There's One Made Every Minute

SS Bullion Collar Tabs

In this installment on repro cloth insignia I want to show you some examples of the currently imported fake SS collar tabs. You may think l'm overly concerned with the SS, what with last month's installment on SS cufftitles and now this one on SS collar tabs, but the fact is that SS insignia is a favorite not only with collectors. but with the fakers. And considering the money at stake I think everyone should be aware of what's happening.

It's said a picture is worth a thousand words, and this couldn't be more true any where than in militaria collecting. Therefore, I'm devoting most of the space available for this article to the pictures.

All of the retros shown here are good enough to fool a novice collector, and there is no way that I can make an expert out of everyone with this article. The best thing to do to protect yourself is to remember that originals of these are almost always made with extreme precision. If you look closely at a quality bullion SS collar tab, one that is of the usual type, not some weird variation made in "Lower Slabovia", and you notice any sloppiness in the workmanship, then be careful. Studying originals is also a must. Visit a collector friend who knows his stuff and study the pieces in his collection that you're sure of.

Above: Detail of some tabs. One the left is an original and in middle is the repro. Arrows points to the edges of the oakleaves showing the obvious difference in quality of the embroidery. "Tight", this the word I use most often to describe SS embroidery. On the right is detail of the back of an original tab. Note the pattern of the backing material. It is of a milky white and somewhat shinny. Almost all original tabs have this type of backing, only the size of the opening in the black material varies.

In the above pictures; at first glance they look pretty good. They're fake. Notice on the "Ost" tab (No. 1) that the upper tip of the "t" is very sloppy and on the tabs with the crossed lances (No. 2&4) there is a lack of precision in the embroidery, the lance poles are almost crooked. The oakleaf tab (No. 5) is VERY well done. The shape of the oakleaves in almost exactly like that of an original SA Gruppenfuhrer. This piece is in silver bullion on black and was offered as an SS tab, even thought the SS did not use this shape leaves. If the maker can do this in silver on black then he can do it in other colors as SA tabs. No. 7 is so well done it's spooky! I suggest great care when buying these types of tabs, as these fakes can be real tough to identify.

In the above pictures the left are original tabs, on the right are fakes. Note the fine quality of the embroidery on the originals, the strands of thread are sewn very evenly with almost perfect spacing (tight), whereas on the fakes there is an unevenness and lack of precision to the embroidery. Notice the pips on the two originals are slightly different. This is fine, because variations do exist.

One last point. The bullion wire of SS tabs is made up of a round center core thread around which is wrapped a flat aluminum thread. On every "original" SS bullion tab I've ever seen, the center core thread is white. I have encounted some good looking fakes that had a black center core.

Bob Treend, "There's One Made Every Minute", Der Gauleiter, 1990

Waffen-SS Foreign Legions

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries it has become common practice to describe foreign contingents in national armies as legions. The choice of terminology is unfortunate, because foreign detachments have more in common with the Auxilia of ancient Rome, than with her legiones.

During the middle ages it was not uncommon for a state to hire units of foreign mercenaries, such as the Genoese crossbowmen or the Flemish hand-gunmen, for a specific campaign. Varangians and Scots were employed as royal bodyguards, and in the eighteenth century several European states employed foreign professionals from Switzerland, Germany, Scotland, and Ireland in permanent regiments. Today the only homogeneous units to survive are the Swiss Guard of the Vatican, and the Gurkhas.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century the term 'legion' came to be applied to detachments of emegre patriots seeking to free their country from foreign occupation; notable among these were Napoleon's Polish Lancers and the Hanoverian King's German Legion. During World War I, the term was also applied to units of Poles and Czechs seeking to attain national independence. During the Spanish Civil War, the International Brigades no longer fought for a country but for a political ideal.

Probably the most famous force of all is the French Foreign Legion, formed in the nineteenth century, and followed in this century by a Spanish Foreign Legion, which also still exists to this day. However, these legions form a permanent part of the armies of France and Spain and, unlike other foreign contingents, no attempt is made to segregate men by nationality.

