Description
This is a SS Heimwehr “Danzig” Bernstein plaque.
The diameter of the plaque is approximately 15,5 centimeters and it is approximately 1,5 centimeters thick.
It is made by the Staatliche Bernstein Manufactur Königsberg Pr. [Preussen], and marked as such by a small plate on the front of the plaque on the left side. On the right side is a similar small plaque displaying the date “1939”.
The centre design of the plaque shows an engraved greater coat of arms of “Danzig” with centre coat of arms of Gdańsk, flanked by two lions.
The reverse side (or is is actually the front?) shows two large silver SS runes.
A little background:
SS Heimwehr “Danzig” was an SS unit established in the Free City of Danzig (today Gdańsk and environs, Poland) before the Second World War. It fought with the German Army against the Polish Army during the invasion of Poland, and some of its members committed a massacre of Polish civilians. After this it became part of the 3rd SS Totenkopf Division and ceased to exist as an independent unit.
Also known as Heimwehr Danzig (Danzig Home Defense), it was officially established on 20 June 1939, when the Danzig senate under Albert Forster decided to set up its own armed force; a cadre of this new unit primarily formed the Danzig SS Wachsturmbann “Eimann”.
Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler supported this project and sent SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Friedemann Götze to Danzig. Goetze was the commander of the III. Sturmbann (Battalion) of the 4th SS-Totenkopfstandarte “Ostmark”, established in October 1938 in Berlin-Adlersheim.
The III. Sturmbann was strengthened with the help of anti-tank defense forces (the Panzerabwehr-Lehrsturm of the SS- Totenkopfstandarten) as well as about 500 additional volunteers from Danzig who named their new unit SS Sturmbann “Goetze”. It was formed to conduct police actions in and around Danzig. The Danzig SS-men had been members a special SS troop established in July 1939 – the Wachsturmbann “Eimann” – and at the beginning of August this self-named Sturmbann “Goetze” reached the peninsula at the mouth of the Vistula called the Danzig Westerplatte. There it hid on German ships, including the naval training ship Schleswig-Holstein. The Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans) in Danzig founded the 1,550-man strong Heimwehr Danzig.
On 1 September 1939, German troops attacked Poland. The Heimwehr Danzig took part in the capture of the Polish post office after fifteen hours; an event which Günter Grass dedicated a chapter of his novel The Tin Drum to. During the attacks, the German forces used ADGZ armoured cars, 75mm and 105mm artillery and flamethrowers against illegal Polish forces within the Post Office armed with pistols, rifles, light machine guns and grenades. The SS-Heimwehr Danzig also participated in the attack on the Danzig Westerplatte, an illegal Polish-occupied part of the Free City Territory and already was considered a part of the 3rd SS Totenkopf Division then forming under Theodor Eicke. Later, it provided coast guard services in Danzig. On 8 September members of the SS Heimwehr Danzig killed 33 Polish civilians in the village of Książki. Other such militias were also involved in war crimes perpetrated on Polish civilians. On 30 September 1939, the Heimwehr became part of the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, forming the cadre of its artillery regiment.
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The plaque is in very good condition and shows only minimal signs of handling. There are a few very minor small dents and scratches, but these are hardly visible or noteworthy, overall i’d rate the plaque to good and close to mint.
Coincidently when i found it i also found an original rare catalog of the Staatliche Bernstein Manufaktur Königsberg. This was the company that made the here offered plaque. The catalog does not show this exact plaque, but i thought i add it as it is as being from the same maker a great add-on to the plaque. The customer gets thus both the plaque and the catalog.
This is absolutely an amazing SS item and would look great displayed in a glass cabinet or actually in any museum. EXTREMELY RARE!
