SS Visor Cap Eagle

Form II, 1936-1945

In early 1936 Hitler inspected and approved a new form of national emblem, especially designed for the SS. This eagle was sanctioned by a letter dated March 23, 1936 from the Chief of the SS-Hauptamt. This form remained in use until the end of the war and became the standard pattern replacing the earlier eagle insignia.

The first new SS national emblems were available beginning in April 1936 and were manufactured in silvered Cupal, a synthetic alloy (consult volume 3, page 36 for Cupal detail). An unauthorized neusilber version was manufactured by some manufacturers as a result of a misunderstanding of the regulations. One must note that the neusilber metal was no longer allowed for use in manufacturing from the summer of 1935.

Simultaneously with the Cupal version, the matte-grey aluminum eagle form appeared. The Cupal (or Coupal) version of the eagle officially was tobe worn by enlisted ranks as well as leaders with the Schwarze SS-Dienstmutze (black visored cap) the matte aluminum version was to be worn with the erdgraue und erdbraune SS-Dienstmutze (field-grey and earth-brown visored cap).

Two months later, in June 1936, the bright aluminum version was first mentioned in the Mbl.d.RZM and was to replace the earlier matte version. This light weight national emblem was for the most part worn by all personnel when they obtained the new insignia for any reason. The reverse was stamped with the RZM control number which was occasionally positioned At the edge of the wing.

Embroidered versions were not officially permitted for wear with the SS visored caps of the General-SS, but other forms were observed being worn, predominately being the 1936 political or army forms.

Higher SS-leaders often purchased better quality insignia even though this form was not strictly regulated. In fact, the Cupal version was an item of excellent quality.

The basic design of the new SS emblem consisted of an eagle with outstretched wings, staggered at the tips. The head of the eagle, faced to its left.The eagle clutches an oakleaf wreath enclosing a mobile or slanted embossed swastika. The wingspan is approximately 7.0cm and the height approximately 3.2cm. Its design remained unchanged through the years until the end of the war.

Many eagles manufactured during the war were of pot or zinc metals and of a slightly smaller size, measuring 6.7cm.

During the early war years, the SS national eagle emblem was also available in silver-painted aluminum, grey-painted cheaper light weight materials or of better quality silvered Cupal.

Wilhelm P.B.R. Saria, "Headgear of Hitler's Germany Vol.4", R.J. Bender Publishing, 2005

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Sleeve Eagles of the German Railway

The Deutsche Reichsbahn (German National Railway) was one of the major uniformed civilian or "civil service" branches of the German government. It was a branch of the Reichsverkehrsministerium (National Transportffraffic Ministry), headed by the Reichsverkehrsminister (National Minister of Transport). At the time the Third Reich under Adolf Hitler came into power in January 1933, this position was held by Paul Freiherr von Eltz-Riibenach, who had been Minister of Transport since June 1932.1 At this time the German National Railway (then called the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft, or German National Railway Company) was headed by Dr.-lng. Julius Dorpmuller, who had been appointed Generaldirektor der Deutsche ReichsbahnGesellschaft on 4 June 1926.

Dr. Julius Dorpmuller was appointed Minister of Transport by Hitler on 2 February 1937, replacing Freiherr von Eltz-Rubenach - who had been "retired" after declining to accept the NSDAP Golden Party Badge awarded to him by the Fuhrer on 30 January. Dorpmuller remained in this position until the fall of Germany in 1945. As of 10 February 1937, the title of the Deutsche Reichshahn-Gesellschaft was officially shortened to Deutsche Reichsbahn.

As was the case with virtually all German military, political, and government organizations, the uniforms and insignia of the German Railway underwent repeated changes during the brief lifetime of the Third Reich. Basic uniforms, collar tabs and shoulder boards were prescribed in 1937, and significant changes were made in early 1941 (including an entirely new series of collar tabs, and some new shoulder board designs). Somewhat later in 1941, more radical changes were made to the shoulder boards. To make matters even more confusing, a mixture of the various official patterns of Railway uniforms and insignia were worn until the war's end in 1945 and "regulations" appeared to have been virtually ignored on a widespread basis. Railway rank insignia (collar tabs and shoulder boards) will be examined in a future article. This installment will look at the distinctive sleeve eagles worn by many - but by no means all - uniformed German Railway personnel during the war years.

