Schalburg Cross, some news.

[Hallandsen]

Browsing Axis History Factbook, you will see a pic of the so known danish Schalburg-Cross. This cross shown ,can only be taken as a fantasy piece, recently made by someone that possibly haven´t seen the original cross.
This cross can also be seen on several sites for sale.The story of the cross was first told to me, reading Huge Page
Taylor, Uniforms of the ss, vol. 2,( The Germanic SS)1970, and the story was, the cross where given to members of the Schalburg-Korps, and later after the war, bestrowen on the the streets in front of the Schalburg Hq, in Copenhagen. You should know, that this story was told by a danish dealer, known by many danish collectors trough the 60ties, selling many fantasy things, always with a fuzzy history connected, not to offend any, I leave his name out, but it is known by mr. Wendel.
The Schalburg Korps was disbanded in febr. 1945, only left was the "Home Guard" section, called Landstormen, and in the former Hq. now german refugees together with a german order police detch. was settled.
The Schalburg-Korps(from now on SK) lived from mid 1944 in Ringsted (Seeland)named SS-Watch Btl. Sjaelland.
I have in my collection the cross, and 4 cititations, named to 4 members of the HIPO(Hilfspolizei) all 4 made out on 12.2.1945 i Copenhagen. Signed by Jahn, a german SS Stubaf. in head of the SS Social office in Copenhagen,
Frydendalsvej 25-27. Also can be seen a stamp with the wording, Troskab vor Aere, Danske Frontkaemperes Venner.
(Unsere Ehre heisst Treue, Friends of the danish Frontfighters) which was a danish social leauqe for frontfighters.
One of the recievers, Ferdinand Otto Björnberg, HIPO no. 508, born 9.5.1897 in Copenhagen, was as Oberwachtmeister in HIPO in charge of a HIPO detch. guarding a danish NS orpahns home, located at Krogerup in north-Seeland, and he got the cross, defending it from Resistance attack.
Therefore, I think that the cross had nothing really to do with the SK. On the papers I have, the cross are called "Schalburg-Korpsets Erindringskors"(Memorycross of the SK) All doc.s are dated 12.2.1945, and at this time, the social office of Jahn was mowed to Graasten, southern Jutland, near the german border.The Schalburg Korps was long gone.
The original cross are only made in a painted version. In the mid 60 ties, the cross became familiar also in a enameled version, but this version was re-worked with enamel and called a officers version. This was done by a danish metal-factory owned by a man named Mayer,(now dead for years) which also in some way, are conected with reworking the norwegian Tapper og Tro medal.
The original cross have no neadle system, but only a pin, that will hold nothing, and are bestowed in a red crarton box, unnamed. The cross was made by a firm Heimbürger in Copenhagen.The danish Freedom Fighters museum in Copenhagen, in the late 60ties into mid 70ties had a enameled version on display, but this i now moved.
If any know anything about the new forgeries, this can helt others.The "new" cross are white poor enamel, made of heavy bronce and have a hinged neadle system on the back and the wording on this cross are yellow, the cross are white,so be on your guard.

[Hallandsen]

:
Sorry to Mr.Wendel and a big excuse for making to many treads. I am aware now :idea:
I also have to correct myself in my tread about the name of the socalled Schalburg-Cross.
On my cititations the name are Schalburg-Korpsets Erindringstegn (not kors "Cross") but "Sign"
I had to look at them, the whol "got" away with me.
My cititations are A4, and I will try to send one to the forum.

[Hallandsen]

former pics of smileys erassed

[prorege1]

Hello Hallandsen

I'm sorry, but I disagree with your conclusions and respectfully believe you are wrong. Taking the provenance of some of the crosses into consideration (and there are only very few surviving pieces in collections) then the enamelled cross shown below, in my opinion, is indeed original.

You state "The original cross are only made in a painted version": That's a pretty conclusive statement, how do you know? There are no contemporary photos of either type being worn and no surviving records available from the wartime production.

You state about the enamelled cross "this version was re-worked with enamel and called a officers version": This is wrong! The enamelled type is approximately 1/3rd thinner in thickness also there are differences in the design of the edges of the front of the cross and central disc which are clearly wider on the enamelled type. Last, but most important, the enamelled type IS MAGNETIC, the painted type is not. It is therefore not a "re-worked" painted cross.

A few pictures attached where you can see the obvious difference, but the most important factor is the different type of metal used for the painted and enamelled types.

[prorege1]

Reverse (needle broken off on the painted type)

[prorege1]

Combined image showing difference in edges

[prorege1]

Last one showing difference in thickness

[Hallandsen]

Hi
Thank` s for the reply. You are quit right-there are no known photo showing this cross in use. If I can state the enemaled version did not exist, I am delighted to see that you have some other informations. Maybee this can be shered out here.
I have travveled inded for years papers related to the corps, and found nothing at all.
One stated to me, the painted version would melt if reworked with enemal, and so the topic can go one for ever.
In 1972 I got a pricelist connected to the new-edit.of National-Socialisten given out by Sven Salicath.
The list where called "Rustkammeret" with drawings from "Jul I Norden" and prices for all DNSAP badges for sale incl. the Schalburg Cross. Together with all my pics and prices from Meyer in Holte, I was expl. by the late Lars Zachariassen, that the crosses where made in Denmark after the war, original dies and all where enemaled. He had bought 50 of them.
I also had a talk with the former Fredom Fighters Mus. leader who showed me some drawings that should belong the the Corps, but these drawings was made by a dealer in Albertslund that had made many explanations in his sammlerfourm
called "The Legion"about this corps.
I mean this topic can be conected with the soknown Stamps for Freikorps-Denmark(that was not in existence after mai 1943)no one have ever seen anything.
All I wanted to say was, the citations I have, has the Stamp of a Vet.leque, not the Schalburg-fondation , and they exist.
I want you to think of the raw-material situation at this time. Who wanted crosses for a Corps that was already called something else. Maybee we, Soeren, should say at the moment, May it rest in piece,
Hallandsen.

