Family Crests of High SS Officers?

[RobinH]

I am hoping to do some research on the family crests (Familienwappen) that were made up for high SS officers by Dr. Carl Diebitsch. Specifically I would like to see the one made up for Sepp Dietrich. Would anyone know where that kind of research could be done or that information found?

Thank you.

[Max Williams]

In some SS personnel files I found letters from Karl Wolff requesting family coats-of-arms from certain SS generals. These were for display at Wewelsburg. Unfortunately there were very few examples of the actual designs available. My research did not show that Karl Diebitsch had been the sole designer, as the various generals were asked to provide their own family crests where it already existed (von Eberstein and Waldeck) or to select a suitable design which usually incorporated a runic symbol (as in the case of Eicke). I never came across the design for Dietrich.
Max.

[RobinH]

My source for the info on the task of creating wappen for high ss officers comes from the Wewelsburg book "H. Himmler's Camelot" by Cook and Russell. I noticed a older thread on this website about Dr. Diebitsch that seemed to confirm he was the man to create familly crests for the new ss aristocrats. In the book "H. Himmler's Camelot" it shows a family crest created for Oswold Pohl and says that was the only one found in Wewelsburg after the war. In T. Wittmann's SS book it has a photo of a wood chest made for Darre with a family crest carved into it.

I am hoping to find a photo of the family crest made for Sepp Dietrich or a book/documents about the crests created. I think this would be a great research project about a little known obscure part of the period.

Thanks.

[Max Williams]

Pohl's may have been the only crest to remain in situ at the end of the war, but it certainly wasn't the only one to survive. I have seen Wilhelm Keppler's carved wooden crest which was looted from the castle after the SS abandoned it. Much of the contents, not destroyed by Macher's demolition team, was looted by the local villagers and a few years ago enterprising military dealers canvassed local residents for items taken from the castle. Consequently, a lot of Wewelsburg material now on the market, came from these "shopping expeditions."
Heydrich's runic shield can be found on page 29 of my biography of him (vol. 2), Eicke's is shown on page 276 of my SS Leadership book and von Eberstein's crest is on page 257 of the same publication. Waldeck's is well known.
Himmler arranged for Diebitsch to provide his design expertise to those SS generals who did not either already have a family crest or who did not wish to submit their own design.
Max.

[RobinH]

It sounds like a few of the 1940's made aristocrat crests for the higher ss have been documented:

Darre in the Wittmann ss book.
Pohl in the Wewelsburg book.
Keppler, Heydrich, Eicke, v. Eberstein and Waldeck in Mr. Williams books.

Are any others known of the higher ss people that required them made in the 1940's? I am especially interested in the Sepp Dietrich family crest.

Would it be possible without too much trouble to post e-photos here of the ones known?

Thanks.

[RobinH]

Here is the family crest made by Dr. Karl Diebitsch for Oswald Pohl shown in the book "Himmlers Camelot". Does anyone have images of other family crests made for high ss officers? I am especially interested in the one made for Sepp Dietrich.

Thank you.

[attachment removed at the request of the copyright holder /Marcus]

[mty]

That crest looks very interesting!

What is the deeper meaning of these symbolics? The two sig-runes logically refer to the SS but the white horse and the shielded knight's hand holding a sword - just typical knight romantics or something inspired by (either real or alleged) historical connections of Pohl family? Any interpretation attempts or official explanations?

[RobinH]

Family Crest (Wappen) for Wilhelm Keppler per the book "Himmlers Camelot".

Still hoping to find an image of the crest made for Sepp Dietrich.

Thanks.

[attachment removed at the request of the copyright holder /Marcus]

[RobinH]

Referring to the questions posted above:

Dr. Debitsch was directed by Himmler thru Wolff in a letter in 1939 to design family crests for high ss people not having one. Shortly after he was helping in combat division positions. I am guessing from that timeline he did not have a lot of input or discussion with officers on how to design their crests. The style shown for Pohl is very standard format from the many I have seen/researched on German family wappen. The ss runes being the only uncommon element. Many legit noble families had some kind of a horse in the shield. Many of the high ss guys started as commoners, so any shield design would have been thrilling I would guess.

[mty]

Thanks for posting such an interesting material, RobinH!

The family crest for Keppler shows quite a different style than that of Pohl. The crest symbolics seem to even have kind of a "religious/holy" theme on it and at least I can't spot any direct SS references such as sig-runes.

Btw, do you (or anyone else) happen to know, if the famous "runic seat" of Himmler's was ever used in meetings or meditations in Wewelsburg? There is a legend that 12 of them were to be produced under supervision of K.M. Wiligut.

[JoeW]

Pohl's may have been the only crest to remain in situ at the end of the war, but it certainly wasn't the only one to survive. I have seen Wilhelm Keppler's carved wooden crest which was looted from the castle after the SS abandoned it. Much of the contents, not destroyed by Macher's demolition team, was looted by the local villagers and a few years ago enterprising military dealers canvassed local residents for items taken from the castle. Consequently, a lot of Wewelsburg material now on the market, came from these "shopping expeditions."
Heydrich's runic shield can be found on page 29 of my biography of him (vol. 2), Eicke's is shown on page 276 of my SS Leadership book and von Eberstein's crest is on page 257 of the same publication. Waldeck's is well known.
Himmler arranged for Diebitsch to provide his design expertise to those SS generals who did not either already have a family crest or who did not wish to submit their own design.
Max.

I found this older thread after my curiosity was piqued by a thread on another forum.

Max, examining the documentation on the presentation of the Eicke Wappen in the archives, it seems from his letter to Himmler's office that Eicke had the Wappen created by himself. In their response to Eickle, Himmler's office does not seem to accept the Wappen and postponed a decision until after the end of hostilities. The notation "n. der Kriege" on Eicke's letter seemed to bury the whole idea. Do you have any further documentation from Eicke's SS Akte to substantiate a decision by Himmler's office to accept his design?

By the way, the following link to the publisher of "Heinrich Himmler's Camelot" is an easy way to acquire this fine work by Stuart Russell and Stephen Cook. By the way, in one of the photos of the remains of the castle contents, there appears to be another carved wooden Wappen visible in the corner of a room with other items. It seems identical to the design and execution of the Keppler wooden Wappen illustrated in the same book.

http://www.questknights.com/html/order_the_book.html