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The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671

The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf # 671

The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf

From the days before World War I to the end of the 3rd Reich period, there were hundreds of design patterns for the widely popular "Totenkopf Ring". But there was only one official TK ring that would be awarded by the Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler. Officially called on its award documents ' Totenkopfring der SS - The Deaths head ring of the SS.
 
Designed by Karl Maria Wiligut - Weisthor [1866-1946] in the early 1920's, this ring would become one of the highest honors bestowed upon a man of the elite SS. Wiligut who was previously certified as "insane" by a state run mental hospital, found his home within the SS and was hired/recruited in the early 1930's by Heinrich Himmler and  stationed in the SS castle Wewelwsburg in Westphalia Germany. He went on to become the man who would develop the pagan rituals designed to take Himmler and his SS back to its pre-Christian roots. It is these rituals that can take the 3rd Reich collector into the darkest era of modern history, through what can only be considered a one way door. Often referred to as the "Dark Side" by collector's, this facet of the hobby when entered and studied, leads to a thirst to understand its complexities and a drive to obtain a piece of the darkest era of modern history.

Within the SS, strange ceremonies, rituals, and mysticism would come forth to represent a pure blooded Aryan race. The Teutonic Knights or "The German Order" would be the basis of many of the symbols used during the 3rd Reich. Odd ceremonies, rituals, and use of imagery of centuries past, would bring forth an award in the form of a silver ring with an accompanying document stating it as "A symbol of our loyalty to the Fuehrer, of our unwavering obedience to our superiors, and to our unshakeable sense of bonding and comradeship" at the end of this document "Wear this ring with Honor!". The ring so special, no jeweler could copy it, it was not to featured in photo's or advertised in print. Such a strong emphasis was placed on its place within the SS, it was to be returnable upon death to the SS.

This ring would be produced solely by master gold/silversmiths Otto & Karolina Gahr of Munich. The rings were awarded from the years 1933 to 1945 with the 45 ring still bearing its 1944 dates. Mistakenly called the "SS Wedding band" because of its appearance, it is approximately 7mm wide by 2mm thick. Made of silver and alloyed with other metals. The view to the outside of the ring is the "Deaths head" each side displays a single sigrune within a triangle,and at the bottom SS runes and a combination of TYR and the OL in a circle. On one side the swastika in a diamond and on the other the six pointed Hagel rune in a hexagon, all on a field of oak leaves.
 
On the interior of each ring, hand engraved and starting with S.lb (to my dear) the last name of the recipient and the award date starting with the day, month, and then the year followed by the facsimile of Himmler's signature. Several variants are noted, there is an early pattern of 1933-1939 and the later pattern of 1940 to 1945. In between was a transitional ring and they can be possibly found in the later pattern with an earlier date to account for, loss, damage, or common wear. The difference between the early and the late pattern is not really noticeable to an untrained eye, but for students of this award the difference to the eye is immediate.

The collectors and those that study the ring and its construction know how important it is to recognize the flaws, and to have knowledge of these flaws in ascertaining originality. Discussion of process of manufacture has been a hot topic and several different methods have been put forth. Only a handful of people know exactly how the ring was manufactured. It is my opinion that the process was the following:
 
The ring was die cast in a bar shape, the correct ring size was given by the recipient and a small amount from each end was cut to achieve the proper size. It was then engraved and rolled into its circular shape with its design incorporated into the band. The skull would have been cast separately, the open ring then joined by solder and the skull placed above the seam. In the end it was hand finished by the master jewelers at Gahr.

For those who wish to become students of this wonderful ring. And, would like to know the runic meanings of what is on the ring as well as distinguish the differences of early and late rings , interesting facts about Wewelsburg castle, along with who was eligible for the ring and all the other nuances I'd like to suggest the following reference material:
 
'Der SS - Totenkopfring' - by K.D.Patzwall
 
SS Totenkopf H. Himmler Honor Ring 1933 - 1945  - by D. Boyle
 
Otto und Karolina Gahr Die Silberschmiede der NSDAP und der SS - by A. Meyer & H.W. Schild
 
The Secret King: Karl Maria Wiligut, Himmler's Lord of the Runes  - by M. Moynihan
 
SS Himmlers Black Order 1923 -45 - by R. Lumsden

Photo Credits: John Pepera Collection
Product Id: #671
REFERENCE ONLY. (SOLD or NOT FOR SALE)
  • Description
The SS Honor Ring/ Der Totenkopf

From the days before World War I to the end of the 3rd Reich period, there were hundreds of design patterns for the widely popular "Totenkopf Ring". But there was only one official TK ring that would be awarded by the Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler. Officially called on its award documents ' Totenkopfring der SS - The Deaths head ring of the SS.
 
