SS-Standarte Germania SS-Sturmmann, Sudetenland, October 1938
SS-Standarte Germania was formed 1934 as SS-Standarte 3/VT. It was soon renamed SS-Standarte 2/VT when Hitler ordered that SS-Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler not would be included in the numbering sequence. It was renamed SS-Standarte Germania at the Party rally in Nuremberg 1936. It took part in the annexation of Austria and was responsible for the security during the Italian leader Benito Mussolini's visit to Germany. It also took part in the annexation of Sudetenland, attached to army units. It later served as a guard regiment in Prague, as Wach-Regiment des Reichsprotektors von Bhmen und Mhren, until July 1939. During the invasion of Poland, the regiment was attached to 14. Armee, and following that campaign it was used to form SS-Division Verfgungstruppe (later renamed Das Reich).
Originally, I had planned to make an SS trooper from the invasion of Poland, or perhaps France, but as the SS soldiers were ordered to remove their insignia for the invasion of France, the latter was dropped (insignia are ther to be appreciated, not hidden). Poland looked tempting, but I wanted the figure to look more like the proto-Waffen-SS that had the WW1 helmets. That was why I chose an event in 1938.
This particular soldier is equipped for the annexation of the Sudetenland, the region along the border of western Czechoslovakia which had a predominantly ethnic German population. This was a result of the post-WW1 reshuffling of borders, which together with the other provisions laid down by the victors of WW1 helped the Nazis to gain power. Percieved and real slights from the Czechoslovakian government, coupled with Nazi propaganda, created an atmosphere where about 2/3rds of the Sudeten Germans were in favour of a German annexation of the Sudetenland. The British and French tried to appease Hitler (Peace in our time, uttered by British PM Neville Chamberlain after the infamous meeting in Munich, was soon to be proved wrong), and soon the rest of Czechoslovakia was invaded. The Nazi rule was harsh; e.g. the reprisals for the assassination of the German governor, Reinhard Heydrich, cost the lives of some 1,300 Czechs. At the end of the war, tens of thousands of Sudeten German civilians were killed in retaliation for the years of Nazi occupation, and the whole German population was ethnically cleansed, losing homes where their families had lived for centuries. But in 1938, the German troops were hailed as liberators, and among the many thousands of soldiers, there was a small contingent of SS troops. This is the theme for my bash. My aim was to recreate the look of the early SS soldiers, who often had to make do with what the Wehrmacht grudgingly let them have. Thus, the helmet is WW1 issue, and the rifle an earlier version of the Kar98k.
Figure: DML Ernst Kalt
Tunic: DML Otto M40, converted to an SS M37
Shirt: DML old pattern GI shirt
Trousers: DML Bruno
Tie: DML
Helmet: Sideshow German M1918
Rifle: Factory No.6 Kar98b
Belt: DML Hasan Malnar
Ammo pouches: DiD
Insignia: CVI and custom
The rest: DML
Considering that the only appropriate tunic made is the one that came with Paul, and that his tunic is more rare than hens teeth, I decided to convert one less rare. The tunic was converted through moving the breast pockets c. 3 mm down, giving them a slight slant in order to look like the original. The lower pockets were removed, and just the flaps were saved, sewn in place with a slant. The shiny metal buttons were replaced with Feldgrau Battlegear buttons. The plastic shoulderboards were removed, shoulder loops added, and upgraded with customized DML shoulderboards. The black-and-white piping along the collar, common during the early years of the war, are just simple stitches. The piping on the shoulder boards and collar patches is black and white thread, twisted and fixed that way with CA glue. The piping is a little bit over-scale, but it was tricky enough. While the back-seam isnt correct for this tunic, it cannot be helped. (Nor is it correct for the M40 perhaps DML modelled it after a converted Swedish M39 uniform, which has a back seam and is popular among reenactors and movie costume suppliers.) Y-straps werent issued yet, so the belt is supported by the four belt-hooks.
The insignia are mainly CVI, but piping was added to the collar patches, and the pre-1939 sleeve eagle was copied from a militaria website. I opted for an open collar look, to better display the shirt and tie. The only award is the SA sports badge, as medals were only seen on veterans of the Spanish Civil War and WW1. The shirt is an older DML US shirt; I chose between the DiD shirt (which is brown with an orange tint it came with Ulrich Grimminger) and the DML GI shirt. I went for the latter, as the colour was closer to the shirt that came with Paul. Neither shirt is of the proper M34 pullover model, but on the other hand, only the collar and cuffs show.
The leather rifle sling was custom-made, using the slider from a DML pleather sling. The rifle was repainted; my first effort in that vein. The helmet was painted, fitted with a liner made from thin leather (for better fit) and getting the benefit of a new chinstrap, and CVI decals were applied. The DML canteen was modified through the application of a felt-like material for the cover and proper straps, and both the mug and mess kit were repainted and weathered. Some weathering was applied to the ammo pouches, breadbag and e-tool, and I modified the gas mask case by adding a small web strap for the opening strap (I glued it over the plastic one). The M38 gas mask case is slightly longer than it should be, as that modified version was introduced in 1941, but I didnt bother with converting it. Perhaps one day I will.
The bash is the most challenging Ive attempted so far, and might be a 1/6th first, given the subject. While not up to the standards of Boots and Blondknights stuff, Im still pretty pleased with the result. Thanks to Harald von K for info, Paul McGrath of Toy Soldier Brigade for Brunos trousers, and CVI for the cuff title.
