SS visor eagle & skull in SILVER

[Woelfl]

Fa. Gahr Muenchen

Velmi zaujimavy material! Fa. Gahr Mnichov? Why not Firma Gahr, Muenchen, world known goldschmied/silverzisileur/zlatnik. Long Nazi linkages? Servus, Woelfl, Slovensko

[LUCKYFEZ]

For what this is worth:

Yesterday I spoke with a former enlisted SS man named Lez Baunush who was a member of Eichmann's staff in Budapest. He was aide to all senior SS staff members, and was in charge of daily administration for civilian workers.

During my conversation with him, I asked if he had known about any officers, or enlisted men that used any type of .800 solid silver insignia on their uniforms. He said "absolutely." Baunush said that Eichmann, and many of the senior officers had ordered insignia to be made. This type of work was not available in Budapest at the time, so they had to get them while on leave in Paris, or in parts of Germany. He also said that he could not afford such items to be made, but specifically said that the solid silver insignia was the rage within senior SS ranks. Not only did they use solid silver for totenkopf/ political eagle (as he called the SS eagle), but men like Eichmann also had spun silver on their dress uniforms. I assume he is referring to silver trimmed collar tabs, etc. Sepp Dietrich did the same thing only in gold on his cuff titles, which by they way were made in Paris as well. I asked him if he was aware if jewelers who made them would be afraid of such a request due to RZM codes. He laughed, and said "they report to the SS, why should they be afraid of making SS emblem for an SS man." When Eichmann left Budapest, Lez was transferred to General Staff of Austria, and surrendered to the Allies at the end of the war.

The most impressive part about this person. His mother was German, and his father was Jewish. He had forged papers which allowed him to join the SS in Hungary, and pass information to the resistance in various countries. I first met this gentleman in 1994 while working with the Holocaust Museum, and am still friends with him to this day. Lez has been featured on the Discovery Times Channel documentries about the SS, and Eichmann. Also he has been a key speaker at various Holocaust Centers around the world.

Take from this conversation what you would like, however it is factual, and Lez would be in the position to know. Put this info in context with the known examples such as Himmler's dress hat, Eichmanns SS uniform (owned by Washington DC Holocaust Center) Sepp Dietrich's fur cap (owned by me) and some loose examples, and I think it is safe to say, once again that such insignia was used. I again am not saying it was used in mass, I am simply stating that it was used, and should not be dismissed simply due to its rarity. I will acknowledge that there are dozens of fakes from various time frames, however the provenance on the listed examples are pure, and a former SS man who worked with Eichmann stated it was used as well. Lez is not the only former SS man that I have spoken to that has stated .800 insignia was used by those that could afford it, but since the subject was fresh on this board, I called him to get some answers to share.

To address a final question that was posed to me personaly. The reason I do not post photos of my collection online, is not to be selfish, its simply a matter of privacy. In particular the Dietrich fur cap was purchased by me from a person who was very close, and well documented to be around Sepp during and after the war on a personal basis. Out of respect for them, and to avoid people from trying to forge my cap, I do not post photos. I have sen too many instances where rare examples of items are published, or shown on the internet, only to be copied by forgeres, thus diminishing the value of the original. I think my position on this issue is clear.

Dan