Hi All:
I thought I would continue on with this thread in response to some issues that arose from the "Alpers SS Dagger on epier" discussion in the SS Dagger Forum. I had not yet found the original published order establishing the
Ehrendolch , but was provided a published quote, with a tip of the topper to janjan, that looks like it should be most of it:
"Gene(h)migt zum Tragen von Altgedienten SA-Führern und Männern(inklusiv SS) welche am 31.12.1931 in der SA gestanden sind und seither ununterbrochen der SA angehören sowie von jenen SA-männern welche aus der HJ unmittelbar in die SA übernommen wurden"
(Verfügung 1Nr.:1444 vom 3.2.1934 und Verfügung 1Nr.:1444 II vom 30.2.1934)
Translated for me, it reads:
Approved for carry by veteran SA leaders and men (including SS) who have served in the SA since December 31, 1931 and, since that time, have continuously been in the service of the SA. This also includes those SA men, who directly entered service in the SA from the HJ (Hitlerjugend).
(Decree 1Nr.: 1444 of 3.2.1934 and decree 1Nr.: 1444 II of 30.2.1934)
Now added to this is this attached document that I came across that calls for the names of all SS members in the SS 6. Standarte who joined before 31 December 1931:
"The “Sturmbann” I/6 calls upon all members of the staff of I/6, who, before December 31, 1931, belonged to the SS, and who are not yet in possession of the Honor Dagger."
As orders are often open to interpretation, this one was designating those those who were SA or SS members before 31 December 1931. Perhaps a minor point, but a point nevertheless.
So to build these, I have concluded the following to perhaps add some more precision to what has already been published:
Criteria for Receiving the Ehrendolch (SA or SS) as of February 1934:
1. Continuous service in the SA & SS on or before 31 December 1931 through February 1934
2. Continuous service in the SA on or before 31 December 1931 before later entering the SS
3. Membership in the HJ (Hitlerjugend) on or before 31 December 1931 and continuing prior to direct entrance into the SA or SS
Membership in the SS before 31 December 1931 would explain why most numbered Röhm daggers have SS membership numbers that are five or less digits. How then we would explain those with six digit numbers? Based on this criteria then, anyone who had been in the SA or Hitler Youth before 31 December 1931 and, with continuing service in those organizations, joined the SS sometime after that date would have then received a SS number. That SS number would have been issued in 1932-1934 and would consequently have been a six digit membership number. It would help if we could document the owner of six digit numbered SS
Ehrendolch with his service personnel record to verify service after 31 December 1931 in the SA or HJ before joining the SS to prove this assumption.
Regards,
Ross Kelbaugh
www.ssdaggers.com