The legions raised by the Waffen-SS during World War 2 had little in common with the Foreign Legions of France and Spain because the Germans attempted to organist ethnically homogeneous units. Nor were the German-raised legions intended as a permanent force, since they were formed for one purpose and one purpose only - the defeat of the Soviet Union. Had the war ended with German victory, the legions were to have been disbanded, their purpose having been served.

Since the war there has been a tendency to idealist and even romanticism the foreign contribution to the SS. A legend has arisen that the Germanic legions were a hand-picked body of magnificent specimens of Germanic manhood motivated by National Socialist ideals, and forged into an almost superhuman fighting force by the example and know-how of a hand-picked and dedicated team of SS instructors. It has even been suggested that the legionary movement against Communism was the precursor of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

There is no doubt that, at the beginning, a genuine attempt was made to select only the very best of the volunteers who applied to join the legions; criminals and idlers were rejected,and adventurers discouraged from applying. At the beginning of the war, the majority of Waffen-SS men were still the arrogant standard-bearers of National Socialism, and they reacted violently to the many foreign volunteers who were neither Nazis nor even particularly pro-German, and who showed a complete lack of interest and even disrespect for SS ideals and aims. This attitude was particularly prevalent in the Danish Freikorps.

Unlike the great colonial powers, Germany had few military men with the experience and aptitude for dealing with foreigners. As soon as the volunteers arrived at German training centres they began to complain about the unfriendly and even brutal attitude of the 'Prussian' SS instructors. These SS men were sickened by the sight of the SS uniform being worn by nationals of recently defeated and 'dishonoured' nations, while below the surface was the inbred soldier's contempt for traitors. Despite SS efforts to eliminate criminals, some wormed their way into the legions and offended the mass of honest working-class volunteers. Corruption among the SS existed and this led to mutual contempt.

The average volunteer was working class, apolitical, and if anything a little immature. Typical was the twenty-year-old Dutchman Gerardus Mooyman, who became the first Germanic volunteer to win the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. According to one of his comrades, Mooyman was not a particularly enthusiastic soldier, and on 13 February 1943 he was sulking in his dugout south of Lake Ilmen when the Soviets launched a tank attack on his position. Mooyman had almost to be dragged out by the ear by a German officer attached to the Dutch Legion. Mooyman then vented his fury on the Soviet tanks by knocking out thirteen of them before cooling off. Still alive today, he remembers with regret his youthful thirst for adventure, the sadness and shame of his devoutly Catholic family and friends when he donned the SS uniform, and the wasted years both during and after the war. Apart from the Knight's Cross, Mooyman's story is typical of a tragic generation which had not reached maturity when circumstances beyond its control obliged it to take sides. Having taken sides, those of this generation fought with varying degrees of courage in a terrible war and, like their victims, suffered untold hardships. But the greatest hardship of all was to return to one's country not as a hero but as a criminal.

Philip H. Buss and Andrew Mollo, "Hitler's Germanic Legions", MacDonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1978

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

Bender-Publishing.com

History of the General SS

In the early days of Nazism. Hitler was surrounded by the unwieldy SA. He realised the necessity of organising a more dedicated elite personal guard.This guard should not be large. but it had to consist of men of proven calibre of Nordic blood, and of good character.

They had to act as bodyguard and spearhead. They had to protect both himself and important members of his party while they travelled around Germany furthering the cause of Nazism.

In March 1923 the embryo SS consisted of just two men. Joseph Berchtold and Julius Schreck who called themselves the STABSWACHE (Staff Guard). Two months later a new unit the STOSSTRUPP ADOLF HITLER (Adolf Hitler Shock Troop) was formed and commanded by Joseph Berchtold.

After the abortive putsch of the 9th November 1923, in which a number of Nazis were killed. Hitler was imprisoned and the NSDAD banned.

Hitler, looking back on the period immediately after his release from Landsberg in December 1924, described the early days of the SS.

