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 that were generally held as a show of strength and solidarity or were assorted sports competitions that were thinly veiled para-military exercises. With a deep understanding of the psychological effectiveness of awards and the recognition of special accomplishments the German army and the SS introduced numerous unofficial and semi-official items to acknowledge and reward a wide variety of achievements. Being unofficial or semi-official these types of items were generally privately purchased by a specific unit and came in numerous assorted designs and patterns. These type of items were quite often bestowed to acknowledge and reward a profusion of accomplishments including the victors of sporting events, superior vehicle maintenance, exceptional marksmanship or even to commemorate service in a particular unit or garrison.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 3" tall, 2 5/8" wide, flat topped, pointed bottom, shield shaped, nickel/silver plated, die struck alloy construction, plaque features an embossed, central, vertical, Christian style cross positioned below a likeness of the sun with a canted swastika, and "rays" emanating outwards from the sun, and a mountain range in the background. The Christian cross sits on a rectangular base with the embossed name and date, "Schlageter 1934". The top edge of the plaque has additional embossed script, "Motorsporttreffen der SS-Motorstaffel III/I in Bad Reichenhall", (Motor Sports Rally of the SS-Motorized Squadron III/I in Bad Reichenhall). The plaque has a small punctured hole to both of the top corners and the pointed bottom to attach it to a base plate. The plaque retains about 95% of its original nickel/silver plated finish. The reverse of the plaque is a crude mirror image of the obverse. The plaque has no visible manufacturer’s markings. Of Note: A decorated, WWI veteran, Albert Leo Schlageter, (1894-1923), joined the paramilitary, political, "Freikorps", (Free Corps), group "Medem" at the conclusion of WWI along with millions of disillusioned and impoverished soldiers and civilians. In 1922 Schlageter’s Freikorps group merged with the NSDAP and participated in assorted sabotage and skirmishes with assorted communists and occupying forces. In January 1923 the French and Belgians began to occupy the industrial Ruhr region of Germany in retaliation for unpaid reparation payments and in attempt to disrupt the French Schlageter led a group that destroyed a bridge in the region in March 1923. Captured, tried and found guilty by the French, Schlageter was condemned to death and executed by a firing squad on May 26^TH 1923 at Golzheimer Heide near Düsseldorf. Not to miss out on the propaganda opportunity of his death the NSDAP elevated Schlageter to martyr status and even created a specific, commemorative award and a monument at Golzheimer Heide in his honor in 1933.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $610.00