On 1 September 1941, new Railway sleeve eagles were introduced for wear on the upper left arm of the dark blue service uniform.? These eagles were to replace a series of special cuff titles which had only been introduced a few months earlier and were therefore very short-lived even by Third Reich standards. Those cuff titles will be touched upon briefly later herein. The new sleeve eagles were intended to show the wearer's regional/area assignment within the organizational structure of the Deutsche Reichsbahn. Their design took the form of a shield-shaped patch of black cloth (flat across the top and rounded at the bottom) bearing a golden-yellow eagle and swastika, with the eagle facing to its right and having outstretched wings. Below the eagle was the name designation of the wearer's assignment in golden-yellow Roman letters (Antiquaschrift), with the wording following the curve of the lower patch edge. In the great majority of cases, the insignia was machine-woven in artificial silk thread in the so-called "Be Vo" style. A few original examples (mostly in foreign areas) were machine-embroidered in yellow cotton thread on a wool base, but this pattern is seldom encountered.

The most often-encountered examples of these 1941-pattern Railway sleeve eagles are those which denoted the Reichsbahndirektion (National Railway Directorate) - abbreviated "RBD" - to which the wearer was assigned. These Directorates were the regional zones/territories into which Germany proper was divided for the administration of the German National Railway system. As of about 1940, there were some thirty-one such Directorates (RBDs) within Greater Germany. Each of them was further assigned a number (1 through 31) in addition to the name of the city in which the headquarters of the individual Directorate was located. This same number - in the form of silver or gold metal numerals - was used on the shoulder boards of Bahnpolizei/Bahnschutzpolizei (Railway Police) personnel who provided security for the railway system in each Directorate. Continued...

Clyde R. Davis, "Sleeve Eagles of the German Railway", Military Advisor, Bender Publishing, 2005

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Waffen-SS Rank Insignia

The Allgemeine-SS system of indicating rank by pips, bars and oakleaves was altered only slightly by the SS- Verfiigungstruppe (SS-VT) and later by the Waffen-SS, The right-hand collar insignia indicated unit, while the left indicated the rank of the wearer . The SS runes were eventually worn by all units of the Waffen-SS with the exception of the SS-Police Division, the SS-Totenkopf Division and non-German units. The Totenkopf (death's head) was worn by members of the SS-Totenkopf Division, its Ersatz units (replacements), the Inspectorate of the Concentration Camps and Totenkopf independent units (Insp. K. L. und TotenkopfSturmbanne).

The practice of the right-hand collar insignia indicating unit, while the left indicated rank was disregarded in three recorded instances. This occurred when the unit insignia appeared on the left as well as the right collar patch:

(a) Totenkopf ("Totenkopf" Division and other units) (b) Odalrune ("Prinz Eugen" Division) (c) SS runes (reason unknown at time of writing)

All Waffen-SS collar patches were black with the exception of early Italian units in the Waffen-SS. The Italian-SS initially wore red as the colour for their collar patches and other insignia. They were honoured with the colour black, however, when the Italian SS Legion became the 29th division of the Waffen-SS.

Early SS collar insignia for enlisted men and NCOs was initially piped in silver/black twisted cord but this piping was discontinued probably for reasons of economy. The collar patches of officers and some N COs, who were officer candidates, were trimmed in silver cord. SS Generals' collar insignia were also trimmed in silver cord.

In early 1942 the basic shape of the oak-leaves was altered. The leaves were now of a straighter style and the woven pips were in a slightly different position. The significance of the rank insignia was also effected as indicated in the following chart.

Rank To end of 1941 1942

SS-Oberfuhrer, 2 leaves

SS-Brigadefuhrer, 2 leaves, 1 pip

SS-Gruppenfuhrer, 3 leaves

SS-Obergruppenfuhrer, 3 leaves, 1 pip

SS-Oberstgruppenfuhrer, ---

Rank 1942-1945

SS-Oberfuhrer, 2 leaves

SS-Brigadefuhrer, 3 leaves

SS-Gruppenfuhrer, 3 leaves, 1 pip

SS-Obergruppenfuhrer, 3 leaves, 2 pips

SS-Oberstgruppenfuhrer, 2 leaves, 3 pips

Although the SS-VT and later the Waffen-SS retained the Allgemeine-SS collar rank insignia system, the tendency for closer association with members of the Wehrmacht's combat forces is evident in their shoulder straps. Originally, Waffen-SS shoulder straps were identical with those of the German Army and were worn on both shoulders. The only variation was that the straps of SS enlisted men and NCOs had a black underlay. Enlisted men's straps were piped in Waffenfarben and NCO's straps were trimmed with a 9mm wide aluminum (later cotton) border.

