Kaminski Brigade - 'The Russian SS'

[Robin Lumsden]

OK.

Here's a REAL tester.

What do you think of this arm shield ??

(The YouTube link below is for the benefit of the uninitiated).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvMkc4K5JTw

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Robin, the trouble is with these is the few originals were all pretty badly hand made to start with.

I would not buy one without rock solid provenace.

Cheers, Ade.

[Robin Lumsden]

Thanks, Ade ............... for putting your head above the parapet !!

There have been 33 readers of this thread, and you're the first to comment.

Anyway, this crude little badge has now filled a gap in my SS collection.

It's the first one I've seen for sale that I'd personally he happy with.

It came from a very good source, at a very good price (about the going rate for an EK2), although it has no 'rock-solid provenance'.

It's always a matter of faith with these things.

According to the definitive history of this unit, all the original shields were made my local tailors in Lokot, so no two are the same.

This photo shows a selection of others for comparison, with comments where applicable.

How many of these are pre-1945 ??

The honest answer is ............ no-one knows for sure.

We can only judge by considering, among other things, the manufacturing materials used.

[Robin Lumsden]

Some relevant RONA pix.

The final photo shows Kaminski as an SS-Brigadefuehrer during the Warsaw Uprising ....... a couple of weeks before Himmler had him 'disposed of' (via von dem Bach) for failing to control his men !

[Adrian Stevenson]

Sometimes a leap of faith is needed. It is not like looking for a die flaw on badge. All you can do is satisfy yourself having weighed up the odds.

[Robin Lumsden]

Sometimes a leap of faith is needed. It is not like looking for a die flaw on badge. All you can do is satisfy yourself having weighed up the odds.

Ade.

Korrekt !

In theory, none of these should have made it to the 'west' as this pseudo-SS unit spent all of its time in the east, unlike the Russians of the Wehrmacht's Vlasov Army, which spent some time in Normandy.

However, the thing arrived in the post today and ....... let's just say ....... I'm VERY happy with it.

I feel a bit like this guy ....... remember ? ....... the one who took the 'Leap of Faith' in 'Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade'.

[Robin Lumsden]

Just as an aside, this is the only photograph known showing the 'POHA' badge being worn on SS uniform, during the short period (June-October, 1944) that the Kaminski Brigade was officially a part of the SS, as Waffen-Sturmbrigade der SS 'RONA', before being disbanded prematurely. Earlier plans for the brigade to be expanded into a full Russian SS division came to nothing.

The individual wearing it here (with the saddle-shaped cap) is believed to be Kaminski's ADC.

[Robin Lumsden]

Same shield - but different prices !! Another leap of faith required.