"Being convinced that there are always circumstances in which elite troops are called for, I created in 1922-23 the 'Adolf Hitler Shock Troops'. They were made up of men who were ready for revolution and knew that some day things would come to hard knocks. When I came out of Landsberg everything was broken up and scattered in sometimes rival bands. I told myself then that I needed a bodyguard. even a restricted one, but made up of men who would be enlisted without conditions,even to march against their own brothers, only twenty men to a city (on condition that one could count on them absolutely) rather than a dubious mass. It was Maurice, Schreck, and Heiden who formed in Munich the first group of toughs, and were thus the origin of the SS; but it was with Himmler that the SS became an extraordinary body of men, devoted to an ideal, loyal to death".

In April 1925. Hitler ordered his chauffeur and personal bodyguard Julius Schreck, to raise a new shock troop. A few weeks later it was named the SCHUTZSTAFFEL or Protection Squad or SS. The new SS was to be organised on a national basis. Each major city was called upon to provide one leader and ten of its best men.

When Heinrich Himmler was made Reichsfuhrer-SS with the rank of SS Oberfuhrer in January 1929, the SS was under the overall command of the SA and numbered less than 280 men. By 1930 the SS numbered 2727 men. In June 1932 when Bruening's decree banned the SA the SS had grown to 30,000 or approximately 10% of the SA. On the 30th January Hitler became Chancellor and the SS had secretly recruited 52,000 more members.

The assassination on June 30th 1934 of the Chief-of-Staff of the SA, Ernst Rohm, and the decree of the 26th July that recognised the part the SS had played in the purging of the SA and promoted it to the status of an independent organisation within the NSDAP, was the turning point in the struggle for supremacy over the SA.

Himmler set about implementing his theories of a racially and ideologically elite force and the SS entered its second phase of rapid expansion. By the outbreak of the second World War the ALLGEMEINE-SS (General SS) numbered some 240,000 part-time members who were kept in readiness in case of internal strife by a small regular staff. Members of the General SS were called up for service in the Armed Forces or Armed SS to such an extent that many General SS units survived in name only. Towards the end of the war the General SS barely exceeded 40,000 men, most of whom were staff and officials of the Reichsfuhrung-SS and the Main offices.

DER WERDEGANG ZUM SS-MANN - How one became an SS man

After establishing his SS suitability and fitness, a Hitler Youth became an SS-Bewerber (Applicant) at the age of 18. On the Reich's Party Day of the same year he was accepted as an SS-Anwarter (Candidate) and given an SS identity card. After a short probationary period he took the oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler.

As an SS Candidate, and during his first year's service, he was expected to win both the SA-Wehrabzeichen (SA Military Badge) and the Deutsche Reichsportabzeichen (Sports Badge in Bronze). At the age of 19 or 19+ depending on when his age group was called, he went into the Labour Service and then into the Armed Forces.

If after two years he decided not to remain in the Armed Forces as a noncommissioned officer candidate or as a regular, he returned to the SS, still as a candidate. Before final acceptance in the SS he was given special philosophical training, being thoroughly instructed in the principles of the SS, especially the marriage order and code of honour of the SS. On the 9th November, after his return from the Armed Forces, and subject to fulfilling all the special requirements, the SS candidate was finally accepted as an SS man.

On the 9th November he was given the right to wear the SS dagger, and vowed at this ceremony, that he and his relations would for ever observe the basic laws of the SS. From that day on it was his right and duty, as was law in the SS, to defend his honour, according to the code of honour of the Black Corps.

As an SS man he remained in the active General SS until he was 35 years of age, when upon application he was placed on the SS Reserve. When he was 45 years of age he passed into the Stammabteilung.

Andrew Mollo, "Uniforms of the SS", Volume 1, Allgemeine-SS 1923-1945, Historical Research Unit, 1968

SS Shoulder Straps

Officers and men of the SS-Verfiigungstruppe initially wore the shoulder trapS and boards with all uniforms in the identical format and manner of wear as with the Allgemeine-SS. Later, they continued to wear the standard pattern Allgemeine-SS shoulder straps/boards on the black uniform. However, they were distinguished by the wear of cyphers (bronze metal for officers, and silver-colored metal for enlisted ranks), to identify their units. Following the outbreak of the war, officers converted to the army pattern shoulder boards (to be discussed with the chapter dealing with the Waffen-SS).The Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler" was the first unit to transition to wearing the army pattern shoulder strap for enlisted personnel. The earth-grey shoulder straps with white cord piping about the edge were worn on both shoulders of the earth-grey/field grey uniforms. The unit cypher was embroidered in silver-grey thread on the face of the shoulder strap.

