


So this is another doubtless evidence for the fact that the Deutsches Heimatwerk was not only an SS firm but also manufactured several SS cultural pieces ONLY for the cultural use within the SS - in wood but also made of iron, tin, clay and not to forget the tapestries - although the tapestries were both used as SS cultural pieces behind the Yule chest and offered for public sale.

Düsseldorf, Hindenburgwall 42 was the first big shop and headquarter of the DHW - apart from another big shop in Berlin.
Lateron they had two shops in these cities - obviously due to their success and the high demand in these headquarters of the Third Reich and the SS.

[Thorsten B.]

Here is the main DHW catalogue:

Note the addresses of their shops - the third line Düsseldorf is listed with one shop at the Hindenburgwall 42 and the other residing at the Grabbeplatz 1; both addresses were in the very expensive and elitist center of Düsseldorf.

[Thorsten B.]

And now guess who was Himmler´s ruler in Düsseldorf?

[Thorsten B.]

Dave, I already showed a typical wooden Yule plate to you decorated with the very same motifs as the Yule chests: vine branches and sometimes spiked grain.

[Thorsten B.]

Here are some wooden Yule plates depicted in the SS-Family book as well:

Note the wall tapestry in the back - they indeed manufactured a lot of different cultural items!

If that tapestry would be offered for sale as what it is - without the picture nobody would believe it.

[Thorsten B.]

Chests!

Now the climax:

"How does one distinguish a sippentruhe intended for an SS familie from a more traditional family chest?"

Within their booklets and catalogues the DHW also presents the possibility to manufacture special and unique pieces of furniture on demand.

So that indicates that they were not only offering their usual production range but also specialized in manufacturing individual pieces for their selective clients.

For example owners of pubs, hotels, official buildings - one can see pieces which are not offered within their general range.

That was one important facet and one of the ideological pillars why the DHW initially had been found.

There were specialized wood turners and craftmen in contract with the DHW for designing and manufacturing special unique pieces - no doubt about that.

[Thorsten B.]

As one example:

Within the SS-Family book one can find the advice that the DHW birthday rings have to be personally ordered by a master craftsman, a wood turner Mr. Pützer in Bonn, a city at the Rhine river and former capital of Germany after the war.

I have spoken to his grandson and he told me that they manufactured unique wooden items like chests, plates, family crests and also the carving on other special pieces.

Mr. Pützer died in the early 60ties and I bet he could have told me in detail all about that time.

But I can only use the evidence I have and combine it with common sense and logic.

By the way: one time I was able to aquire a family chest right out of first.

I also made pics as evidence how that chest was stored in the house when I came to buy and take it with me.

AFTER (for a reason...) the deal was done and after I loaded the unique piece in the van I asked the (now former) owner about the history of this cultural gem -and guess what?

Until now he was very nice and polite but immediately his mood changed:

He fiercely denied that the piece had anything to do with the period and - of course - NOTHING to do with the SS.

At that time I already found out that he himself was born in 1942 and was a police officer - as well as his father who served in wartime in the East and who also was the mayor in that village, before and after 1945.

So I could easily draw my own conclusions.

[Thorsten B.]

Here is - again in this thread - a pic of the chest I am refering to:

[Thälmannpionier]

before this lovely plate comes on the sale section of this Forum..I would like to post it in this very complete Thread here for reference.

"Heil dem Gast der zu uns kommt"


Any Idea why this one even has the word "EDDA" carved in it?

I know the germanic Edda phrases but wonder why it was also carved in this plate.

Andreas

[Thorsten B.]

Could it be that it´s an excerpt out of the EDDA?

[Thälmannpionier]

Could it be that it´s an excerpt out of the EDDA?

of course it is..but I thought it was not usual to carve the word edda in the plate...but I just found another on the web so my question is answered..

Thanks
Andreas