The "Asterisk" Again

[Marvin]

OK folks, I am home for the weekend and have a little more info on the Asterisk. As Richard Nixon stated, "let me make this perfectly clear", this is only a theory I put up for discussion, it does not necesarilly mean I am convinced to be correct as I DON"T KNOW what it means. Anyway, I have the following which is an excerpt from my original thoughts and shows a little about the use of the Runes by the SS. Rmember, this is a guy just sitting around thinking and not trying to convince anyone that this is fact!


My theory, is that this mark deals with the inspection of various components of a weapon by an Allgemeine-SS inspector. This would be in addition to the Waffenampt inspection by the OKH and their subsequent approval by the stamps we are accustomed to seeing. Now, the big question in my theory; why would the Allgemeine-SS be inspecting parts? It is well known that the SS provided labor from the Concentration Camps to the manufacturers of war goods so the Third Reich could maintain an ample supply of finished products because most of the factory workers had been conscripted into military service. One of the units in the Allgemeine-SS organization was Amptsgruppe W ( SS Economics Enterprises, originally formed in 1942 as the SS Wirtschafts-und-Verwaltungshauptamt, or the WVHA under SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Oswald Pohl), and one of the sub units was AMPT IV, Deutsche Ausrustungswerke, or D.A.W. (German Equipment Works), which was under the direction of SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Dr. Hans May. Section 1 of the D.A.W. provided Military Armaments. The SS involvement in the armaments and munitions industry increased as the war progresses, not only for the purpose of supplying the Waffen-SS, but also to assist conventional arms manufacturers by furnishing them cheap labor. The SS made many of its own weapons and technical instrumentation at Auschwitz, Neuengamme, Ravensbruck, Sachsenhausen, Stutthof, Lublin and Plaszow, maintained an ordnance testing and repair shop at Stutthof, and melted down scrap cable at Dachau. In addition, aircraft parts assembly was carried out at Flossenburg, Mauthausen and Natzweiler on behalf of the Messerschmitt and Junkers companies. Heinkel contracted the SS to produce hangers for them at Sachsenhausen, gun carriages were repaired at Mauthausen, hand grenades assembled at Sachsenhausen, and industrial diamonds cut at Herzogenbusch and Belsen. Since the SS did maintain high standards for the goods produced by these laborers, it would be logical that an SS inspector would take a sampling of the parts and stamp them with the â??asteriskâ?�, or â??eight pointed starâ?� to prove they were in tolerance or to help alleviate the possibility of sabotage of parts by the forced laborer. This inspection by the SS would help eliminate the purposeful sabotage of work in process and therefore assist the manufacturer maintain his monthly quota.


To further my theory, lets look at where the inspection stamp (â??asteriskâ?�, or â??eight pointed starâ?�) by the SS could have originated. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, runes began to be re-examined by the fashionable â??Volkisch or folkâ?� movements of Northern Europe, which promoted interest in traditional stories, beliefs, and festivals. The Thule Society was among these groups, and through his association with its activities, Himmler began to look back to the mystical Dark Age Germanic period for much of his inspiration. With Himmlerâ??s fascination for cryptic codes, it would be appropriate that he adopt certain runes for use by his SS. All pre-1939 Allgemeine-SS Anwarter were instructed in runic symbolism as part of their training. By 1945, there were fourteen main varieties of runes in use by the SS. I will not go into detail on all them, but the main ones are; The Hakenkreuz, or Swastika, The Sonnenrad, or sunwheel Swastika, and The Hagall-Rune, or our â??asteriskâ?�, or â??eight pointed starâ?�.


Letâ??s deal with The Hagall-Rune; it stood for unshakable faith, which was expected of all SS members. It was featured on the SS deathâ??s head ring as well as on ceremonial accoutrements used at SS weddings. It was also chosen as the sign of the SS-Polizei-Division, since it resembled the traditional â??Police Starâ?� badge. All runes derive from the hexagon. Carrying this symbol gives strength over adversity as it encompasses the total of all the runes. The overall interpretation of this rune is to believe in yourself and you will become the master of everything.


This is my theory for the â??asteriskâ?� that is stamped on many types of armaments produced by manufacturers during the war period. As the war progressed, more and more labor from the Camps were utilized and with the SS being paid for these workers, it would be logical that the SS would be responsible for the quality produced by the laborers.


That is it folks, hope this help clear up somw questions as to the theory. Don't blast me as it is only a theory and I am not trying to convince anyone it is fact.


Marvin