Germany, SS. The file of SS Administrative Leader SS-Unterscharführer Helmut Meyer, Expelled from SS for Embezzlement

The collection includes a period studio portrait of Meyer in SS uniform (41x59mm, better than very fine).

The file consists of the following documents:

An order to serve on behalf of the administrative clerk (209x148mm, extremely fine); two requests for criminal records and two replies without entries (175x249mm, near extremely fine); an evaluation of work as administrative leader (210x297mm, better than very fine); a personnel sheet for SS administrative leaders (2 pages, 210x297mm, better than very fine); an SS service record excerpt (346x290mm, extremely fine); a transcript of promotion certificate to SS-Unterscharführer (210x147mm, extremely fine); an Entlastungserteilung (approval of actions of a completed interval of time) (210x297mm, better than very fine); an approval of discharge letter by leader of SS administration (210x297mm, very fine); a discharge notice at own request (210x147mm, extremely fine); a report of misconduct (210x297mm, near extremely fine); a financial investigation report of SS-Sturmbann I/12 (2 pages, 210x297mm, near extremely fine) and addendum (210x297mm, near extremely fine).

The order to serve on behalf of the administrative clerk is a trial position for Meyer, filling in for the actual administrative clerk. It is dated to April 9, 1935. It is signed in blue ink by  SS-Standartenführer and Leader of SS Detachment IV, Karl Sattler (1891–1951), and by the Leader of the Administrative Office of SS Higher Detachment Northwest. The name could be Dittgen.

The requests for a criminal record are dated to April 9 and July 17, 1935. The first one is signed in blue ink by SS-Obersturmbannführer and Leader of 12th SS-Standarte Friedrich Gehrhardt, the second one by SS-Sturmbannführer Karl Bühnemann. The two replies, criminal record excerpts, both show no entries. They are dated to April 12 and July 19, 1935.

The evaluation of work as administrative leader is dated to July 22, 1935. Meyer is described as being capable of filling his position and doing satisfactory work. The letter is once again signed by Gehrhardt and Dittgen.

The personnel sheet for SS administrative leaders is dated to August 15, 1935.

The SS service record excerpt is dated to March 20, 1936 and signed by Bühnemann.

The transcript of the promotion certificate to SS-Unterscharführer, is dated to April 20, 1936. The promotion is backdated to March 30, 1936.

The Entlastungserteilung (approval of actions of a completed interval of time) is dated to August 17, 1936.

The letter about approval of discharge was sent by SS-Brigadeführer and Administrative Chief of the SS, Oswald Pohl (1892–1951). He agrees to the discharge request by Meyer so he can take a job as a civil clerk, and simultaneously approves of his successor, SS-Scharführer Herbert Schwiedeps, SS Administrative Leader of Sturmbann III/49. The letter is dated to September 4, 1936.

The discharge notice at own request to take a civil servant job is dated to September 26, 1936 and is signed once more by Gehrhardt.

The report of misconduct states that Meyer embezzled 349.50 Reichsmark of which he has already paid back 80, and will have to pay 20 RM per month until the whole sum has been repaid. He has also been expelled from the SS on November 13, 1936. It is dated to March 3, 1937 and signed by Pohl.

The financial investigation report of SS-Sturmbann I/12 is dated to April 5, 1937. It states the charges against Meyer, including, among others, inadequate accounting, continuous embezzlement by Meyer of ca. 700 RM, concealment of embezzlement, and falsifying records. Meyer even hired two assistants without permission. As a result Meyer is expelled and charges have been filed.

In an addendum it is stated that the embezzled sum now amounts to 501.92 RM. It is dated to July 20, 1937.

Footnote 1:

Helmut Meyer was born on April 13, 1912 in Hanover (Lower Saxony). He joined the SS on October 1, 1933, became an SS-Anwärter on November 5, an SS-Mann on January 15, 1934, an SS-Sturmmann on April 20, 1935, and an SS-Rottenführer on June 29, 1935. By this time he was working in the SS administration. His performance is described as very good, particularly during a period of being a substitute for the administrative leader. This led to Meyer being promoted to administrative leader himself, of the Staff of Sturmbann I/12th SS-Standarte on August 1, 1935. He was promoted to SS-Unterscharführer on March 30, 1936. Meyer requested to be discharged in late 1936 to take a job as a civil clerk instead. His wish was granted. However, after him leaving it was found that Meyer had embezzled money and, ultimately unsuccessfully, had tried to cover up his administrative shortcomings and theft of money. Meyer was expelled from the SS on November 13, 1936 and charges were filed against him.

Footnote 2:

Oswald Pohl was born on June 30, 1892 in Duisburg (western Germany). During the First War he served in the Imperial Navy and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class. Pohl was one of the earliest members of the NSDAP, joining in 1922. After the party was temporarily outlawed, he rejoined in 1926. Pohl was a member of the SA since 1925, a local NSDAP group leader until 1927, was active in the founding of the SA’s navy detachment, and served as an HJ leader. He also served in the Reichsmarine, which he eventually left in 1934 in the rank of Senior Lieutenant. That same year Pohl left the SA and joined the SS instead, being made an SS-Oberführer. It didn’t take him long to advance to Administrative Chief of the SS Main Office. In 1935 he was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer and in 1937 to SS-Gruppenführer. In 1942 Pohl became the leader of the newly established SS Economic and Administrative Main Office. He was promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS. His position meant that he was in charge of all concentration camps, and therefore became a key figure in the Holocaust. Pohl tried to funnel all efforts into increasing labour productivity of forced labourers. He was also in charge of the stolen goods acquired from Jews being exterminated in the concentration camps. After the war Pohl was arrested and tried for war crimes. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. The sentence was carried out on June 7, 1951. Among Pohl’s decorations are the Knight’s Cross of the War Merit Cross, the German Cross in Silver, and the Golden Party Badge.