SS-Standarte Germania was formed 1934 as SS-Standarte 3/VT. It was soon renamed SS-Standarte 2/VT when Hitler ordered that SS-Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler not would be included in the numbering sequence. It was renamed SS-Standarte Germania at the Party rally in Nuremberg 1936. It took part in the annexation of Austria and was responsible for the security during the Italian leader Benito Mussolini's visit to Germany. It also took part in the annexation of Sudetenland, attached to army units. It later served as a guard regiment in Prague, as Wach-Regiment des Reichsprotektors von Bhmen und Mhren, until July 1939. During the invasion of Poland, the regiment was attached to 14. Armee, and following that campaign it was used to form SS-Division Verfgungstruppe (later renamed Das Reich).
Originally, I had planned to make an SS trooper from the invasion of Poland, or perhaps France, but as the SS soldiers were ordered to remove their insignia for the invasion of France, the latter was dropped (insignia are ther to be appreciated, not hidden). Poland looked tempting, but I wanted the figure to look more like the proto-Waffen-SS that had the WW1 helmets. That was why I chose an event in 1938.
This particular soldier is equipped for the annexation of the Sudetenland, the region along the border of western Czechoslovakia which had a predominantly ethnic German population. This was a result of the post-WW1 reshuffling of borders, which together with the other provisions laid down by the victors of WW1 helped the Nazis to gain power. Percieved and real slights from the Czechoslovakian government, coupled with Nazi propaganda, created an atmosphere where about 2/3rds of the Sudeten Germans were in favour of a German annexation of the Sudetenland. The British and French tried to appease Hitler (Peace in our time, uttered by British PM Neville Chamberlain after the infamous meeting in Munich, was soon to be proved wrong), and soon the rest of Czechoslovakia was invaded. The Nazi rule was harsh; e.g. the reprisals for the assassination of the German governor, Reinhard Heydrich, cost the lives of some 1,300 Czechs. At the end of the war, tens of thousands of Sudeten German civilians were killed in retaliation for the years of Nazi occupation, and the whole German population was ethnically cleansed, losing homes where their families had lived for centuries. But in 1938, the German troops were hailed as liberators, and among the many thousands of soldiers, there was a small contingent of SS troops. This is the theme for my bash. My aim was to recreate the look of the early SS soldiers, who often had to make do with what the Wehrmacht grudgingly let them have. Thus, the helmet is WW1 issue, and the rifle an earlier version of the Kar98k.
Figure: DML Ernst Kalt
Tunic: DML Otto M40, converted to an SS M37
Shirt: DML old pattern GI shirt
Trousers: DML Bruno
Tie: DML
Helmet: Sideshow German M1918
Rifle: Factory No.6 Kar98b
Belt: DML Hasan Malnar
Ammo pouches: DiD
Insignia: CVI and custom
The rest: DML
Considering that the only appropriate tunic made is the one that came with Paul, and that his tunic is more rare than hens teeth, I decided to convert one less rare. The tunic was converted through moving the breast pockets c. 3 mm down, giving them a slight slant in order to look like the original. The lower pockets were removed, and just the flaps were saved, sewn in place with a slant. The shiny metal buttons were replaced with Feldgrau Battlegear buttons. The plastic shoulderboards were removed, shoulder loops added, and upgraded with customized DML shoulderboards. The black-and-white piping along the collar, common during the early years of the war, are just simple stitches. The piping on the shoulder boards and collar patches is black and white thread, twisted and fixed that way with CA glue. The piping is a little bit over-scale, but it was tricky enough. While the back-seam isnt correct for this tunic, it cannot be helped. (Nor is it correct for the M40 perhaps DML modelled it after a converted Swedish M39 uniform, which has a back seam and is popular among reenactors and movie costume suppliers.) Y-straps werent issued yet, so the belt is supported by the four belt-hooks.
The insignia are mainly CVI, but piping was added to the collar patches, and the pre-1939 sleeve eagle was copied from a militaria website. I opted for an open collar look, to better display the shirt and tie. The only award is the SA sports badge, as medals were only seen on veterans of the Spanish Civil War and WW1. The shirt is an older DML US shirt; I chose between the DiD shirt (which is brown with an orange tint it came with Ulrich Grimminger) and the DML GI shirt. I went for the latter, as the colour was closer to the shirt that came with Paul. Neither shirt is of the proper M34 pullover model, but on the other hand, only the collar and cuffs show.
The leather rifle sling was custom-made, using the slider from a DML pleather sling. The rifle was repainted; my first effort in that vein. The helmet was painted, fitted with a liner made from thin leather (for better fit) and getting the benefit of a new chinstrap, and CVI decals were applied. The DML canteen was modified through the application of a felt-like material for the cover and proper straps, and both the mug and mess kit were repainted and weathered. Some weathering was applied to the ammo pouches, breadbag and e-tool, and I modified the gas mask case by adding a small web strap for the opening strap (I glued it over the plastic one). The M38 gas mask case is slightly longer than it should be, as that modified version was introduced in 1941, but I didnt bother with converting it. Perhaps one day I will.
The bash is the most challenging Ive attempted so far, and might be a 1/6th first, given the subject. While not up to the standards of Boots and Blondknights stuff, Im still pretty pleased with the result. Thanks to Harald von K for info, Paul McGrath of Toy Soldier Brigade for Brunos trousers, and CVI for the cuff title.
War, which used to be cruel and magnificent, has now become cruel and squalid.
-Winston Churchill
-Winston Churchill
