Premier Firearms Auction
May 6, 7, 8 & 9, 2022
Our first premier auction of 2022! This event hosts collections from across the country and brings them under one roof for an amazing multi-day auction!
This is an incredible opportunity to add rare and desirable firearms & militaria to your collection.
WWII GERMAN SS COLONEL’S UNIFORM COAT & PANTS BELONGING TO KARL OTTO KOCH, COMMANDANT OF BUCHENWALD, SACHSENHAUSEN & MAJDENEK.
02-15980-1
Uniform coat is of heavy black wool w/ silver colored, pebbled finish buttons. The left breast pocket has 5 loops above to support a medal bar & there are loops on the face of the pocket to support at least 3 badges. There is a single shoulder board of 3 woven silver bullion cords on black attached to the right shoulder. The upper right sleeve has a single silver bullion & black chevron. The collar is piped in silver bullion & the 2nd pattern collar tabs have a silver bullion border w/ single colonels oak leaves on the face. The left cuff has a black & silver bullion “RF SS” cuff title. Above the cuff title is a classic SS armband in red wool w/ sewn, black tape border & sewn tape Party symbol on a sewn, round, white field. The uniform is lined w/ a black cotton blend material & the sleeves are lined in white cotton w/ a striped “DAF” design. The uniform pants are heavy, unlined black wool. The interior waistband & pockets are white cotton. Both legs have white piping down the outside seam. The bottom of each leg of the pants has black leather stirrups secured with a brass stud. Colonel Karl Koch served in WWI & was awarded the 2nd Class Iron Cross, the 1914-18 Hindenburg Cross w/ swords, the Damstadt-Hesse General Honor medal & the Black Wound badge. Later he was awarded the 1931 Treffen badge, the DRL Sports Badge in Silver & the 1939 War Merit Cross 2nd Class w/ swords.
Koch was an infamous figure even among his peers. He was accused & later convicted of the murder of Dr. Walter Kramer, as well as other medical staff, at Buchenwald to cover up the treatment of his syphilis. He was also convicted of embezzlement & several other crimes. After a lengthy investigation, he was eventually executed on April 5, 1945, 1 week before American troops liberated the camp. His 2nd wife, Ilse Kohler, was known as “The Bitch of Buchenwald” & was convicted of many atrocities perpetrated at the camp. She was sentenced to life in prison & hanged herself while incarcerated in 1967. This uniform was taken from Buchenwald by 2 Canadian intelligence officers working w/ the 3rd Army. It was given to a Canadian museum where it was deaccessed several years ago & purchased by our consignor.
PROVENANCE: Lifetime Collection of Dennis Ottaway. (02-15980/BF). $8,000-11,000.
