Two number one Blutorden?

[youthcollector1]

I recently had a desire to learn more about the blood order badge due to its historical significants. Upon searching blood order badge, I discovered an article on the first blood order badge issued. I though it was extremely interesting and wanted to share it here. Enjoy and sorry it's so long.
If it turns out strange, sorry I posted this on my phone.

Two Blood Orders Number One?


When I unpacked a large collection of relics that once belonged to former SA Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Brueckner, Hitler's Chief Adjutant, I got more than I bargained for.
His son had listed a Blood Order in the inventory, but I was astounded when I saw the medal bore the stamped number "1". As many collectors know, there is already a Blood Order with serial number "1" in the possession of Mohawk Anns. The question which may now be logically asked is: "Which Blood Order is real?"

First, let us consider the Blood Order owned by Mohawk Arms.

This medal was part of a large collection of relics taken from Hitler's Munich apartment by former Lt. Phillip Ben Lieber at the end of the war. It is unusual in that the serial number is hand engraved not stamped. Some collectors have wondered about this anomaly, even suggesting that the number was added post-1945. However, such speculation is completely without foundation.

I knew Phillip Ben Lieber and I personally inspected and photographed his entire collection in 1959, long before it came to the attention of collectors and dealers. When Lieber first showed me the Blood Order now owned by Mohawk Arms, it was already marked with the number "1". When I saw the Blood Order again two years ago, I recognized it as the one I saw and photographed in 1959. There is, therefore, no question that the Blood Order number "I" now in the possession of Mohawk Arms is genuine.

How, then, could Brueckner have been in possession of another Blood Order number "I"? Klaus Patzwall's, DAS EHRENZEICHEN YOM 9. NOVEMBER 1923, provides a logical explanation. According to Patzwall's research, the Blood Order given to Hitler was issued without number. The author suggests that the Blood Order bearing the stamped number "1" was originally intended for Ernst Roehm. (There is a blank beside serial number "1" in the official list of recipients.)

As there seems to exist no photograph of Roehm actually wearing a Blood Order, it is likely that he was shot before the medal was given to him. If this was the case, the Blood Order intended for Roehm undoubtedly was withdrawn from issue, ending up in someone's desk drawer or safe with all the other Blood Orders originally intended for those shot or dismissed during the Roehm Purge of 1934. The most logical person to have come into possession of these revoked awards was Brueckner, the ranking man on the commission appointed by Hitler to award the Blood Orders, number "1002" was included in another large collection of Brueckner items purchased by Bob Kraus many years ago.

According to the list in Patzwall's book, this Blood Order was intended for a Franz Kastcnberger, a former member of the SA-Regiment Munchen, the unit commanded by Brueckner during the 1923 Putsch. It is not known for sure, but perhaps Kastenberger suffered the same fate as Roehm. In any case, Brueckner came into possession of at least two Blood Orders, number "1" and "1002", neither originally intended for him. (According to the list in Patzwall's book, Brueckner's own Blood Order was number "7".) With Roehm dead, Blood Order number "I" was unissued, and his name was removed from the list of recipients, leaving a blank beside that number.

It must have been decided that this prestigious number be reassigned to someone, and if this were the case, the number could have gone to no one other than Hitler himself.

Therefore, it may safely be theorized that Hitler's previously unnumbered Blood Order was later hand engraved with the serial number "1", the condition in which it was found by Lieber in Hitler's apartment in 1945. No other explanation makes any sense. Which Blood Order number "I" is real? The answer is that they both are!


Ben Swearingen

[Adrian]

Interesting, thank you for posting.

I've broken up the text a little to make it easier to read.

[youthcollector1]

Thanks again.