Recommended books and related literature

[spandau]

Hi FB,

I can see from the pictures above why you suggest i come and sort out your library !

While I'm there can I look at whats in the plastic bages on the desk please ?

kind regards as ever

tony

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Hi FB,

I can see from the pictures above why you suggest i come and sort out your library !

While I'm there can I look at whats in the plastic bages on the desk please ?

kind regards as ever

tony

Thank you. You would be most welcome. I own more than one book, and more than one SS cap, truth be told. However, granted the price of real estate where I live, the furniture of my own mind or spirit is too great for its physical limits. your humble, FB

[martinsuper]

For the study of collar tabs and other cloth insignia, is "Cloth Insignia of the SS" by John Angolia a good book to buy? Does it show the backs (and tags) of collar tabs too?

[Friedrich-Berthold]

For the study of collar tabs and other cloth insignia, is "Cloth Insignia of the SS" by John Angolia a good book to buy? Does it show the backs (and tags) of collar tabs too?

Especially as concerns the Allgemeine SS, in particular, the book is flawed. This fact notwithstanding, Angolia is popular as are all the Bender books. The flaws in the SS insignia book have become more aggravated as time has passed. Nonetheless, I am not aware of an alternative with as many images of authentic insignia. One merit of the work is that it does include a lot of Delich's collection, which is a plus, as well as other leading US collections of the era. Read, however, Mr. d'Alquen's posts as well as our reflections on these issues with reference to primary material, which Angolia does not cite, and the reality of SS insignia is a lot more opaque than this book indicates.
I am a task master, but, flaws in Angolia run smack dab into some glaring facts of actual black SS uniforms I own and those of others, for which his misleading analysis might cause a catastrophe. See this attachment, for instance, which his book cannot analyze. Look carefully at the image of this SS officer for insignia which Angolia would assign to different organizations, like a chicken with fur and hooves.

As concerns images of the rear of collar patches, look at such sites as those of Whammond, Shea, Bruce Herman, as well as Peter Jenkins, and you will see as many authentic pieces of SS insignia as had in books. Also, it is easy enough to buy the Herstellungvorschriften d. RZM, for about 30 Euros, in which is well described the making of collar patches generally, even if not expressly SS collar patches.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The Shea Beaver book on SS head wear also breaks new frontiers, but is best read in conjunction with older literature on the SS, of which the Koehl book recommended by my colleague in so. California is very useful. Lumsden's larger work on the SS, which is a synthesis of many things, is also useful, but not as analytical.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

More or less at the same time that the Shutt book burst forth, this French work appeared, which still has much merit. Some of the SS caps are maybe iffy, but overall, a handsome and compelling work of merit. Poorly bound, to be sure, but the illustrations make up for it. Have the thing rebound by a quality book binder, which is only to be found on a different continent than mine. Book binding....a quaint idea.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Colleague Coleman should include the Bozich book, which featured his collection. I never have owned this volume, whose historical importance in the evolution of this literature is extraordinary.

[HPL2008]

The Shea Beaver book on SS head wear also breaks new frontiers, but is best read in conjunction with older literature on the SS, of which the Koehl book recommended by my colleague in so. California is very useful. Lumsden's larger work on the SS, which is a synthesis of many things, is also useful, but not as analytical.

The Shea/Beaver volume is beautiful, but it has one flaw that bothers me no end, although said flaw does admittedly not pertain to the study of caps:

While the book has many excellent and carefully selected period photographs, the captions to these images leave much to be desired and could have done with far greater care and some serious editing.

Examples: Seen in three photographs, Fritz von Scholz is alternately captioned as "Kurt Scholz", "Fritz von Sehlz" and "Felix von Scholz"; sometimes, names are misspelled, ("Helmet" [!] instead of "Helmut", "Theodore" instead of "Theodor" etc.) and in many other cases, well-known and easily identifiable persons (like Otto Dietrich, Kurt Meyer, Harald Nugiseks etc.) are not named at all.

There is even one complete misidentification: Page 140 has two officers of the Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen Mannschaft in Kroatien who are referred to as "Dutch SS officers wearing a strange combination of insignia on their caps"!

Lumsden's book is one that I always rather liked; for a broad general overview covering the wide range of the SS' history, organization, symbolism and regalia I'd still recommend it to any beginner as a good, solid starting point.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The Shea/Beaver volume is beautiful, but it has one flaw that bothers me no end, although said flaw does admittedly not pertain to the study of caps:

While the book has many excellent and carefully selected period photographs, the captions to these images leave much to be desired and could have done with far greater care and some serious editing.

Examples: Seen in three photographs, Fritz von Scholz is alternately captioned as "Kurt Scholz", "Fritz von Sehlz" and "Felix von Scholz"; sometimes, names are misspelled, ("Helmet" [!] instead of "Helmut", "Theodore" instead of "Theodor" etc.) and in many other cases, well-known and easily identifiable persons (like Otto Dietrich, Kurt Meyer, Harald Nugiseks etc.) are not named at all.

There is even one complete misidentification: Page 140 has two officers of the Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen Mannschaft in Kroatien who are referred to as "Dutch SS officers wearing a strange combination of insignia on their caps!

Lumsden's book is one that I always rather liked; for a broad general overview covering the wide range of the SS' history, organization, symbolism and regalia I'd still recommend it to any beginner as a good, solid starting point.

The Schiffer books have no editorial process to speak of, at least in my knowledge. The authors provide the ready manuscript. Editorial work of the conventional kind, and as I know still to work in Germany from experience, is seen as a luxury in my country.

Editorial work in the traditional sense is labor intensive, done by a special kind of marvelous human being, who is already extinct or will soon be because of market forces, as well as collapsing standards.

I have especially fond memories of the editorial work I did with my editor in a far off time, the results of which have stood the test of time.

[BobS]

RE: Schiffer Books. Indeed, there is virtually no editing in their books, and they seem to be useful pretty much solely for the photos & illustrations. The captions are often incorrect as well.
Maddening, especially since they have broken the $100 + price barrier for some time. I suppose that we must be thankful that these limited interest books are published at all, even with their limitations and high prices. Thankfully, many Schiffer titles are discounted on Amazon.

BobS