Sepp Dietrich's cap eagle...

[KMNZ]

yes Bob, you are right, I am not an SS collector and never will be, but I do know irregulaties exist, but it just makes it so much harder. I for one love to learn, even though as said before it not my area of collection but surely you do understand where I am coming from. I dont collect but do follow SS threads.
I am more interested in seeing these irregularties debunked by advanced collectors as yourself. I do thank you Bob for taking time to be involved in this. I am always open to learn but I know many collectors would be disencouraged by these irregulaties then anything else .
You sir have nothing more then my upmost respect .
Please educate us all.

KMNZ

[KMNZ]

and please dont think i am making fun of you or anyone else, I am more then willing to learn ... I have no personal beef with you or anyone else .
I am willing to learn, just wanted to make that clear .... and this is just makes it harder for SS collectors ... I know your posts on WAF before I lost my password there .
Am just wondering bout SS collectors and their view on it

KMNZ

[Friedrich-Berthold]

If you aspire to be a successful collector, versus this false dichotomy of "advanced" versus "beginning" collector, then you had best deepen yourself in the historical reality of our subject via some serious labor on your own. The point-click mentality of posing daft questions and expecting someone with much hard earned and painful experience to elucidate some subtle points means that such "beginning" collectors will likely never progress to the level of "successful" collector. I warrant you that this glitzy, color pictures in pixels thingy is distracting, unnerving and confusing to a novice. However, the reality of the past departs totally from the cartoon image fostered by many secondary work English language books, and, mostly from the a historical and clueless manner in which some approach this task. That is, its complexity elicits an infantile response that bespeaks no capacity to learn, and thereby to become a successful collector.

Since about 1959 or 1960 (while at a tender age, mind you...) I have devoted a large fraction of my waking hours to the Schickelgruber era, with some attention paid to the opposite sex, eating and sleeping. In the meantime, this effort resulted in more or less three decades plus of professional engagement in the subject. Sometimes I drove automobiles, mind you, but even when not changing lanes, I often thought about RZM tags.
It is so. The results are mixed, of course, but the reflection is not the sum of hours, weeks, or months.

The internet allows us all a common medium of expression, but the exchange is not on a level surface, as it were. Some have more experience than others, and, in a cruel and unforgiving way, we are all judged on our interventions, our words, our pictures, our knowledge.

[d'alquen]

"At what level, do you suppose, would these kinds of alterations of a uniform typically be overlooked? Obviously an EM/NCO would have a much harder time pulling that off than Sepp Dietrich."

It is easy to assume that this type of variation in insignia was practised by only high ranking members of the SS who could exercise a degree of personal discretion. However, in the early years of the SS-VT, it was common practice to adopt army style insignia. The desire to be seen as more military than political was prevalent in both unit terminology and insignia for these units. This photograph of the bodyguard regiment shows perhaps only one or two members wearing the correct political eagle, the vast majority sport the heer eagle. I have even seen photographs of a cockade being worn on the cap instead of the skull.
d'alquen

[command450]

indeed....very interesting.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

"At what level, do you suppose, would these kinds of alterations of a uniform typically be overlooked? Obviously an EM/NCO would have a much harder time pulling that off than Sepp Dietrich."

It is easy to assume that this type of variation in insignia was practised by only high ranking members of the SS who could exercise a degree of personal discretion. However, in the early years of the SS-VT, it was common practice to adopt army style insignia. The desire to be seen as more military than political was prevalent in both unit terminology and insignia for these units. This photograph of the bodyguard regiment shows perhaps only one or two members wearing the correct political eagle, the vast majority sport the heer eagle. I have even seen photographs of a cockade being worn on the cap instead of the skull.
d'alquen

I was hoping you would post said image. The early images of the LAH make d'Alquen's point many times over. Thanks for the addition. This custom with the cap badge apparently encouraged the design of the so called 1936 Hoheitszeichen, which was conceived in late 1935.....

[lovetheww2]

Great information

Best regards

Thank you

[texasuberalles]

Forgive the quality of the attached but it's a copy of a pic I took '72
I've had the cap with a gold political eagle since '70 or so.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Bravo, colleague, well done and thanks for the material!

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Attachment 250186

Why did Sepp Dietrich had a heer cap eagle on his hat?


Kris.

Of course, whatever we suggest, other than Messr d'Alquen's images, is pure speculation. I am not aware that he left behind a reason for it in the records.
He did not have to, of course, since there is so much other evidence from his biography.