Sta 31 Niederbayern portrait.

[d'alquen]

HPL,
The lifespan of the lebensrune badge for the Agricultural advisors to the SS was short indeed. The order you post was from October of 1934, a mere month later this amendment was published on November 25, 1934 rescinding that order and authorizing the Odalrune for those members.
Given the fact that the officer retains his Allgemeine-SS insignia i think you are probably right in thinking he is an agricultural advisor. The authorization document, which is marvellous to see, would also support that supposition.
d'Alquen

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Thanks for the additional data. As I receive more data on Josef Reiter, I will share it with you. However, if you look carefully at his personnel record, there is mention of what I believe to be Fuersorge Referent in the Sta. 31. Does someone have a job description for this office?
The abbreviation is "Fuers. " My German friend translated this as "welfare officer."

[jHAM]

I believe these photos illustrate the change from the life rune to the odal rune. I also notice the cufftitle changes from RFSS with a blank collar tab and the later picture after promotion looks like a roman numeral X if I am not mistaken. Thank you for this compelling thread.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I believe these photos illustrate the change from the life rune to the odal rune. I also notice the cufftitle changes from RFSS with a blank collar tab and the later picture after promotion looks like a roman numeral X if I am not mistaken. Thank you for this compelling thread.

Thank you, colleague. Bob Coleman has much of this man's material, he was a significant official also in so. Germany, Arnold, though his first name eludes me. His son was in the SSTV and killed in action. Your skill with photos is commendable. This thread has evolved well and shows how we combine our efforts for an ideal result. Elsewhere, the cartel of anxiety is aboard the ship of fools, set sail in a maroon sea, clutching aluminum badges of kitschy design.

[jHAM]

Thank you, colleague. Bob Coleman has much of this man's material, he was a significant official also in so. Germany, Arnold, though his first name eludes me. His son was in the SSTV and killed in action. Your skill with photos is commendable. This thread has evolved well and shows how we combine our efforts for an ideal result. Elsewhere, the cartel of anxiety is aboard the ship of fools, clutching aluminum badges of kitschy design.

I feel like I am in much better company here. Many thanks!

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I feel like I am in much better company here. Many thanks!

Weitermachen. The riddles of foetid woolens.

[HPL2008]

The lifespan of the lebensrune badge for the Agricultural advisors to the SS was short indeed. The order you post was from October of 1934, a mere month later this amendment was published on November 25, 1934 rescinding that order and authorizing the Odalrune for those members.

Many thanks. I just knew you would have documentation on this!

I believe these photos illustrate the change from the life rune to the odal rune. I also notice the cufftitle changes from RFSS with a blank collar tab and the later picture after promotion looks like a roman numeral X if I am not mistaken.

The man in the photographs is Alfred Arnold sr.

The SS-Dienstalterslisten of 1 Oct. 34, 1 July 35, 1 Dec. 36, 30 Jan. 37, 1 Dec. 38 and 30 Jan. 44 all list him with the Rasse- und Siedlungsamt/-hauptamt. The SS-DAL of 9 Nov. 44 has him with the staff of SS-Oberabschnitt Südwest.

Since we know his promotion dates, we can even place a rough timeframe on these photographs:

• # 2 has him as a Sturmbannführer; he was promoted to this rank on 20 April 34 (promotion to Obersturmbannführer was a year later, on 20 April 35.)
• # 1 and # 3 shows Standartenführer rank; promotion to this rank was 15 Sept. 35
• # 4 shows him as an Oberführer; promotion date was 30 Jan. 37

It is worth noting that he was both an agricultural expert and a member of the RuSHA.

See here for an interesting grouping of items from Arnold:
Totenkopf Ring and Collection to Alfred Arnold Sr

...and here for a thread on him over on the Axis History Forum:
Axis History Forum • View topic - Sturmbannführer RFSS

Thanks for the additional data. As I receive more data on Josef Reiter, I will share it with you. However, if you look carefully at his personnel record, there is mention of what I believe to be Fuersorge Referent in the Sta. 31. Does someone have a job description for this office? The abbreviation is "Fuers. "My German friend translated this as "welfare officer."

The best translation I could come up with, although I don't have data on the exact nature on the day-to-day work of a Fürsorge-Referent. Would be interesting to find out more about this.

Speaking of the A-SS' inner workings: I had mentioned a while back that a new work on the early years of the Allgemeine SS in Vienna was to be published. ( Die Anfänge der Wiener SS: Christiane Rothländer: 9783205784685: Bücher ) It's out now; my friendly neighborhood mailman delivered it today. It looks very promising; a 652-page study with numerous tables and photographs (mostly of personnel) throughout.

[HPL2008]

Your skill with photos is commendable. This thread has evolved well and shows how we combine our efforts for an ideal result. Elsewhere, the cartel of anxiety is aboard the ship of fools, set sail in a maroon sea, clutching aluminum badges of kitschy design.

Hear, hear!

[d'alquen]

The Fürsorge-Referent was indeed the welfare official for the unit. The Odalrune and this man's authorization may well reflect this role, as the welfare of SS members and their families came under the auspices of RuSHA. The job was to provide economic assistance for needy SS members and to look after the widows and orphans of SS men. The SS had a financial reserve for this purpose and the Fürsorge-Referent was the authority through which SS men or relatives could apply.
d'Alquen

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Many thanks. I just knew you would have documentation on this!




The man in the photographs is Alfred Arnold sr.

The SS-Dienstalterslisten of 1 Oct. 34, 1 July 35, 1 Dec. 36, 30 Jan. 37, 1 Dec. 38 and 30 Jan. 44 all list him with the Rasse- und Siedlungsamt/-hauptamt. The SS-DAL of 9 Nov. 44 has him with the staff of SS-Oberabschnitt Südwest.

Since we know his promotion dates, we can even place a rough timeframe on these photographs:

• # 2 has him as a Sturmbannführer; he was promoted to this rank on 20 April 34 (promotion to Obersturmbannführer was a year later, on 20 April 35.)
• # 1 and # 3 shows Standartenführer rank; promotion to this rank was 15 Sept. 35
• # 4 shows him as an Oberführer; promotion date was 30 Jan. 37

It is worth noting that, he was both an agricultural expert and a member of the RuSHA.

See here for an interesting grouping of items from Arnold:
Totenkopf Ring and Collection to Alfred Arnold Sr

...and here for a thread on him over on the Axis History Forum:
Axis History Forum • View topic - Sturmbannführer RFSS




The best translation I could come up with, although I don't have data on the exact nature on the day-to-day work of a Fürsorge-Referent. Would be interesting to find out more about this.

Speaking of the A-SS' inner workings: I had mentioned a while back that a new work on the early years of the Allgemeine SS in Vienna was to be published. ( Die Anfänge der Wiener SS: Christiane Rothländer: 9783205784685: Bücher ) It's out now; my friendly neighborhood mailman delivered it today. It looks very promising; a 652-page study with numerous tables and photographs (mostly of personnel) throughout.

Dear Sir, thank you for the fine research assistance. Since I have not been to Europe since November, I have to come and buy all the books. There are other new books on the SS of merit. Boehlau is a first rate publishers and there is a group of Austrian scholars who do top flight work of this type. Thanks.