Was this SS uniform possible?

[Larry C]

Thank you gentlemen,, and I would expect nothing less as I was not afforded this luxury when I posted a reply sometime ago when this photo topic came to be from another forum. Most of the period photographs that I have encountered were not the best quality. The photography of that time left little to detail as black uniforms looked like greys almost and in other photos the way they should of. I have to admit that early SS uniforms were not my greatest strengths, as I was under the assumption that all SS uniforms were black , during the early period ....until this photo surfaced and clearly shows a difference in tone and the use of the early style eagle. I thank the both of you for your responses and your time. Sadly most said documentation was lost towards the end of the war and very little photographs survived which is a rarity,, but not enough sometimes to give an exact date,,, except those photographs that were dated. The Dead Himmler photo speaks in volumes in regards to "dead men tell no tales". It makes much sense!! Thanks again greatly for a valuable learning experience. Best regards Larry

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Thanks. We are in Mr. d'Alquen's debt. The joy of history is in its detail and the pleasure we take in re assembling the broken bits of the past. Andrew Mollo forged the path to the frontier of early SS uniforms with his several books of the 1960s and 1970s. I acquired my first SSVT uniform forty years ago, and have been interested ever since. I also had an earth brown uniform of the SSTV without badges, but I never kept it. I had no idea as to how valuable it was.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

To underscore Mr. d'Alquen's point, images from the years 1935-6.

[Larry C]

Seeing Sepp Dietrich in this period with "jawless" cap device, is very helpful with the uniform color. Thanks again Larry

[Friedrich-Berthold]

This volume contains some of the images I have describe as well as the more recent French one, of which there have been several.

Also, courtesy of Mr. d'Alquen is this cover of Eher Verlag illustrated with said date ( VII '35) with Dietrich and his new grey cap.

[d'alquen]

You may also be interested in this picture which shows the grey uniforms being worn at an even earlier date. This shows Politische Bereitschaft Wuerttemberg in the winter of 1934/5. All the officers and nco's wear the first pattern eagle on their caps, which both for the officer in the centre and the nco's feature a cloth peak. Both officers wear runes on the collar whereas the rest of the group are wearing blank tabs at this period of time.
All in all a very interesting study of the early development of the uniform for the armed SS.
d'Alquen

[Friedrich-Berthold]

You may also be interested in this picture which shows the grey uniforms being worn at an even earlier date. This shows Politische Bereitschaft Wuerttemberg in the winter of 1934/5. All the officers and nco's wear the first pattern eagle on their caps, which both for the officer in the centre and the nco's feature a cloth peak. Both officers wear runes on the collar whereas the rest of the group are wearing blank tabs at this period of time.
All in all a very interesting study of the early development of the uniform for the armed SS.
d'Alquen

Thank you. Wonderful picture from your treasure trove.

[Bochmann]

That's a fantastic picture and I especially like the mix of uniform items, especially the open type buckles on the far left of the picture.
It makes me wonder if these individuals are SS candidates, who were perhaps not eligible to wear the SS buckle at this time?
Great image!!!

[Winkelman]

Outstanding - thanks for sharing .. !