WWII GERMAN SS UNIFORM COAT, PANTS & HAT ATTRIBUTED TO GENERAL KARL VON EBERSTEIN, POLICE PRESIDENT OF MUNICH, GENERAL OF THE POLICE & GENERAL OF THE WAFFEN SS

WWII GERMAN SS UNIFORM COAT, PANTS & HAT ATTRIBUTED TO GENERAL KARL VON EBERSTEIN, POLICE PRESIDENT OF MUNICH, GENERAL OF THE POLICE & GENERAL OF THE WAFFEN SS.

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Uniform coat is of a fine black wool gabardine with silver colored, pebble finished buttons. There are 5 loops to support a medal bar above the left breast pocket. There are additional loops on the left breast pocket to support 2 badges & loops below the pocket to support an additional badge. There is a single shoulder board of 3 woven silver bullion cords on black attached to the right shoulder. The upper section of the right sleeve has a single silver bullion on black chevron. The collar shows heavy silver bullion piping & the collar tabs have a silver bullion border with triple oak leaves & a single pip on the black velvet face. At the top of the left cuff is a black & silver bullion “Reichsfuhrung-SS” cuff title. The central left sleeve has a classic SS armband featuring fully sewn construction. It is of red wool with a black tape border & a black tape Party symbol on a round white field. The lining is of black rayon & the sleeves have a white cotton lining with a thin stripe design. There is an interior strap with a dagger/sword hanger clip on the end. The inside of the left breast pocket has a sewn in RZM tag with the Hersteller number “D1/248”.

The uniform pants are a heavier unlined black wool gabardine. The interior waistband is a striped pattern white cotton fabric & the interior pockets are constructed of gray cotton. The underside of the inside of the right rear pocket has a sewn in RZM tag with the same Hersteller number, “D1/248” as the coat indicating the uniform & pants have always been together since their mfg. The riding style britches have 5 closure buttons extending 9″ up from the hem. The peaked cap has a black wool crown & a black velvet band. The cap is entirely piped in metallic silver bullion. The chinstrap is constructed of silver bullion & is terminated with 2 sm. silvered buttons with a pebbled finish. The eagle & the death’s head device are silver plated with a pleasing coating of tarnish. The leather visor has a black finish on the face & the underside. The light tan sweatband has ventilation holes in the front & a bow at the seam in the rear. The lining material appears to be a coated fabric in dark orange. There is a diamond shaped sweatshield with a rounded top covering a gold printed “SS” in a circle. The sweatshield also houses a black & silver cloth tag that reads, “Vom Reichsfuhrer SS befohlene Ausfuhrung” with “SS” & “RZM” marks. Also included is a black SS tie measuring approx. 52″ in length with a sewn in black & white tag that reads, “SS.-Halsbinde Herstetter Reichszeug meisterei der NSDAP”. The number “128” is stamped in blue ink & “A No 008411” appears in black ink.

General Karl von Eberstein was born in 1894 to a German noble family. He entered the Cadet Corps in 1912 & served during WWI earning both the Iron Cross 1st Class & 2nd Class, as well as the 1914-18 Honor Cross. Eberstein joined the NSDAP in 1922 but quit after the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923. He rejoined the Party in 1925 & was an early member of the SS on the staff of Heinrich Himmler. He briefly joined the SA in the summer of 1930. He quickly rose through the ranks of the SS & held many positions of honor & authority. He was named Police President of Munich in 1938, General of the Police in 1941 & General of the Waffen SS in 1944. He was relieved of command in late April of 1945 for “defeatism”. He was awarded the Gold Party badge, SS Honor ring & the Sword of Honor of the Reichsfuhrer-SS. His other awards included the NSDAP Long Service in silver & bronze, the SS Long Service award & the Italian Grand Cross of the Order of the Roman Eagle with swords.

PROVENANCE: Lifetime Collection of Dennis Ottaway.