Chaplins stole

[dragnet]

Ive just bought this from a local auction, not my bag really but i thought it was interesting as the material used seems to be the same pattern as used in SS tapestries, Heimatwerk??? Is this a civil stole or perhaps a military one? Cheers for your help in advance, Pete.

[dragnet]

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[dragnet]

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[Br. James]

Dear Pete,

Thanks for sharing this new acquisition with us. From the two motif blocks at the ends, this brings to mind a fire department chaplain's stole. It appears to be of simple construction, possibly not professionally made (the layout of the two blocks appears to be different in terms of spacing). The material is similar to that which is still available today, though the particular design does not appear to be ecclesiastical. Of concern is the obverse color -- blue. While blue was one of the ecclesiastical colors used by the Roman Catholic Church during the medieval period on Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it fell out of fashion after the Reformation; I am not aware of whether Lutheran (Evangelische) churches have picked that color up again in modern times but some churches in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition today will use blue to identify the Sundays in Advent. But during the Third Reich, the normal color used during both Advent and Lent was purple -- this in both the Evangelische and Roman Catholic traditions.

Hope there is something helpful to you here...!

Br. James

[Thorsten B.]

An interesting and uncommon piece, I have never seen something like that before - the pattern of the used material indeed reminds on Heimatwerk patterns but I think that this is a somehow timeless rural conservative pattern and therefore depicts a cultural tradition here interstingly enough connected towards christianity and nationalsocialism both!

I highly doubt this being a piece of catholic provenance and tend more towards the "Deutsche Christen" in the period.

[sgstandard]

Stole

The fact that the gold bullion is sewn OVER an existing design leads me to believe it was never intended to have such embellishment. That's not to say it wasn't period done. The sloppiness of the embellishment also suggests it was later added. The question is WHEN?

[Br. James]

Dear sgstandard,

I'm not sure what you are referring to when you said "The fact that the gold bullion is sewn OVER an existing design leads me to believe it was never intended to have such embellishment" -- what "existing design" preceded the gilt wire embroidery? In terms of ecclesiastical needlework, pre-sewn applique blocks and original designs are always stitched onto the main fabric, which could be either patterned or plain; the lining material is normally the last piece to be attached, and that covers all the interior stitchwork from view. The Maltese Cross at the nape of the neck is also correctly placed for a liturgical stole -- though it shows much more wear even than the two end blocks. That could be a result of how the stole was stored over time.

To Thorsten:

I agree that this piece would probably not have been made for Roman Catholic chaplain usage, and I misspoke when I alluded that it could have been created for a Lutheran (Evangelische or Confessing Church) field pastor -- I had intended to attribute it to the 'German Church' protestant organization headed by Reich Bishop Ludwig Müller.

Br. James

[sgstandard]

Stole

My point was that, if the piece was intended to have a swastika in the first place, why make the piece of fabric with a design that would then be covered by a swastika? Why wasn't it made plain at the bottom, if a swastika was intended to be added? Design-wise, it doesn't make sense. It just doesn't look like an official garment, the way it's made. I contend that it was originally plain, with the fringes. That's not to say a minister from that period didn't commission the addition of the embellishment. I'm basing that on the workmanship also. I'm NOT doubting that the piece is period made, just doubting when the swastika was added, and doubting the garment was intended to even have a swastika.

[Br. James]

The kinds of ornate silks and satins used as base material in ecclesiastical vestment manufacture are normally loomed in bulk in a variety of colors, and when a church or a clergyperson decides to order a chasuble, stole, cope, altar frontal, etc., the person ordering the finished product then decides what design(s) are to be applied -- called applique -- to the face of the material, what color and material the lining is to be made of, and what sort of finishing -- such as tassels in various colors and materials -- is to be done. The base material normally carries an overall pattern design and is cut by the manufacturer to compliment the design of the finished piece, and the design may be of ecclesiastical subjects or otherwise. The pattern design on the base material is of the same overall color as the rest of the fabric -- white on white, green on green, gold on gold, etc. -- and whatever applique(s) are chosen are sewn onto the base material; some appliques are created and stitched directly onto the base material while others include their own backing and that backing is sewn onto the base material. It appears that Pete's stole has been finished with appliques sewn directly onto the base material.

The swastika appliques and the Maltese Cross at the nape of the neck appear to be of the same gilt wire, which would mean that they were probably applied at the same time. It is not uncommon to take a fairly plain stole and have new appliques attached to it, thereby making it perhaps more appropriate for use. But the tassels, which also appear to be made of gilt wire, seem to have been attached earlier than the appliques; they look tarnished, though in better overall condition that the appliques.

I hope these further thoughts are helpful. Indeed, this may not be a chaplain's stole at all, but made for use in a parish church situation.

Br. James

[sgstandard]

Stole

Our views on this piece are not really that different, it seems. The only difference, I believe, is that I think there's a good chance the garment could have also been worn without such embellishment as well . I don't doubt that it was period done, just that it was a home-made job, as it lacks the usual quality I'd expect on an official item.

[Br. James]

Dear sgstandard,

I really don't think we disagree at all! It is certainly possible that the swastika appliques and the Maltese Cross were affixed to this stole some years after the original piece was made, and the later additions may well have been done by an amateur seamster, possibly from a local parish. This piece may have been a reworked gift from the parish the clergyman served. While the workmanship of the gilt wire swastika blocks and the Maltese Cross seem quite well-done, they have not survived in as good a condition as the rest of the piece.

I still have a problem with the color of the stole's fabric, and I wonder if the fabric had originally been dyed a blue-purple -- for use during Advent and Lent -- and that purple has faded to blue over the decades? As I noted earlier, I don't believe blue as a liturgical color was in fashion during the Third Reich.

As to the weave of the base material, I understand that one can still match fabrics that were woven 100 to 150 years ago, and from original bolts of cloth...but you do need to know how to find such purveyors. Occasionally an altar frontal or a chasuble or a stole will begin to show wear after many decades of use, and there are specialists who can still match patterns and colors woven so long ago.

Br. James

[dragnet]

Thanks for your opinions , i myself belive its a genuin TR period item, i like the feel of the item, the wear pattern to the center ''cross '' pattern would IMO be right when worn, this are would be around the neck area, the SWAZ have had a hard time for sure but matches the overall condition of the item. AS for who would have used this ,,stole,, i will have to leave that to more educated members here to hassard a guess. Regards Pete.

[wewelsburg]

I think it definately has a chance.

[JoeW]

The word in German for Chaplain is Pfarrer.