Fake WSS visors (who made them?)

[PanzerJager1944]

Hi Fred,

I have an interesting anecdote regarding some early fake SS visors. A friend of mine has a KZ visor using original parts and material he got in Germany in the late 70's, early 80’s while he was stationed over there in the army. While he was there he got involved in dealings with some black marketers, specifically trading with a para-military group called the Hoffman Brigade. According to him they were apparently selling these visors to sell and help fund their group. From what he told me and the newsletter he has they lived in a castle, wore ww2 styled uniforms, held military training rallies and where working on restoring a tank at one point. These guys where hitting the bunkers hidden in the alpine redoubt finding all kinds of left over war time stockpiles. He used to go with them sometimes to the bunkers and found all kinds of wonderful stuff. He did however tell me that anything that was ordinance related or SS related they took for themselves but anything Wehrmacht related they weren’t very interested in other than to use as barter. He copied one of their old newsletters for me below. I have never heard or seen this group referenced anywhere else other than what he told me but have been fascinated with the story. He mentioned that he had heard later on a bunch of them had volunteered to go fight communists in south America or Asia somewhere and had pretty much been wiped out in doing so. I am not trying to hijack the thread but as an aside if anyone knows more about the group or can add any information I would be greatly interested in learning more.

Kind regards,

[SgtB]

I don't like the first cap at all, but the second one looks very plausible to me - as do the badges.

[Fred Fokkelman]

Hi Fred,

I have an interesting anecdote regarding some early fake SS visors. A friend of mine has a KZ visor using original parts and material he got in Germany in the late 70's, early 80’s while he was stationed over there in the army. While he was there he got involved in dealings with some black marketers, specifically trading with a para-military group called the Hoffman Brigade. According to him they were apparently selling these visors to sell and help fund their group. From what he told me and the newsletter he has they lived in a castle, wore ww2 styled uniforms, held military training rallies and where working on restoring a tank at one point. These guys where hitting the bunkers hidden in the alpine redoubt finding all kinds of left over war time stockpiles. He used to go with them sometimes to the bunkers and found all kinds of wonderful stuff. He did however tell me that anything that was ordinance related or SS related they took for themselves but anything Wehrmacht related they weren’t very interested in other than to use as barter. He copied one of their old newsletters for me below. I have never heard or seen this group referenced anywhere else other than what he told me but have been fascinated with the story. He mentioned that he had heard later on a bunch of them had volunteered to go fight communists in south America or Asia somewhere and had pretty much been wiped out in doing so. I am not trying to hijack the thread but as an aside if anyone knows more about the group or can add any information I would be greatly interested in learning more.

Kind regards,

That's a very, very interesting story. I know from reading there were resistance groups after the war, but your story is new to me. Thanks for sharing.

[Fred Fokkelman]

I don't like the first cap at all, but the second one looks very plausible to me - as do the badges.

Can you please point to me what you like about the second cap?

[Winkelman]

That's a very, very interesting story. I know from reading there were resistance groups after the war, but your story is new to me. Thanks for sharing.

Not early postwar " resistance " , but rather a militant neonazi group appr. 1980 ;

[Winkelman]

And judging from the wear of this collartab , not very keen on period accuracy . Reenactment of this sort was quite rare at the time though .
OK , back to the caps ..