BACKGROUND: The Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), was originally formed in May 1923 as the Stosstrupp Adolf Hitler (Shock Troops), and redesignated Schutzstaffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925 with the official acceptance of the name verified on the second anniversary of the failed Munich "Beer-Hall" Putsch on November 9^TH 1925. On January 6^TH 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed as Reichsführer-SS, (National Leader {of the} SS), and on July 20^TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30^TH 1934, purge of the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), on the "Night of the Long Knives", the SS was rewarded by Hitler by being granted the status of an independent organization under direct control of the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party). From its inception the SS began an aggressive policy of expansion which resulted in the formation of the SS-SD, SS-Sicherheitsdienst und Sicherheitspolizei, (SS-Security Service and Security Police), in June 1931, the SS-VT, SS-Verfügungstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops), the SS-TV, SS-Totenkopfverbände, (SS-Death’s Head Units), in March 1933 and eventually the Waffen-SS in December 1939. Like other NSDAP, organizations the SS held numerous assorted rallies and events and usually distributed commemorative badges to participants and/or sold them to spectators as a fund raiser. Of Note: The assorted rallies were generally held as a show of strength and solidarity while the assorted events were usually sports competitions that were thinly veiled para-military exercises.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 2 1/2" tall, 1 1/2" wide, die stamped, magnetic sheet metal construction, pointed bottom, flat topped, shield shaped, commemorative march badge with a silver wash. The badge features an embossed, central, horizontal, "banner", with embossed script, "66 SS STD. ELBING 13. V. 34", (66^TH SS Regiment Elbing May 13^TH 1934), and horizontally ribbed, SS runes. The scripted banner is superimposed on an embossed, vertical, tower and flanked by diagonally angled, downward pointing swords all positioned above an embossed skull and crossbones on a recessed, pebbled background field. The badge is nicely detailed and the silver wash is retained about 90%. The reverse of the badge is a mirror image of the obverse and has a soldered, horizontal, pin back device is intact. The badge has no visible manufacturer’s markings. Nice early commemorative badge in very good excellent condition.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $702.00