SS Obergruppenfuhrer Franz Xavier Schwarz Office Tunic

Tailored by the old military outfitters, of Michel Zoltsch, Munich

Schwarz's office tunic dates from 1928, not long after the Party had refomed (1925). The SS was far from being the omnipotent force it was later to become.

The 1928-dated tunic is made from the finest black doeskin, with pleated top pockets, and slash lower pockets. it also retains its fine quality silvered pebble finish buttons throughout. It is identical to the standard Allgemeine-SS tunic, apart from a stand & fall collar. The tunic has French cuffs, and a very fine quality SS armband to the left sleeve. The tunic has a fine quality SS armband, which may have been added by Scwarz later. The tunic has a finely tailored silk lining, along with silk tailors striped inner sleeve linings. To the inside pocket is the Michel Zoltsch tailors label, with Schwarz's name written in ink , along with the date during February 1928.

Condition report: The tunic surviving in excellent overall condition, free from moth or damage.

Note: Franz Xavier Schwarz was an enigmatic member of Hitler's inner circle; the man behind the NSDAP, and  Reichsschatzmeister (National Treasurer) from the  Party's humble beginnings. It was with the approval of Schwarz, that Himmler was made Reichsführer-SS; the two men politely approving of each other's abilities.

Schwarz was not officially a member of the SS in 1928, therefore it is likely the tunic  offered for sale, was tailored  as an 'office jacket' at that time, (the SS armband added to the tunic after Himmler recruited Schwarz into the SS).

Provenance: Schwarz's uniforms originated from Breyers of Munich. The company were a long established theatrical hire business. After 1945, Breyer made it known he was always interested to purchase Third Reich uniforms to increase his holding of theatrical hire uniforms. However, in reality he had already spotted a market for such uniforms from Amercian soldiers, and later from American collectors.

Schwarz's uniforms were sold to Breyer by the family at somepoint in the 1960s. At the beginning of the 1970s they were sold by Breyer to an American dealer. Two of Schwarz's tunics were not purchased at that time, one being this office tunic, and another being a stripped tunic worn by Schwarz as SA-Obergruppenfuhrer (both probably looked rather uninteresting at the time for the dealer, and in fact the office tunic had the armband tucked in one of the pockets, so it was void of insignia). In 1976, the two tunics were purchased from Breyer by a Munich-based Dealer, shortly afterwards, they were acquired for the Ulric of England Collection. The tunics remained in the ULRIC of ENGLAND collection from 1976 until 2000, and were then disposed of. From 2000 until now the office tunic has been in two collections  before being consigned with us for sale. The office tunic is photographed in two books: SS Regalia (p39), & Inside the Allgemeine-SS (p185).