Designed by Karl Maria Wiligut - Weisthor [1866-1946] in the early 1920's, this ring would become one of the highest honors bestowed upon a man of the elite SS. Wiligut who was previously certified as "insane" by a state run mental hospital, found his home within the SS and was hired/recruited in the early 1930's by Heinrich Himmler and  stationed in the SS castle Wewelwsburg in Westphalia Germany. He went on to become the man who would develop the pagan rituals designed to take Himmler and his SS back to its pre-Christian roots. It is these rituals that can take the 3rd Reich collector into the darkest era of modern history, through what can only be considered a one way door. Often referred to as the "Dark Side" by collector's, this facet of the hobby when entered and studied, leads to a thirst to understand its complexities and a drive to obtain a piece of the darkest era of modern history.

Within the SS, strange ceremonies, rituals, and mysticism would come forth to represent a pure blooded Aryan race. The Teutonic Knights or "The German Order" would be the basis of many of the symbols used during the 3rd Reich. Odd ceremonies, rituals, and use of imagery of centuries past, would bring forth an award in the form of a silver ring with an accompanying document stating it as "A symbol of our loyalty to the Fuehrer, of our unwavering obedience to our superiors, and to our unshakeable sense of bonding and comradeship" at the end of this document "Wear this ring with Honor!". The ring so special, no jeweler could copy it, it was not to featured in photo's or advertised in print. Such a strong emphasis was placed on its place within the SS, it was to be returnable upon death to the SS.

This ring would be produced solely by master gold/silversmiths Otto & Karolina Gahr of Munich. The rings were awarded from the years 1933 to 1945 with the 45 ring still bearing its 1944 dates. Mistakenly called the "SS Wedding band" because of its appearance, it is approximately 7mm wide by 2mm thick. Made of silver and alloyed with other metals. The view to the outside of the ring is the "Deaths head" each side displays a single sigrune within a triangle,and at the bottom SS runes and a combination of TYR and the OL in a circle. On one side the swastika in a diamond and on the other the six pointed Hagel rune in a hexagon, all on a field of oak leaves.
 
On the interior of each ring, hand engraved and starting with S.lb (to my dear) the last name of the recipient and the award date starting with the day, month, and then the year followed by the facsimile of Himmler's signature. Several variants are noted, there is an early pattern of 1933-1939 and the later pattern of 1940 to 1945. In between was a transitional ring and they can be possibly found in the later pattern with an earlier date to account for, loss, damage, or common wear. The difference between the early and the late pattern is not really noticeable to an untrained eye, but for students of this award the difference to the eye is immediate.

The collectors and those that study the ring and its construction know how important it is to recognize the flaws, and to have knowledge of these flaws in ascertaining originality. Discussion of process of manufacture has been a hot topic and several different methods have been put forth. Only a handful of people know exactly how the ring was manufactured. It is my opinion that the process was the following:
 
The ring was die cast in a bar shape, the correct ring size was given by the recipient and a small amount from each end was cut to achieve the proper size. It was then engraved and rolled into its circular shape with its design incorporated into the band. The skull would have been cast separately, the open ring then joined by solder and the skull placed above the seam. In the end it was hand finished by the master jewelers at Gahr.

For those who wish to become students of this wonderful ring. And, would like to know the runic meanings of what is on the ring as well as distinguish the differences of early and late rings , interesting facts about Wewelsburg castle, along with who was eligible for the ring and all the other nuances I'd like to suggest the following reference material:
 
'Der SS - Totenkopfring' - by K.D.Patzwall
 
SS Totenkopf H. Himmler Honor Ring 1933 - 1945  - by D. Boyle
 
Otto und Karolina Gahr Die Silberschmiede der NSDAP und der SS - by A. Meyer & H.W. Schild
 
The Secret King: Karl Maria Wiligut, Himmler's Lord of the Runes  - by M. Moynihan
 
SS Himmlers Black Order 1923 -45 - by R. Lumsden

Photo Credits: John Pepera Collection

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All images contained on this web site belong to Kris Lindblom. Images may not be used or reproduced without our permission. We reserve the right to scan any items consigned to us for use on this web page or use within reference books we may publish to help inform and educate collectors.
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