Collection GB 1556 WL 1144 - Office of Reichsführer SS: Correspondence and papers

2 folders

GB 1556 WL 1144 1938-1944 collection 2 folders Reichsführer SS

Reichsführer SS was a special SS rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945. Reichsführer SS was a title from 1925 to 1933 and, after 1934, became the highest rank of the German Schutzstaffel (SS). Reichsführer SS was both a title and a rank. The title of Reichsführer was first created in 1926 by Joseph Berchtold. Berchtold's predecessor, Julius Schreck, never referred to himself as Reichsführer but the title was retroactively applied to him in later years. In 1929, Heinrich Himmler became Reichsführer-SS and referred to himself by his title instead of his regular SS rank. This set the precedent for the Commanding General of the SS to be called Reichsführer-SS. In 1934, Himmler's title became an actual rank after the Night of the Long Knives and from that point on, Reichsführer-SS became the highest rank of the SS and was considered the equivalent of a Generalfeldmarschall in the German Army.

Jewish Central Information Office.

Papers of the office of Reichsführer SS, 1938-1944, mostly emanate from the office of Reichsführer SS and deal with administrative matters. The collection comprises correspondence between the office of the Reichsführer SS and Reichskulturwalter Hans Hinkel (mainly) regarding administrative and cultural matters, 1939-1944 and an incomplete monthly information sheet Befehle und Mitteilungen, 1939-1942. It most notably includes two original letters from Reichsführer SS, Himmler (1144/1/14-/23); an incomplete set of an in-house information sheet providing instructions to SS members on a variety of matters such as dress protocol for visits to concentration camps by SS members (1144/2/4); qualification for wearing the 'Death's Head' ring of the SS (1144/2/2); and orders forbidding membership of clubs deemed inappropriate.

The material has been arranged chronologically into correspondence (1144/1) and issues of the information sheet Befehle und Mitteilungen (1144/2).

Open

These papers are fragile, therefore the copies must be reproduced.

German

This collection is fragile and therefore the copies must be used by readers.

A description exists on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.

Compiled by Samantha Velumyl.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

March 2008 Administration Armed forces Concentration camps Europe European history German history Germany Himmler , Heinrich Luitpold , 1900-1945 , politican Humanitarian law Military organizations National history Nazism Organizations Political doctrines SS x Schutzstaffel State security Totalitarianism War crimes Western Europe Organisation and management

Jewish Central Information Office.

Papers of the office of Reichsführer SS, 1938-1944, mostly emanate from the office of Reichsführer SS and deal with administrative matters. The collection comprises correspondence between the office of the Reichsführer SS and Reichskulturwalter Hans Hinkel (mainly) regarding administrative and cultural matters, 1939-1944 and an incomplete monthly information sheet Befehle und Mitteilungen, 1939-1942. It most notably includes two original letters from Reichsführer SS, Himmler (1144/1/14-/23); an incomplete set of an in-house information sheet providing instructions to SS members on a variety of matters such as dress protocol for visits to concentration camps by SS members (1144/2/4); qualification for wearing the 'Death's Head' ring of the SS (1144/2/2); and orders forbidding membership of clubs deemed inappropriate.

The material has been arranged chronologically into correspondence (1144/1) and issues of the information sheet Befehle und Mitteilungen (1144/2).

Open

These papers are fragile, therefore the copies must be reproduced.

• English

• Latin

German

A description exists on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

• English