SS-VT Black Service Dress

After the outbreak of war it was unusual to see Waffen-SS troops in the black service
clothing, although some officers may have worn it on furlough or on special ceremonial
occasions. Before the war. the "Leibstandarte”, the SSVT Standarten and Sturmbanne. the Staffs of the Academies. and the SS-Totenkopfstandarte all wore the black service uniform for special parade and ceremonial duties. In addition the "Leibstandarte” were issued in 1937 with special white parade equipment which included white belts. cartridge pouches and shoulder braces.

The black uniform comprised the peaked cap (Tellenriutzel) the undress field service cap (worn off-duty in the barracks. etc.) the service tunic. breeches and high boots. Field Officers wore steel nickel plated spurs. The brown shirt was worn with black tie by the NCOS and enlisted men and white shirts were worn by the officers.

In 1937 officers were provided with field grey cloth dress belts which were faced with an aluminium woven fabric with a woven—in SS rune design. The belt had two slides on either side of the buckle. These slides were also faced with the silver coloured fabric and they and the belt had two woven-in black silk stripes along either edge. The buckle was the special SS officers patten. Officers wore white gloves with gauntlet cuffs and white short gloves with the black overcoat. Some photographs show officers wearing brown leather gloves. NCOs wore short white gloves. Other ranks wore short white gloves on special occasions. Officers wore an aluminium cord aigullette under the right shoulder cord and fastened to a small hook under the right lapel.

Officers and Warrant Class NCOs carried swords. The swords were carried in the same manner as in the old German Army. that is to say, on a thin canvas belt worn under the coat with only one suspender and hook. The sword was suspended on one ring, the suspender strap emerging through a slit in the left tunic pocket. The swords had bright nickel plated knuckle bow guards and black grips bound with aluminium wire. The scabbards were black enamelled metal. The officers swords had a black roundel on each side of the grip, edged with silver and bearing the silver SS runes. The NCOs had their runes on the flat top of the pommel. The tops of the officers' scabbards had a silver interlaced design. Mounted troops carried sabres when on foot. The swords were carried on the saddle when they were mounted.

SS sword knots were made of aluminium wire and had an aluminium woven fabric strap with two interwoven black silk stripes on either side. The stem of the knot had a black silk roundel with the black SS runes in the centre. The NCO`s sword knot straps were black with three interwoven aluminium stripes. Junior NCOs had black and aluminium sabre knots or bayonet knots (troddehn). The troopers` bayonet knots or sabre knots were aluminium but had stems in the colour of the squadron or company, red. blue, green, yellow or white.

From 1933 the Allgemeine-SS and the SS-VT and SS-TV were entitled to carry the SS ceremonial dagger (dolch). They were pemiitted to wear this weapon in most orders of dress except on parade when the sword. sabre of rifle and bayonet were carried. Officers and senior NCOs are known to have worn the dagger on occasions (eg. at weddings or official receptions) during the war years.

The dagger was shaped like a Gothic hunting knife and had a black wooden grip with a white metal national emblem and a roundel with the SS runes. The sheath was made of black enamelled metal and had nickle mounts. On the polished blade the words of the SS motto “MEINE EHRE HEIST THEUE" was etched in Gothic upper,

Left to right: Senior NCO'S pattern sword, SS ceremonial dagger (dolch), 1936 pattern special dagger and suspension for officers and NCOS. officers pattern sword.

and lower case lettering. The dagger was suspended on a short black leather strap. In 1936 a special dagger was issued to the officers and NCOs who had been in the SS since 1933. It was similar to the 1933 model. but the new sheath had an additional fitting around the centre with a continuous swastika design. This special dagger had a suspender consisting of a series of linked oblong plates alternatively decorated with SS runes and deathsheads.

Walter-Karl Holzmann, "Manual of the Waffen-SS, Badges, Uniforms, Equipment", Bellona Publications, 1976