Norges SS Cap Raven

[Brig]

Here's something you don't see everyday...This year, I managed to pick up a very scarce Norges SS cap raven.

The Norges SS was the predecessor to the GSSN. It was established in Oslo on 21 May 1941 in a ceremony attended by Himmler, who appointed Jonas Lie as its head. Vidkun Quisling was not only opposed to its formation, but despised Lie. Original membership fell somewhere between a scant 130-151 members. Just a month later, Germany invaded Russia, and many Norges SS personnel volunteered to transfer to the Norwegen Legion to serve on the front (sources place the number of volunteers either at 85 total, or at 85% of the Norges SS). This essentially crippled the Norges SS, and 14 months after its creation on 21 July 1942 Norges SS was redesignated as the GSSN all the SS collectors know. No final membership numbers are known, but estimates I've seen puts total lifetime members of Norges SS around 300.

This raven was struck exactly like the Rikshird eagles, only in silver rather than gold, and the sun cross was not painted. It was usually worn on a sidecap, with a silver SS-VT Totenkopf button on the front, however there are a couple of known instances of visor caps being worn, most notably by Jonas Lie, who was known to wear what he wanted outside of regs not just in his SS uniforms, but also his Politi uniform. Here is the badge I picked up , as well as a photo of such an insignia in wear by a member of the Norges SS

[RRA227]

Great piece.   Rich A. in Pa.

[Tony v]

Brig

 

   I agree with Rich, Great SS Raven! Thanks for sharing 

 

Tony