The short-lived 1st pattern, earth-grey shoulder strap, apparently worn by the LAH only, was replaced by a second pattern of black cloth, rounded ends, and piped with black/aluminum cord. Machine-embroidered on each strap was a 3.5 cm regimental cypher, in silver-grey silk, for the SS-Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler" (LAH), SS-Standarte "Deutschland" (D), and SS-Standarte Germania" (G).

The third pattern of shoulder straps was introduced and was of simpler cloth version. It reverted to the pointed ends, was made of black cloth, and had the Cypher embroidered in silver-grey silk thread. This pattern was not piped.

A fourth and final pattern was introduced in late 1938/early 1939. It was made of black cloth with rounded ends, and piped in the branch color (covered in the section dealing with the Waffen-SS Waffenfarbe).From December 1939 the regimental cypher was of the Roman (Antiqua) variety rather than the earlier Gothic form shown above (except for the LAH, which retained its former insignia). When pips and tress were introduced for wear by NCOs, the cypher was silver-colored metal, and slightly smaller than the silver/aluminum cypher worn by officers.

J.R. Angolia: "Cloth Insignia of the SS", 1983.R. James BenderPublishing

Bender-Publishing.com

The Early SS Uniform

The Schutzstaffel was first organized in the early 1930's by Heinrich Himmler as Adolf Hitler's own bodyguard (Leibstandarte SS). After the SA (STURM ABTEILUNG) Blood Purge, the power of the SA was broken; and the rise of the SS began.

The early regular uniform of the SS consisted of:

A Black Coffee Can type hat, with the SS eagle insignia with the SS deaths head under it.

The early SS uniform Shirt was constructed of a rough dark gray wool or cotton cloth material. A single shoulder board was worn on the right shoulder. No Sleeve or Cuff Insignia was worn. But the regular SS Collar Tabs were worn. The buttons were pebble grained with RZM Marks.

The early SS Trousers were made of a rough dark black wool and were of the riding breech type. A black leather garrison belt with an over the shoulder strap was worn with the uniform. A black regulation tie was worn with the uniform shirt, Usually a N.S.D.A.P. Party stick pin was worn on the tie. Regulation Black riding Boots were worn with the uniform and a Regulation Nazi Party broad red arm band with a black swastika in a white circle, was worn on the upper left arm.

An SS dagger was also worn with the early Schutzstaffel Uniform. The SS dagger was worn by enlisted men and officers. The design was identical to the SA dagger with the exception of a black wood grip with SS Insignia in place of the SA emblem. The blade was etched with the SS motto (Meine Ehre Heist Treue) Translation "My Honor is My Loyalty". The enlisted man's dagger had a black leather Verttical hanger and the officer's model dagger had a double chain hanger with alternate skull and SS symbols on the hanger.

VINCE KUCINSKAS: EARLY SCHUTZSTAFFEL UNIFORM, "Der Haken Kreuz",C. 1968

The SS Proficiency Badge

The Germanic Proficiency Badge (Germanische Leistungsrune)

This badge was founded on 15 August, 1943, by Reichsfiihrer-SS Himmler. It was instituted in two classes; bronze and silver, and consisted of two victory runes superimposed on a convex mobile swastika (46mm in diameter). The badge is of copper-plated zinc with an olive-bronze or silver wash.The runes are die-struck tombac with black enamelling and silver-plated edges.

Close examination of period photos and original badges would indicate that there were at least two slight variations of the badge. Type A (illustrations from original press photos) has the sun wheel arms flat or with a very slight curve and the pins are cut short. It should be noted that the holes for the pins are a perfect size and fit. The short round pins extend only a few millimeters from the holes and are slightly flattened from the bend, as if from a jeweler's hammer. The reverse is perfectly smooth whereas reproductions tend to have a more unfinished look. It is totally unmarked. Type B is thinner than Type A, the sun wheel arms are more concave, the pins are longer and the illustrated example has a bubbled appearance on the reverse. It is also unmarked.

