SS Mann: pride and polish across the gulf of time.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Via the Gottlieb site this image of the young SS Mann from Sta. 57, which prompts this comparison.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Since it is the anniversary of so much in the 20th century this year, I wonder what happened to all these men?

[DrPMC]

Since it is the anniversary of so much in the 20th century this year, I wonder what happened to all these men?

[harryamb2]

21 years old,a waste.

[HPL2008]

The SS' love for dramatic and mythological symbols certainly accompanied its fallen members even past death. Note that the grave marker is a "Man" rune (aka "life" rune) combined with a "Tyr" rune.

Apparently consulted on his opinion about the proper grave markers for SS personnel, Himmler's (in)famous runic "expert" Karl-Maria Wiligut (aka Weisthor) addressed the matter in a letter to Himmler's personal Referent Dr. Rudolf Brandt of 10th September 1940:

"Der Reichsführer-SS hat mit seiner Meinung ganz recht!
Die Gräber der SS Toten können nur mit der Rune geschmückt werden, und zwar mit dem Eisernen Kreuz im Mittelpunkt und darunter die Inschrifttafel mit dem Namen des zu Got heimgekehrten!
Während nämlich die Man-Rune ewige Empfängnis von Got-Geist, also Unsterblichkeit gleich Leben bedeutet, versinnbildlicht die Tyr-Rune eben nur den "ewigen Kreislauf". Unsere edlen, tapferen Kameraden verdienen doch voll und ganz diese Anerkennung der teutschen Nachwelt! Außerdem erinnert die Tyr-Rune auf dem von Ihnen mitgesandten Bild an die überdachten Kreuze, wie sie auf vielen katholischen Friedhöfen zu finden sind."

["The opinion of the Reichsführer-SS is quite right!
The graves of the SS' dead may be decorated with the rune only, more specifically with the Iron Cross at its center and below that the inscribed plate with the name of the one who has returned to God!
For, whereas the Man rune symbolizes the eternal reception of Godly spirit, meaning immortality equaling life, the Tyr rune merely symbolizes the "eternal circle". After all, our noble, brave comrades are fully and wholly deserving of this recognition by German posterity! Apart from that, the Tyr rune seen in the picture you had sent is evocative of the roofed crosses as found on many Catholic cemeteries."]


(Note the spelling of the German word for God being "Got" rather than the normal spelling "Gott"; this was a practice meant to separate the vague völkisch/Nazi concept of a god from the Judeo-Christian one.)

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Another excellent example of our Andreas' skill as an historian!
Bravo!