BACKGROUND: The pocket calender/diary was a personal, private purchase item and was an important item for personnel in the field to count down the days to their annual fourteen day leave. As was typical of the time period the Germans viewed this as a propaganda opportunity and all three branches of service and the Waffen-SS, (Armed-SS), published their own versions of these booklets which included NSDAP Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), doctrine. The Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), and the Waffen-SS published pocket calender/diaries could be inexpensively purchased at garrison canteens.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 5" x 3 1/8" booklet with a mid-weight, cardstock cover in black, simulated, leather with silver, impressed SS runes to the front. The over one hundred page booklet was authorized and compiled by the "Der Reichsführer-SS-SS-Hauptamt", (National SS Leader-SS Central Office), in August 1943. The booklet begins with printed quotes by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler and Adolf Hitler followed by the table of contents and pages with printed headings and blank spaces designed for the owner to write in his personal information. This example has some handwritten personal information that includes the individual’s rank, "SS-Uscha", (SS-Unterscharführer). The table of contents contains numerous sections including, "Der Eid des SS-Rekruten", (The Oath of the SS Recruits), "Ausspruch des Fführers", (Opinion of the Leader, {Hitler}), "Das Ehrengesetz der SS, (The Honor Code of the SS), "SS-Befehl für die gesamte SS und Polizei", (SS-Command for the whole SS and Police), and "Die germanischen Freiwillingen und die germanische SS", (The Germanic Volunteers and the Germanic SS), among others. The first section of the booklet is a day by day diary/calender for 1944. Each diary/calender page is divided into two, dated, halves, with blank space for notes and many have printed, historically important notations on events, etc.. The booklet also has a few handwritten entries. The second section of the booklet is a brief history and organization of the SS with quotes from Himmler. The last section of the booklet has twenty-four pages of full color illustrations of SS and Wehrmacht flags, Standartes, shoulder boards, waffenfarben, (Branch of Service Colors), troddels, trade badges and more. Also included are flags of the world and insignia of the three branches of military service and the Waffen-SS as well as the Polizei, (Police), TeNo, Technischen Nothilfe, (Technical Emergency Corps), RAD, Reichs Arbeits Dienst, (National Labor Service), SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), HJ, Hitler Jugend, (Hitler Youth), NSKK, National Sozialistisches Kraftfahr Korps, (National Socialist Motor Corps), and the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party). The end page has a full color, fold out, map with Europe to one side, and the world to the other side. The inside back cover has a photo of Himmler and Reichsjugendführer Baldur von Schirach reviewing HJ personnel volunteering for service with the Waffen-SS. The booklet is in overall very good condition with light age yellowing and all the pages are intact.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $238.00