SS Police General tunic & trousers originally belonging to

SS-Brigadeführer Max Henze

One time Police President  of Danzig, and hanged by the Poles in 1951.

Discounted price £5750 ( was £6750)

By instruction of the consigner

The SS Police Brigadeführer tunic, tailored in a fine field grey wool, with dark green, closed-style collar, and four pleated pockets.

The matched-pair SS Police General epaulettes with entwined gold & silver braids, on police apple green doeskin. The SS Police General collar patches embroidered in golden cello on apple green doeskin. The collar patches machine sewn to the collar. The right-hand sleeve with the SS Police General Old Campaigners chevron, and to the left-hand sleeve, a fine golden wire embroidered eagle/swastika. To the lower left-hand breast pocket, a set of golden wire SS Police Runes. Golden pebble buttons throughout.

The SS General's tunic with various medal loops, including loops for a large ribbon bar. Interior  fully lined in an off grey silk, and with typical tailors stripes to the sleeve linings. A full woven Berlin tailors label to the collar center, 'Averbeck & Broskamp, Berlin'. Matching tailors label to the inside pocket with the 'Averbeck & Broskamp' name, along with the inked name 'SS-Brig Max Henze, and the date '6.III.1942'.

The matching SS Police General trousers with central apple green piping, and large broad stripes in apple green, eith side. The trousers with two side pockets, one watch pocket, one rear pocket , rear waist ajustment, and suspender buttons. The trousers with partial linings and woven 'Averbeck & Broskamp' tailors label.

Condition report: The tunic in very good used condition. Light use evident around the collar edge and to the cuffs. Some aging to the insignia, and slight oxidation to the silver wires of the epaulettes. A couple of the medal loops slightly loose. The sleeve eagle/swastika with some loose threads to one edge. The tunic and trousers free from any major moth or damage.

Provenance:This rare and interesting uniform was a part of an archive of Henze material sold through various auctions between 2016 and 2018. The uniform was sold through the Somerset-based auction house, Greenslade Taylor Hunt, and was a part of the Bob Ayres collection.

Background to Max Henze: After attending elementary school in Köthen and later in Dresden, Henze completed an apprenticeship as a merchant. During the First World War Henze participated as a volunteer. Henze became an early member of the NSDAP ( membership number 80,481) and the SS (SS No. 1,167). In 1932 Henze became a full-time SS leader in Berlin-Brandenburg, which led him to become the supervisor of the Columbia-Concentration Camp. On December 15, 1933, Henze was appointed SS-Brigadeführer. On May 17, 1935, Henze was district councilor of the administrative district of Berlin-Weissensee. Subsequently, on January 8, he was appointed police chief of Kassel.

In October 1939 Henze was appointed Police President of Bromberg. From 1 April 1940 Henze took over as Police President of Danzig, and finally from November 1941, Police President of Essen. There he took over the post of Karl Michael Gutenberger , who was appointed Higher SS and Police Leader.

After Henze's capture in 1945 he was interned by the British in Recklinghausen and Hamburg. Due to his activities in Danzig he was delivered to Poland. On November 4, 1949 Henze was sentenced to death in Bromberg together with Richard Hildebrandt. Henze was executed on March 10, 1951.