SS HR 1937 from LAH officer with interesting history

[m-e-h-t]

I was lucky to get some items from the estate of SS Obersturmbannführer Steineck, who was leader of the SS Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 1, and for a short time commander of LAH.

There was an HR within the group with a different name, so it made no sense to me, until I used goooooo...

It seems like Steineck`s former name was Szczeponek, like engraved inside the ring. He changed it before the war, got the ring in 1937 and is listed at the 1938 DAL with his old name.
I assume he got another HR after his name change, with the new name...

The ring is really big size, I measured 23 mm diameter, it seemed he was a really big man. Does one has a photo of him?

He asked 1954 for a proofed copy of his DKiG owning, what sense makes this???

Thanks for comments.

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The document for his DK:

[Robert H]

When the Ring is OK it is in super condition.
Interesting but cannot comment on the ring.

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I think he didnt wear it for a long time due to the name change...

And I just noticed how difficulty to picture they are

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[markus]

Franz Steineck (SS # 42 508; name changed in 1942) was probably one of the absolute worst commanders the LAH had ever seen. Pushed through the ranks and protected by Sepp Dietrich and Walter Staudinger.

His command of the Artillerie Regiment 1 "LSSAH" was so terrible that Brigadeführer Otto Kumm had no choice but to pick up the phone and call my old friend, divisional O1, HStuf. Hans Bernhard, ordering him to officially lead the Art. Rgt. instead of Steineck.

Even my old pal Otto Kumm did not dare to kick Steineck out of his position against the protection of Dietrich.

So in reality my friend Bernhard assumed command of the Art. Rgt. and Steineck was litterally always a by-stander or by-sitter in the car, when they were driving out visiting the units in the field. Steineck had been stripped from all authority by Kumm. Bernhard told me that Steineck never had a clue where his units were or what they were doing. Completely incapable of leading anything more than a group or platoon.

If the ring is real, Steineck probably wore it on a chain around his neck as he was so fat, even a large size ring would probably not have fit on his small finger. He was more or less the size of Dietrich and Staudinger together.

Concerning the German Cross in Gold and Steineck, my friend Bernhard had one tale to tell me (taped interview):

One time on the retreat from Normandy, when Steineck had to lead the Division for 10 days (Wisch had been wounded and was no more capable of leading the Division) and Bernhard was temporarily his Ia, Steineck was bitxxing around that he should finally get the German Cross for his "loyal" services! Well, he did, recommanded by his old buddy Walter Staudinger and signed of by Willy Mohnke in December 1944. - This was one of the reasons HStuf. Bernhard had such a low opinion of the German Cross and how it was awared at times.

Thought this would be historically interesting info to share.

Steineck's biographical data is availabe in my bio on Theodor Wisch published by Schiffer books in 2012.

Cheers!
Markus

[m-e-h-t]

that explains the huge size of the ring It falls down even from my thumb, ha ha.

Do you know why he changed his name? Because of the Polish spelling? Not aryan enough? Was he forced to do so?