SS Correspondence and Police Career Records, 1940–1944 (Irving File 4H-2)

This file is a historical compilation of correspondence, personal letters, formal police career documents, and Nazi-era bureaucratic records, primarily dating from 1940 to 1944, revolving around:

• Police and SS personnel files, promotions, and applications

• Letters between SS officers, police officers, family, and friends

• Personal reflections, requests for transfers, promotions, and references within the NSDAP (Nazi Party), Schutzpolizei, Gendarmerie, and SD (Sicherheitsdienst) systems.

• Bureaucratic paperwork tied to the expansion of Nazi German police and SS activities into annexed and occupied territories such as Alsace-Lorraine (Elsass-Lothringen) and the Eastern front (Galicia, Tarutino, etc.).

It also contains a range of personal notes and small administrative requests, many infused with Nazi ideological language (Heil Hitler closings, references to loyalty to the Reich, anti-Soviet comments, etc.).

⚠️ Disclaimer

This document is preserved and presented for the purposes of historical research, education, and documentation. It contains material originating from the National Socialist (Nazi) regime between 1940 and 1944, including:

• Personal and official correspondence of members of the SS and Ordnungspolizei
• Administrative records reflecting the internal functioning of Nazi security and police institutions
• Ideological language and references consistent with the period’s totalitarian regime

The presence of antisemitic, nationalist, militaristic, or otherwise offensive terminology and ideology in this file reflects the historical context in which it was created. These materials may be disturbing or offensive to modern readers.

The inclusion of this material in an archive does not imply endorsement of the views expressed. Rather, it serves to:

• Support critical scholarship on the workings of authoritarian states
• Preserve evidence of bureaucratic complicity in systemic violence
• Enable public accountability and transparent engagement with the past

Access is provided with the expectation that users approach the material with academic rigor, ethical awareness, and respect for the victims of Nazi crimes.

Condition Note:

Physical Condition

• Format: The file is a digitized PDF comprising 690 pages, compiled from typewritten and handwritten documents, official forms, correspondence, and stamps.

• Legibility:

  • The vast majority of typewritten content is clearly legible with consistent font and spacing.

  • Handwritten annotations and letters, particularly those from private individuals, range from moderately legible to difficult, depending on handwriting style and ink quality.

• Stamps and Emblems: Official Nazi-era seals (e.g., eagle and swastika insignias) and departmental stamps (e.g., Reichssicherheitshauptamt, SS insignia, etc.) are visually intact and clearly identifiable, particularly in letters sent to or from SS departments.

• Imagery: Some pages include scanned images of original documents, such as envelopes, postcards, and signatures. Visual quality is generally good, though a few documents show minor smudging, fading, or light ink bleed consistent with age.

• Text Loss or Obstruction: There are no major signs of water damage, tears, or missing text; however, a small number of images appear to be slightly skewed or poorly aligned, with edges or folds obscuring marginalia.

Content Integrity

• Chronology: Documents are generally arranged in rough chronological order, spanning 1940 to 1944, although some inconsistencies in date sequencing exist due to letter groupings or correspondence clustering.

• Authenticity Indicators:

  • Includes full names, ranks, and addresses of SS and police officials.

  • Contains official administrative language and structure typical of the Third Reich era.

  • Original signatures, seals, and letterhead styles correspond with known examples from contemporaneous government offices.

• Completeness: While likely excerpted from a broader archival corpus, this compilation appears internally consistent and thematically cohesive, with documents focusing on:

  • Police and SS personnel appointments

  • Personal appeals for transfers or promotions

  • Correspondence from police officers and SS-Untersturmführer Alfred Reißmann

  • NSDAP references and party service records