A couple of Cultural items

[Thorsten B.]

The pillar in the middle...

...decorated with the other main fruit and gift of the earth the german farmer can let grow and harvest:

vine grapes!

Either it is 1.: the farmer taking care about fields and meadows (= grain) or

" " 2.: the farmer taking care about the forest and feeding his pigs with acorns (= oak tree) or

" " 3.: the farmer taking care about the sunny mountains in the south (= vine grapes).

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Whatever

[Thorsten B.]

And the yummy result of the harvest...

...sitting at the Rhine, Mosel or Neckar river enjoying young wine (Federweisser - it can be dangerous ´cause it tastes so good ) combined with a fresh warm pretzel - Germany at it´s best!

What do you think how many Germans longed for that in the desperate economic times, especially after the Black Friday 1929 and until the election of Hitler?

FOOD!

As THE most significant election poster of the period stated: Our last hope - Hitler!

[Thorsten B.]

The pair of scales...

...as1.: a symbol of social balance and justice = bread equal for every German Volksgenosse, guaranted by the state - Nationalsocialism!

And/or 2.: as the zodiac sign relating to at least one part of the proud owners - since I could not ask them anymore this is the only symbol that can either mean variation 1 or 2 of my given explanation - or even both.

The decoration on SS wooden cultural items with signs of zodiac is without a doubt a known practice and fact - and again, for the nonbelievers I can give doubtless evidence for that as well.

[Thorsten B.]

The right side...

...again oak decor enframing this cultic chest.

[Thorsten B.]

Even from the side identical construction...

...like the official Jul chest depicted in the SS-Family book - just the wrought iron handholds are missing - obviously by wish of the owners, another regional habit among craftsmen or due to other circumstances unknown to me.

[Thorsten B.]

And enough space...

...to put all relevant and important family documents and memorabilia inside.

Culture as a part of daily life and practice - and for celebrating life itself on special occasions regarding to the Reich and to the family.

[Etienne B.]

@Wilhelm: You clearly talk some sense.But believe me I know or even have those books you've mentioned in my collection.As many other paperwork,even from the early 20's on this matter.
I have never told that all chests were made for the SS membership.

I only wrote and I'm pretty convinced that the combination Chest,Julleuchter,plates were first published by Weitzel in his book.Was he an original thinker ,I don't know.Perhaps he put some old and new traditions together.But I have to see the first photo yet of this configuration in use with other Party organisations.I think that the SS saw themselves as the spearhead of this new pagan,mystic religion that would surpass the christian religions.

''Es ist schweifellos sehr schwer,gleichsam das Deutsche Volk oder auch nur die gesamte Parteigenossenschaft diese neue weg zu führen.Ich bin davon überzeugt und weiss,dass die SS auch auf diesem Weg zukunftsweisende Ausgaben zu erfüllen hat.Sie ist die eherne Spitze in der weltanschaulichen Keil der Bewegung.Wie das Bild schon sagt.steht sie damit also nicht auserhalb,sondern innerhalb der Bewegung,sie ist Teil von ihr und dient in bahnbrechender Weise den uns gestellten Aufgaben.''

This was written by Karl Cerff,and says it all.The SS as spearhead of the ideological part of the movement.
I know that almost every organisation used germanic/nordic symbols.....

But I would like to see an piece of information about the use of the Julecke by other organisations then the SS.

This is a quote from ''Die Feier'' :

''Die Wohnstube des Hauses,etwa eine Ecke dieser Stube,muss die geisitige Mitte,den ''Hort'' der Familie beherbergen:Ahnenbilder,Sippentruhe oder Sippenschrein,Sippenbuch.Lebensbücher der Kinder,Briefe,Sippenleuchter usw.''

So I make this conclusion: Not every chest with folkish symbols or even swastikas are automatic SS Yule chests.But the SS was in my opinion the only organisation that promoted and described the use of these chests in the home.Probably as part of the new kind of religion that Himmler had in mind.

Michael wrote once ''the SS was the cult within a cult'' and I would like to add ''the SS was a work in progress''.And it is the part that I do not know that intrigues me.................


It would be nice to keep it civil.It must be a hobby guys.When I want to have high blood pressure and animosity I go to the office

[Thorsten B.]

All in all...

...an outstanding piece with a very beautiful patina!

The whole construction and size is identical to those of the SS Jul chest depicted in the Weitzel book - just the surface is a bit different and the iron handholds are missing, in my opinion due to regional different traditions among carpenters and due to the personal wishes of the owners.

Another aspect and difference is that the lid cannot be opened but - as visable - instead of that the two doors in front, obviously due to make it more practical to use the chest as for what it´s been made and to be able to organize the inside in a more reasonable way.

The lack of runic symbols or official emblems is the very same like on the official SS Jul chest - from any point of view this is a one-of-a-kind cultural piece and stands on it´s own merits and the language it speaks is far more subtile, intriguing and nonetheless remarkable and clear.

In the eyes of it´s creators there were still many unbelievers even among the Germans (not some collectors of today ) and the approach of a new religion and time went on in little steps, not too official and definitely not loud since it was made to touch the hearts and souls and not the arrogant rationality of those not-in-the-know.

Just as I already mentioned:

Not for everybody.

[Thorsten B.]

Ich habe fertig!

OK - I am done

Sorry () for the poor quality of the pics but I surely will make better ones soon - it cannot take away the beauty of this piece anyway

[Thorsten B.]

Quick evidences regarding the carved symbols

Dear TR and SS cultural enthusiasts,

I am back in my seat and I gathered some pics regarding my statement about the use of the symbols within the Third Reich and SS.

The first one has already been given by the outstanding pictures of Steve presenting his unique beautiful big wooden cultural plate with runic symbols and the identical motif of three spiked blades in it´s center.

The second symbol is the windmill and here are some pics showing it´s cultural use when decorating the re-erected saxonian half-timbered farmhouses in the Sachsenhain - one interesting and important cult place of the SS.

This is a view from the air and shows the three farmhouses at the entrance to the Sachsenhain - a path through the beautiful landscape with 4500 big stones (Findlinge) at both sides for remembering the decaptivated Saxons in 782.

[Thorsten B.]

The house at the far left is the one bearing the windmill - amongst others like the iron broom (Eiserner Besen) and the Odal rune - in the front.

[ErichS]

One correction needs to be made regarding the Jultellers made by Allach. Those made in white were strictly SS and only given by Himmler to select SS Officers/ men. The Pohl plates were for sale to the public.

[Thorsten B.]

The Sachsenhain was opened in 1935 with a midnight celebration of the summer solstice by RF-SS Heinrich Himmler, his personal friend SS-OGF Richard Walther Darré - both farmers! - and Alfred Rosenberg.

Darré was at that point already leader of the Rasse- und Siedlungs-Hauptamt (RuSHA = race- and settlement head office and Reichsbauernführer (leader of all farmers within the TR).

The place and buildings were officially dedicated not only to the 4500 killed Saxons but also to the members of the 88. SS-Standarte (Bremen) who used the place as a cultural teaching place and for ceremonial gatherings.

Here a postcard of the period showing the middle of the round path, the Thingplatz with speaker´s place.

[Capt. R]

[QUOTE=Michael Fay;4468765]

Steve, of course - obviously Michael was busy again with serious studies in his huge collection of pagan mystic booklets

Serious Studies

Awesome collection Michael! I admire your scholarship.

Which GERMANIEN edition is the one with the single tree on the cover and what is the topic? perhaps the sippengemeinshaft or family tree? There is one at top left and one at almost direct center just above the red cover. I also like the black knight cover. Many of these I have never seen before now and I thank you for sharing.