SS feldpost original or fake?

[Sensei]

I've had these feldpost letters for a while and its supposedly from the Waffen SS. Are they original?

[BrodieBartfast]

The letters are original, but I'd err on the side of the SS stamp being a recent addition. All the authentic SS Feldpost I've seen, straight out of estate sales in Germany, has 'SS-Feldpost' handwritten on the front by the sender, as opposed to simply 'Feldpost'.

Plus, I'm fairly certain 'Soldat' is an enlisted rank in the Army, not the SS. The correct equivalent would be 'SS-Schütze'.

Regards, B.B.

[Gwar]

I am currently doing research on the RAD Feldpost numbers and came across this...

SS-Feldpost

The SS-Feldpost mail was handled separately by the designated SS-units. The difference between ordinary Feldpost and SS-Feldpost mail is that the cover usually bore the SS-Feldpost marking, SS unit seal and the sender's rank (SS-Mann).

The rules requiring Feldpost mail to bore the "SS" marking were not carried out or enforced. The SS had mail surveillance centers, which used their own censorship markings. In general all military mail abide the rules and regulations governing the regular Feldpost services, however, the postal autonomy of the Waffen-SS increased as of 1 June 1942. On 6 April 1944, all military mail came under the SS own jurisdiction and no longer followed the control of the OKW.


SECRET PO BOX SS-FELDPOST
SS volunteers had secret Post Office Boxes to conceal their association with the Waffen-SS. They were sent via air mail service in a second envelope, address to "WIEN 62, SCHLIESSFACH 110, FR" (Vienna, P.O. Box 110 or 113), or "BERLIN W30, SCHLIESSFACH 26, FR" (Berlin, P.O. Box 26). Upon receipt at the P. O. Box address, the postal clerk removed the letter from the outer envelope, stamped the P.O. Box number on the reverse and sent via feldpost channels. The cover was then forwarded to the addressee using probably a fictitious German name. The letters mailed to the addressees were always censored by the SS or army and they usually had the annotation "Zuruck an Absenser/Neue Anschrift abwarten" (Return to sender, wait for new address). Most of the mail originated in Romania (a few covers have the actual sender's name/address that appeared on the inside flap). The initials "F.R." was a commercial establishment that held Box 110.
Just for any interest... G

[Sensei]

Thank you for that Gwar!

[McSeam]

I don't like the round SS-stamp. Seems that smb takes an ordinary feldpost and marks it by this suspicious stamp.
I've found two sets of such cards with the very same stamp. Various senders, various recipients, but the stamp is equal - how it was possible to collect this set? I wouldn't buy.

Germany - 8 X WAFFEN SS Feldpost WW2 - Personal attributes - Catawiki
Germany - 9 X WAFFEN SS Feldpost WW2 - Personal Attributes - Catawiki

Some examples:

[Sensei]

Damn, thats annoying. Well well. Thanks for that! Atleast they were cheap and i can get the money back.

[McSeam]

The letters are original, but I'd err on the side of the SS stamp being a recent addition. All the authentic SS Feldpost I've seen, straight out of estate sales in Germany, has 'SS-Feldpost' handwritten on the front by the sender, as opposed to simply 'Feldpost'.

Plus, I'm fairly certain 'Soldat' is an enlisted rank in the Army, not the SS. The correct equivalent would be 'SS-Schütze'.

Regards, B.B.

In most cases - yes, you are right. SS-men liked to emphasize they belonged to SS. But it was not a strong rule and it's possible to find an SS- feldpost without handwritten runes. Look at this card from Dachau: no runes, just handwritten "feldpost".
About "soldat" - it just means that this letter was sent not to SS-man, but it could (in theory) be sent by SS-man, the sender is unknown judging by these photos.

[Jan]

Torched a couple of these a month ago. I have to admit it felt very good

Best,

Jan