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The ''SS-Ehrenring'' ( German for "SS honour ring"), unofficially called ''Totenkopfring'' (" Death's Head ring" or "
skull The skull, or cranium, is typically a bony enclosure around the brain of a vertebrate. In some fish, and amphibians, the skull is of cartilage. The skull is at the head end of the vertebrate. In the human, the skull comprises two prominent ...
ring"), was an
award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award may be d ...
of the ''
Schutzstaffel The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It beg ...
'' (SS). The ring was not a
state decoration A state decoration is an object, such as a medal or the insignia of an Order (distinction), order, that is awarded by a sovereign state to honor the recipient. The term includes civil awards and decorations, as well as military awards and decorat ...
but rather a personal gift bestowed by
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...
to SS members of distinction. It became a highly sought-after award, one which could not be bought or sold, and
counterfeit A counterfeit is a fake or unauthorized replica of a genuine product, such as money, documents, designer items, or other valuable goods. Counterfeiting generally involves creating an imitation of a genuine item that closely resembles the original ...
replicas were produced. The SS Honour Sword and SS Honour Dagger were similar awards.


Award

The ''SS-Ehrenring'' was initially presented to senior officers of the '' Alter Kämpfer'' (Old Guard) within the SS, of whom there were fewer than 5,000. This was later expanded to all SS members who graduated from the SS-Junker Schools and other SS training facilities. Each ring had the recipient's name, the award date, and Himmler's signature engraved on the interior. The ring came with a standard letter from Himmler and citation. It was to be worn only on the left hand, on the "
ring finger The ring finger, third finger, fourth finger, leech finger, or annulary is the fourth digit of the human hand, located between the middle finger and the little finger. Sometimes the term ring finger only refers to the fourth digit of a left-ha ...
". The name of the recipient and the conferment date was added on the letter. In the letter, according to Himmler, the ring was a "reminder at all times to be willing to risk the life of ourselves for the life of the whole".in German: "Der Totenkopf ist die Mahnung, jederzeit bereit zu sein, das Leben unseres Ichs einzusetzen für das Leben der Gesamtheit." Citation from: Peter Longerich, ''Heinrich Himmler. Biographie'', München 2010, p. 298. Some SS and police members had local jewellers make unofficial versions to wear. If an SS member was dismissed or retired from the service, his ring had to be returned.McNab, Chris (2013). ''Hitler's Elite: The SS 1939-45'', Osprey Publishing, p. 100. In 1938, Himmler ordered the return of all rings of dead SS men and officers to be stored in a chest at Wewelsburg Castle. This was to be a memorial to symbolise the ongoing membership of the deceased in the SS order. In October 1944, Himmler ordered that further manufacture and awards of the ring were to be halted. Himmler then ordered that all the remaining rings, approximately 11,500, be blast-sealed inside a hill near Wewelsburg.Nicholas Goodrick Clarke: ''Die okkulten Wurzeln des Nationalsozialismus'' (The Occult Roots of National Socialism), p. 163. By January 1945, 64% of the 14,500 rings made had been returned to Himmler after the deaths of the "holders". In addition, 10% had been lost on the battlefield and 26% were either kept by the holder or their whereabouts were unknown.


Design

The symbolism of the ring reflects Himmler's interest in Germanic mysticism and includes the '' Totenkopf'' symbol and Armanen runes. The ring was designed by
Karl Maria Wiligut Karl Maria Wiligut (alias Weisthor, Jarl Widar, Lobesam; 10 December 1866 – 3 January 1946) was an Austrian Völkisch occultist and soldier. He served in the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I and was a leading figure in the Irminis ...
, an Austrian occultist and SS-''
Brigadeführer ''Brigadeführer'' (, ) was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) that was used between 1932 and 1945. It was mainly known for its use as an SS rank. As an SA rank, it was used after briefly being known as '' Untergruppenführer'' in ...
'' with manufacturing provided by the Otto and Karolina Gahr Family Jewelry from Munich. Rings were manufactured following roughly two major types, the one defined in the 1930s and that of the 1940s. The ring models dating back to the 1930s were thinner while the later ones were thickened and the design of the skull changed. Rings were made of 90% silver cast in two halves with the recipient's name inside, the date of presentation, and a facsimile of Himmler's signature, plus the abbreviations S Lb. for "''Seinem Lieben''" or "His Beloved." * One Sig rune left and right of the skull framed by a triangle represents the power of the sun and conquering energy. * A Hagal rune (framed by a hexagon) which represents the faith and camaraderie that was idealised by the leaders of the organisation. The esoteric meaning of the Hagal rune was, according to Guido von List, to: "...enclose the universe in you and you control the universe." * A swastika (standing on the vertex) framed by a square. The SS liked to portray the
swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍, ) is a symbol used in various Eurasian religions and cultures, as well as a few Indigenous peoples of Africa, African and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, American cultures. In the Western world, it is widely rec ...
as another influential symbol of the power of the
Aryan race The Aryan race is a pseudoscientific historical race concepts, historical race concept that emerged in the late-19th century to describe people who descend from the Proto-Indo-Europeans as a Race (human categorization), racial grouping. The ter ...
. * The double runes on the rear of the ring framed by a circle were to be ''Heilszeichen'' (literally: signs of salvation) of the past. They were a creation of the SS designers rather than historical runes. They are Wiligut's variation of the Gibor rune plus a bind rune for ''o'' ( Os) and ''t'' ( Tyr). The bind rune was designed by Wiligut and spells ''Gott'', the German word for "God." The ring is wreathed with oak leaves.


See also

*
Nazi symbolism The 20th-century German Nazi Party made extensive use of graphic symbols, especially the swastika, notably in the form of the swastika flag, which became the co-national flag of Nazi Germany in 1933, and the sole national flag in 1935. A very ...


References


Further reading

* Antonio Scapini, ''The Totenkopfring'', B&D Publishing LLC, 2022, * Don Boyle ''SS Totenkopf H. Himmler Honour Ring 1933-1945'' * Patzwall, Klaus D., ''Der SS-Totenkopfring'', Patzwall, 4th edition 2002. * Tom Morganti ''Totenkopf'' * Martin Toman ''SS-Totenkopfring - Himmleruv prsten cti'' 1st edition 2017. {{Authority control Nazi SS Nazi symbolism Rings (jewellery)