[Hallandsen]

Another interesting statment made by Prorege 1, made me think, if the situation could be turned around-
Maybee the enemaled crosses are the originals, and the painted ones are found, unfinished after the war and then painted which give more meaning, but still, the neadles at the back, are the same on both crosses.

[WAR LORD]

This is an area that I am very interested in and have done a fair bit of research. The point of the painted badge, or may we say cross, being reworked will not stand. The evidence allready shown shows the varriations. Plus the painted version is made in a zink based material that if heated enough to enamel would dissintergrate. So we have 2 different cross's. Let assume from what we see, Hughe Page Taylor is a very thorough Historian, his tale of events fits the bill. HOWEVER THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION GIVEN BY OUR NEW MEMBER IS VERY CONVINCING. I could conclude we have two grades of the cross as origanily thought. The enameld version is extreemly rare. Is this the cross of honour, unawarded. The painted version, that more liberally given to those who had been at the front and also in other organisations, hence the citations that have been shown. The need for an award was evident and followed other Saterlight countries. This award will take a long time to unravel if ever. The Norwegian cross is a like award. The addition of the raven changed an award for the front to an award for the home country.

[T_Reece]

This is a very interesting topic. Perhaps the moderators can join all of Hallandsen other shalburg posts
into this one to keep the info flowing.

[prorege1]

Dear Hallandsen

Noted your pictures of the Schalburg Cross award document on the document forum, is there a chance you can make a magnification of the central area of the cross showing details of the round disc & sunwheel swastica? Just of of curiosity did the(se) document originate from the dealer you mention in Albertslund (Gantsler?)?

[prorege1]

Dear Hallandsen

The medal on the award document does in some areas appear to be a complete match to the original painted zinc badge - particulary the text in the central part of the disc. I tried to work with details of the award document in Photoshop and voila!! the text is a complete 100% match to the text on the medal. This could, repeat could, raise suspicion the central part of the badge on the award document is a photographic reproduction of the original medal - or to put it in plain language a photocopy. In order to clarify this matter could you possibly post a close-up of the medal shown on the award document?

[prorege1]

Dear Hallandsen

I'm just moving the picture of your award document to this post so it can easily be compared to the Photoshop combination I made above.

[Marcus]

Material posted by Hallandsen in other threads by mistake:

hi
I have some pics of related Schalburg-Korps Cross
In the moment I `m trying to send them on this forum, but I ca`nt find out.
:D

On this pic, you can see the Orignial painted Schalburg Cross
front.


Schalburg Cross, original showing back, with pin

In this pic you see the Schalburg Cross enameld version. This version was released on a sales list in the late 60ties by Karl Meyer, Holte, Copenhagen.
This Items should be a reworked painted cross issue, not original to the time before 1945

Schalburg Cross, enamel version, reworked past 1945 from the painted original issue.

Here you can se the recent Schalburg Cross copy, bought as a copy on Vandel military fair in dk for 300,- dkr.
The only Schalburg items copied known to me are the cross, more related to Danske Frontkaemperes Venner, and the Schalburg Corps cap badge, used on the black allgm.ss cap.
This badge are also copied, which you can se on one item relaesed by mr. Sverri Johannesen in the forum Tyske 2 WW Krigsmedaljer. MSN.Com
The original cap badge consisted on a white tight waved suncross and wings on black silk.
This item was made by the firm of Alfred Berg in Buddinge, Sjaelland. Originals are maked if two are together with "Dansk. Fabr."
more pics later.

Hi
Here you can see the Schalburg memorycross/danish frontfighter leque/cititaiton, made out to the owner, Fähnrich no 584 member of the HIPO, Knud Erik Østergaard-Larsen, born 15.3.1922 in Aarhus,DK, dead 5.5.1945 Asserbo by Frederiksværk, Sjaelland,DK.
As a frotnfighter vet. he returned to DK 1942 to became one of the first Schalburgschool leaders together with Soeren Kam, Dirck Bonneck and Lorenz Kjaer.
In June 1944 be became member of the ET (Schlburg Korps intillegence sevice)later to be a uniformed member of the HIPO.
His photo was made as a postcard, on the other pic, you will see his company in front of the Ringsted camp.

Thanks all you, for coments, and new way looking at the Schalburg Cross. It seems to me, we have to find steadfast evidens before going further.
I myself had no enameled cross but on sale 1972(I can scan the list)I thought this was a new cross of the former :x I have now seen this, thanks to prorege 1.
I not started this topic to state :lol: acting as a better knowing, but you may agree, on these days, we have a real copy on the market, and if no spoke out, this can go on for ever.
We have now shown new and older collecters the "real" item.
Taylor made some great books, great respect :wink: but some drawings made new copies, as there where no pics of the capbadge, this was made now handcratet in silvertread, as so did the collarpatches.The armshild worked out in an orange blazerbadge wiht gold--twisted edge, Littlejohn was a new spearhead breaker, also with respect :wink: but to many tentative sketches and misinformation made me thinking, if wrong about danish items, what about the french, and so....
I will made some pics (the paper and doc.forum) with the citation stamp and Jahn signature as a membershipcard and newspaper from the Frontfighters Friends league, and some pics of schalburg uniforms as well.
But I :roll: wy history obout these danish corps should always be told from one outside DK.
thank you all for participation on this.

/Marcus