Special Feldherrnhalle Insignia

In June 1937, the SA-Stabschef (Chief of Staff) ordered the institution of a special insignia to be worn by qualified former members of the elite SA-Standarte "Feldherrnhalle." His order
appeared in the “Veordungsblatt der Obersten SA-Fuhrung," 7. Jahrgang, Nummer 8, 7 June 1937, p. 52, para.149. It read as follows:

149. Re: Insignia for SA men who have left the Regiment "Feldherrnhalle." F 2b 13735.

1. SA men honorably leaving the Regiment "Feldherrnhalle” will join the SA unit of their prospective place of residence. However, during the time of the annual Reich Party Day, they are available to the Regiment "Feldherrnhnlle" for several days of training.

2. The commander of the Regiment "Feldherrnhalle" may award the SA men referred to in Number 1 the privilege of wearing the regiment’s insignia.

3. The insignia consists of an oval piece of material 7cm high, made of brown cloth, with the 5cm emblem of the Regiment "Feldherrnhnlle." It is worn on the left forearm of the SA service uniform.

4. The commander of the Regiment "Feldherrnhalle" will issue authorization to wear the insignia. The authorization is renewed annually, on the occassion of the Reich Party Day, by the commander of the Regiment "Feldherrnhalle."

5. The insignia is provided free of charge the first time. Additional insignia are to be obtained from the Regiment "Feldherrnhalle" administrative office upon payment.

Illustration [1] is a copy of the original order instituting this new insignia. [2] is an original unissued specimen of the insignia, with paper RZM tag. This example is machine—woven in aluminum thread in the so-called "BeVo" style. [3] shows a variant example which consists of a silver-colored metal "Feldherrnhalle" rune attached to a brown wool base. The metal rune is identical to those worn on the right-side collar tabs of active members of Regiment "Feldherrnhalle."

No original period photographs showing this insignia in actual wear have so far come to light. Since wear of the insignia had to be individually authorized by the "Feldherrnhalle" commander
(rather than automatically applying to all men who left the unit), it may not have been widely issued. Also, since the instituting order tied the insignia to annual reauthorization at the Reichsparietag rallies, and the last such Party Congress occurred in September 1938, it is
possible that the insignia may have been discontinued at that time. Aside from the cited original order, it was apparently never again mentioned in any subsequent SA or NSDAP publications.

Finally, [4] is a photograph showing an active—duty SA-Mann (Private) of the SA—Standarte "Feldherrnhalle" in the regimental uniform. Note the runic device on his right collar tab, identical in design to that on this virtually unknown insignia for former members.

Thanks are extended to W.P.B.R. Saris for providing a copy of the original SA order, to Philip B. Carson for making available the specimen shown in [3], to Wilfred Uhlmann Bradach for translating the order, and to Hugh Page Taylor for prividing photo [4].

Clyde R. Davis, Special Insignia for Former Members of the SA-Standarte "Feldherrnhalle", The Military Advisor, 2005

Maria Therisa Waffen-SS Division

In September 1939, German Panzer Divisions made mincemeat out of Poland’s finest Hussar formations. With the advent of this type of mechanized warfare., the downfall of the horse cavalry seemed to be assured. But the Russian-German War was to alter that judgment.

The wide open steppes, wild marshes, and thick forests of Russia, required a certain type of mobility that motorized vehicles, dependent upon fuel and roadways, were unable to provide. When utilized properly, both the Russian and German cavalry formations fulfilled this requirement. For example, the German conquest of the Pripet Marshes in 1941 was achieved largely by cavalry units.

The Red Army enjoyed an overabundance of cavalry troops but generally used them in a reckless manner. The carnage and toll taken of the Soviet Cossack forces was so great that the Germans were almost convinced that horse cavalry units were an anachronisms. As a result the Wehrmacht began upgrading its cavalry into motorized formations. By l943, the excellent 1st. Kavallerie Division had been reshaped into the 24th Panzer Division.

On the other hand, the Waffen-SS had employed “traditional" cavalry regiments in Russia from l941 onward. By 1943, four SS Kavallerie Regiments in two brigades were fighting in Russia as part of the 8th SS Division "Florian Geyer”. This division, under the command of SS Brigadefuhrers Bittrich and Fegelein, traveled nearly 1500 miles deep into Russia and considerably distinguished itself.

In 1943, when the Waffen-SS began a major expansion of its foreign units, the lesson learned from "Florian Geyer" was not forgotten. The cavalry offered a cheap, efficient way to obtain high mobility without having to worry about good roads, vihicle parts and petrol.

Most of the East European SS Divisions being formed were basically foot infantry. This alone made them inferior to the motorized, panzer or panzer-grenadier elite formations. Thus the prospect of forming cavalry units offered a way to bridge the gap between the grenadier and the panzer-grenadier troops.

1. Waffen—SS collar patch for the 22nd SS Kavallerie Division.

2. Official vehicle identification shield for "Maria Theresa".

3. Unofficial vehicle identification sign of the 22nd SS.

All of the insignia above bear the design of a "Karstblume" which became designated as a Cornflower.

VI. DIVISIONAL INSIGNIA

In early I944, the supply office of the 22nd SS Division received a shipment of collar patch insignia bearing the design of the Alpine Karst flower. Considering these to be the new "Maria Theresa" insignia, they were distributed to the troops. As it turned out the Karstblume collar patches were ment for the 24th Waffen-Gebirgs Division der SS “Karstiager", operating in Italian Tyrol. They had been accidently sent to the wrong location. “Karstjager" never did get them and "Maria Theresa" wore the patches for the rest of the war. Once it became apparant that the 22nd SS Division was stuck with the Karstblume insignia, it was decided to identify the design on the patch as a variety of cornflower. It was felt that this would be more appropriate

for a “lowland" formation.

Inevitably, the Katstblume or cornflower was adopted as the Divisional emblem and appeared on vehicles and directional signs: Two different designs of varying format were used. One showed the flower enclosed in a shield and the other showed the flower without the shield.

While the Waffen-SS never awarded a cufftitle to the 22nd SS, post-war manufacturers issued them "posthumously". As a result several bogus designs of "Maria Theresa" cuffbands are in circulation today. There are no other distincttive Divisional insignia known.

For photographs of the Divisional collar patch and members of the unit, see Waffen-SS, Its Divisional Signs, by Beadle and Hartmann, (Bromley, England: Key Publications) 1971.

Richard Landwehr,"SS Cavalry: 22nd Fieiwilligen Division der SS "Maria Therisa", 1944-45", Military Collector's News, 1972