Germany, Der Stahlhelm. A Fascinating Stahlhelm Member’s Private Photo Album

(Der Stahlhelm Fotoalbum). A rare and fascinating Stahlhelm member’s private photo album, constructed of a card stock binding with a canvas exterior liner bearing a customized organizational logo on the cover consisting of a Stahlhelm overlaying a horizon with a radiant sunrise. The spine is perforated at both the front and back with holes, all reinforced with magnetic metal grommets, through which is a looped a drawstring securely tied to maintain the album’s structural integrity. The interior content consists of 24 black card stock pages, each separated by a wax paper liner to protect the images. Pasted to the pages are 102 private photos, with three postcards, and one large mass-production studio portrait of Stahlhelm leader Franz Seldte. The former depicts a superb array of images documenting life as a member of the Stahlhelm in the 1920s and 1930s. These include scenes of uniformed personnel assembling, drilling, attending ceremonies, on parade, and at leisure. Notably, uniforms and insignia are depicted in razor-sharp detail, and include examples from both the Weimar era, as well as the Third Reich, with the latter’s imposition of National Socialist imagery in the form of armbands and cap insignia. These include members of the Jungstahlhelm, and encompass personnel from a variety of Stahlhelm Landesverbänder, including Ostpreußen (East Prussia), Nordsee (North Sea), Hannover, and others. Veterans are also depicted with a variety of service decorations in wear, in addition to Stahlhelm decorations, importantly including a rare shot of a member wearing the Wehrsportkreuz in high detail. The album demonstrates minor material fatigue and the removal of a small number of photos with no consequent damage. A fascinating and comprehensive account of life as a member of the Stahlhelm in extremely fine condition.