Straight silver cords were utilized for the ranks of Untersturmfuhrer to Hauptsturmfuhrer; entwined double silver cords for Sturmbannfiihrer to Oberfiihrer; and entwined gold/silver/gold cords for Brigadefuhrer to OberstgruppenfUhrer. Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler wore his special shoulder straps with 3 entwined silver cords on the black base with the addition of a silver 3-leaf insignia. The system was later altered for officers' ranks from Untersturmflihrer to Oberfuhrer by the addition of a black base under the Waffenfarben. The pips on shoulder straps were the same as those of the Army in colour (i. e. gold for SS-Obersturmfuhrer to SS-OberfUhrer and silver for SS-Gruppenfuhrer and above). They were later changed to silver for all ranks.

In 1940 the Waffen-SS adopted the circular rank insignia of the Army's Oberschutze. This insignia consisted of a star which was positioned on a black, circular backing and worn by the SS-Mann below his SS sleeve eagle. The title of SS-Mann was altered to SS-Staffelmann and in 1941changed to titles similar to those in the Army. . . . SS-Oberschutze, SS- Obergrenadier, SS-Oberkanonier, SS-Oberreiter, etc. The single chevron sleeve insignia of the Army Gefreiter was also adopted and worn by the SS-Sturmmann. The double chevron insignia of the Army Obergefreiter was adopted and worn by the SS-Rottenfuhrer rank. The Army's influence was also seen in the introduction of the silver lace around the NCO collar. The SS-StabsscharfUhrer (equivalent to Army's Hauptfeldwebel and Hauptwachtmeister), a senior NCO serving in the capacity of company Sergeant-Major, wore two 9mm wide silver strips above the sleeve cuff.

R.J. Bender and H.P. Taylor: "Uniforms, Organization and History of the Waffen-SS Vol. 1", 1969. R.James Bender Publishing

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The German Eagle

EMBLEMS: THE GERMAN EAGLE

The origin of the German eagle, the national emblem of Germany can be traced back to the ninth century and Charlemagne. Crowned emperor in Rome on Christmas Day in the year AD 800 Charlemagne claimed to be the successor of the Roman emperors.Because it was the emblem, the 'standard' carried by the Legions, he adopted the Roman eagle as his ensign and had it placed conspicuously on his palace at Aachen.

The German spread-eagle can be traced back to about AD 1100, the period of Hohenstaufen. The spread-eagle of the Holy Roman Empire was borne by successive German emperors in the attitude known as 'displayed', that is with the eagle's body upright, the wings on either side raised to the level of the head and the legs extended beneath them. An example of this type of displayed eagle is to be found enamelled on the hil t of the ceremonial sword which once belonged to Charlemagne and is now preserved in the Imperial Treasury in the Burg at Vienna. A distinction was later made between the spread-eagle with one head, and the double-headed eagle, the latter symbolizing both royal and imperial dignity.

The revolutionaries of 1848, the German II Reich of 1871 and the Weimar Republic dating from 1919 all adopted the earlier singleheaded spread-eagle symbol.

In the years between 1933 and 1945 the eagle was featured clutching in its talons a garland of oak leaves containing the swastika (Hakenkreuz), the emblem of the National Socialist Workers Party of Germany. This combination of eagle and swastika constituted the official emblem of the Third Reich.

A distinction was made between the form of the German eagle used by the armed forces (Army and Navy) and the Party with its multitude of political formations. Because it was the youngest of the three fighting services the new German Air Force, brought into being under the National Socialist regime, and from the outset strongly influenced and controlled in its development by Hermann Goring, chose a style of eagle that was in a sense a compromise between the traditional military forces and the new political movement. The German eagle with outstretched wings in an attitude of flight was featured on the new regimental flags of the Luftwaffe.

The Army and Navy used the displayed style of eagle known as the 'Wehrmachtalder, the armed forces eagle. This too was featured as part of the design used on their flags and standards. On the standard for the Fuhrer Escort Battalion the armed forces eagle and the political form of the eagle were used in combination.

In one form or another the German eagle was used on almost every military flag during the period of the Third Reich.

Brian Leigh Davis: "Flags & Standards of the Third Reich - Army,Navy & Air Force" Arco Publishing, 1975