SA/SS pilots wings SS Fliegersturm

[d'alquen]

For those interested in this particular paper trail here is another, earlier document I have been able to find. Unfortunately the linear nature of threads prevents me from presenting the correspondence in chronolgical order. In this one to the RZM, with his patience worn thin waiting for delivery, Sido requests authorization to obtain the flying badges himself.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Very interesting, and speaks to the collector group think of "textbook" with great clarity.

That is to say, here one has an example of reality versus the well known illustration in a secondary work. Moreover, one has the detail of the thing in the bureaucratic
mill in detail.

Thanks for sharing your research with us.

[Duff]

This entire thread is awesome! Thank You for sharing everyone... Very informative and much appreciated!

[HPL2008]

Here are translations of the two additional documents. First the award document:

"Transcription.

The Commander of the SS Aviators
Journal no. 438


Munich, 30th November 1932
Barerstr. 4/II (center), phone: 51779


To:
SS-Truppführer Franz Sido
Augsburg


Following his return, the Reichsführer-SS has now endorsed your being awarded the Badge for SS Pilots, providing it to you along with the award document after payment of the amount of 8.95 Marks.


The Commander of the SS Aviators

signed: Häfner
SS-Oberführer

For the accuracy:
SS-Fliegerstaffelführer

Standartenführer



The Commander of the SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig
A.B.
(stamp)
signed: signature
SS-Obersturmführer and Adjutant*)



For the accuracy of the transcription:
[signed]
SS-Hauptsturmführer**)

*) This entry is for the accuracy of the initial transcription of the original award document. The transcription was made at the SS officer candidate school at Braunschweig, where Sido was was serving as an instructor.

**) This entry is for the second-generation transcription of the first transcription.



Note that the recipients had to pay for their award, showing that the financial resources of the SS were still quite limited at the time.

(Of course, this was not so unusual at a time of economic hardship. Even recipients of the official airship- and tank crew members' commemorative badges issued during the Weimar period had to pay for these awards out of their own pocket.)

Also, note that 8.95 Marks was quite expensive, although this is not really surprising given that these were badges made in small quantities by elaborate hand-embroidery.

[HPL2008]

The other document:

"Franz Sido
SS-Sturmbannführer

Braunschweig, 10th June 1937
Loeperstrasse 1/O

To the
Reichszeugmeisterei der N.S.D.A.P.
Munich
Schwanthalerstrasse.


The aluminum-embroidered SS Pilots' Badges that I require have been out of stock at the Reichszeugmeisterei for some time now.

Therefore, I request written authorization to commission these badges from a suitable local business.

I request the soonest possible delivery of this authorization and sign with

Heil Hitler!

signed Franz Sido

SS-Sturmbannführer



To the Verwaltungsamt SS
with the request for execution of this matter!
RZM
12th July 1937
per pro
signed: signature


For the accuracy of the transcription:
[signed]
SS-Hauptsturmführer

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Bravo, Andreas. You are a professor of regalia! We are so lucky to have such a generous and wise personage.

How few are like him, and more should emulate his example.

Thanks to Mr. Derek for his wonderful cornucopia of documents and the time he spent unearthing their many, many secrets.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Young persons also do not understand the technology of the typewriter and carbon paper, as well as the bureaucratic system to assure that copies of documents
adhered to the original.

- - ------- - -

Sales of carbon paper were once a thing of financial majesty..

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Fuer die Richtigkeit der Abschrift.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I took my first typing class in 1966. But I was not and am not as good looking as these women.

I particularly enjoy the hectoring, aw sh!t tone of all SS correspondence.

The atta boys are few and far between, the aw sh!ts rain from heaven with a niggling irritation that mocks all description.

Considering that good ole' Heini Himmler made such a big deal of the status of being one of the first of the most elite, I can well partake
of the supplicant's (Herr Sido's) irritation at not being able to wear his badge.

[HPL2008]

Young persons also do not understand the technology of the typewriter and carbon paper, as well as the bureaucratic system to assure that copies of documents adhered to the original.

How well I remember learning the basics of typing on a big old Olympia typewriter before being allowed to graduate to that marvel of technology that was the IBM Selectric...

(I guess if you see me hammering away at a computer keyboard, you can still tell I come from mechanical typewriters.)