After Himmler had decided on the institution of this award, he gave Gottlob Berber and his SS-Hauptamt the task of establishing the badge's attainment rules and regulations. In a parallel development with ultranationalistic movements in Germany and Italy, most European countries in the 1930s possessed their own right wing political groups based to one degree or another on the German National Socialist movement. After many of these "Nordic" countries were occupied by the Germans after 1940, various groups in Germany, most especially the SS, sought to exploit these splinter movements. Active collaboration with the occupying authority was encouraged and imitation of German forms was also strongly suggested.

After a long struggle, Himmler's SS gained control over these groups in 1943, raising or taking over token military units under German Army control. These "Legions" were, with a few exceptions, taken into the Waffen-SS.

The Germanic Proficiency Runic Badge was intended to emphasize the Germanic character of the satellite nations as well as to symbolize their connection with the SS.

In an 11 February 1944 issue of the Dutch "Stonn-SS - Weekblad der Germanische SS in Nederland," This decoration was to be "an incentive for physical conditioning and military education in the spirit of National Socialist world outlook and a confirmation of voluntary acknowledgment of the Germanic communal destiny."

The award was to be made by the Chief of the SS-Hauptamt after consultation with Reichsfiihrer-SS Himmler. Those who wished to compete for the Germanic Proficiency Runes Badge, and were not members of the Germanic SS or aspirants in the organization, had to hold a political leaders card issued by a Germanic SS service center. Testing for the badge required three weeks of preparation before applicants could take part in the course which had been layed out. An alternative was to complete 120 hours of training which could not extend more than six consecutive months. The test was to be supervised by a qualified representative of the SS-Hauptamt, and the instruction center had to be assisted by two members of the Germanic SS service center.

The following criteria were required:

1. Single or individual athletic proficiency tests.

2. Team or group athletic proficiency tests.

3. Individual political aptitude tests.

Under the first category, the requirements were:

In bronze

1. Run 400 meters in 72.5 seconds.

2. Broadjump four meters.

3. Swim 300 meters in twelve minutes.

4. Demonstrate proficiency in a selected sport such as skiing, with an acceptable good rating.
Note: To pass the above unspecified sport test the applicant had to fulfill the requirements for award of the National Sports Badge (Reichssportabzeichen), or hold a certificate for solo flying, or riding, motor sports, winter sports, etc.

In silver

1. Run 400 meters in 68 seconds.

2. Broadjump 4.75 meters.

3. Swim 300 meters in nine minutes

4. Demonstrate proficiency in a selected sport such a skiing, with a superior rating.


Individual military proficiency: (Not required for military personnel with a minimum of six months active service.)

In bronze

1. Rifle fire, prone position, target at 50 meters. 40 points, Note: Two test shots were permitted with a time limit of ten minutes.


2. Military tactics test covering such topics as field camouflage, map reading, forward observation, etc., with an acceptable good rating. Note: The above two tests would be performed at a respective SS school.

In silver

1. Rifle fire, prone position, target at 50 meters, 60 points, 2. Military tactics test covering such topics as field camouflage, map reading, forward observation, etc. with a superior rating.

Under the second category, the requirements were:
In bronze

1. Complete a 100 meter relay race in seventeen seconds.

2. Complete a rope climb in twelve seconds, 3. Complete a 110 meter assault course run with a hand grenade throw in 60 seconds.

4. Complete a 2000 meter cross-country run in ten minutes.

5. Complete a 30 kilometer march in full march order in 9 1/2 hours.

In silver

1. Complete a 100 meter relay race in 14.5 seconds.

2. Complete a rope climb in nine seconds.

3. Complete a 110 meter assault course run with a hand grenade throw in 50 seconds,

4. Complete a 2000 meter cross-country run in eight minutes, 5. Complete a 30 kilometer march in full march order in 9 1/2 hours.

Under the third category, the requirements were:

In bronze

1. Complete a written and oral examination on National-Socialist theory with an acceptable good rating.

In silver 1. Complete a written and oral examination on National-Socialist theory with a superior rating.
Note: The time limit for the written examination was two hours. At the Dutch SS School at Avegoor the choice of subjects was: 1. "Our Enemies," 2. "Being a Germanic and becoming one," 3. "People and Fatherland." The oral examination consisted of the same subjects as for the written one.

