Original World War II Nazi Germany Himmler's SS Death Ring Totenkopf Der SS - Signed & Dated

Awarded on December 27, 1943 - One of the last SS Death Rings Awarded. Has Himmler's signature on the inside. The person it was awarded to's name is not entirely clear. Appears to be initials then "Hass" or "Hess". The Death's Head (or Honour) ring was among the most-sought-after accoutrements of the elite Schutzstaffel (SS) headed by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, even though the ring was not an official national or military decoration. Himmler himself awarded it for personal achievement, devotion to duty, and loyalty to Adolph Hitler. The rings were cast in silver and then finished by hand by specially commissioned jewellers at the Munich firm Gahr. The company made about 14,000 rings, but examples in good condition, such as Hass's ring, are rare. The rings, like all SS symbols and rituals, were rooted in Nazi fascination with Teutonic pagan mythology. The Germanic god Thor, according to legend, wore a silver ring on which people could swear oaths. In addition to the Death's Head, the rings were decorated with various runes (Nordic symbols). When an SS officer fell in battle, his ring was returned to the SS and then displayed at a memorial in Wewelsburg Castle, a 17th-century fortress Himmler converted into a weird reproduction of King Arthur's court with a round table and seats for the SS leader and 12 of his trusted lieutenants. All manufacturing and awarding of the rings were cancelled in October 1944 as German military losses mounted. In the spring of 1945, on Himmler's order, all memorial rings were blast-sealed into a mountain side near Wewelsburg. The site was kept secret and has not been found to this day. Please see photos to judge condition of item. All items are $4 shipping for the first item purchased per auction and 50 cents for each additional item with a cap of $20.00 shipping.