Participation in the competitions for this award was not limited to German nationals or members of the SS but all participants had to be approved by the issuing authority.

The first awards were made by Himmler on I February, 1944 when he visited the Dutch SS School at Avegoor, near Arnheim. Also in attendance were the Higher SS and Police Leader in Holland, SS-Obergruppenfiihrer Rauter, Reichskommissar Seyss-lnquart, leader of the N.S.B. Mussert, and Chief of the SS-Hauptamt, SS-Obergruppenfhrer und General der Waffen-SS Berger. Himmler gave a speech praising the achievements of the Dutch SS (and the "Westland" Regiment in particular) and then presented the badges personally. He also took this opportunity to announce the expansion of the Dutch Volunteer Legion to a grenadier brigade (SS Grenadier-Brigade "Nederland").

Subsequent awards were made in Denmark on June 2, 1944 by SS-Obergruppenfiihrer Berger, and in Norway on August 16, 1944 by the Higher SS and Police Leader in Norway, SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Rediess. It has been reported that exams were held in the Beneshau/Prague area of Czechoslovakia, but it is not known if official award ceremonies were held.

The decoration was worn on the left breast.

These badges were reportedly only made by the firm of Kremnitz in the Protectorate, and this raises the question of the two variations for which no answer is available at this time. These badges had no markings of any kind on the reverse, and had a semi-broad standard pin.

The enameled runes were fastened to the badge with two pins per rune, flattened over on the reverse.

An exam record book was given to applicants which contained the certificate for the founding of the award, the regulations for the award, regulations on all categories including all sports which the candidate had to fulfill, and the application for the three-week course for the Germanische Leistungsrune. Pages 14-22 listed the grades earned on the various exams and sports. Page 23 was the application form for the Germanische Leistungsrune in Bronze, and page 25 was the final document for earning/possessing the award. Page 26 contains additional regulations which explained that the award could be recinded if the recipient was required to re-do the tests in the future, and then failed them. This is also mentioned in the last part of the "Bestimmungen" on page 8.

Postwar copies of this piece bear various spurious markings including "RZM" and "MOll." This latter number, alleged to represent an official contractor's number, did not exist. Postwar reproductions have the runes affixed with epoxy cement, a compound unknown during the Third Reich, or have the runes soldered or rivetted to the badge. Both are certain signs of a reproduction.

The publisher welcomes additional input on this elusive badge and hopes to produce a second part to this article based on this new information. Special thanks go to Steve Till, Fernando de Soeten, Otto Spronk, Alex Yordt and Yuri Desyatnik for their valued guidance and assistance.

Sources:
Deutsche Uniformen-Zeitschrift, August 1944, p. 4. "Die Germanische Leistungsrune fur die SS"

Gregory Douglas: "The Germanic Proficiency Badge (Germanische Leistungsrune)", "The Military Advisor", Volume 12, Number 2" R.James Bender Publishing, 2001

Bender-Publishing.com

(A tip from germanmilitariacollectibles.com. I would say that 99% of these I have seen are fakes. Be careful!)

Early Rank Insignia of the SS

The SS badges of rank were quite equal to those of the SA because the SS originally was an organization within the SA. Therefore the only real difference between the early SA and SS badges of rank was the fact that all SS collar patches were black and all double-coloured SS cords and piping were black/white. But this stands for the SS rank insignia up to 1934 only. After the political degradation of the SA in that year the badges of rank of both organizations have gone their own way. From 1934 until 1942 the SS badges of rank remained quite unchanged. In 1942 a new pattern of oak-leaf emblems was introduced and the rank of 'OberstGruppenfuhrer' was added to the list of ranks. It was about the same year or a little later when completely new SS collar patches appeared to pull one line with the 'Waffen-SS' ones, although there remained slight differences.

1933 SS COLLAR PATCHES

Features

black cloth for men: SS.-Obersturmbannfuhrer', black velvet from 'Standartenfuhrer' upwards. Silver coloured, resp. matt aluminium braids and stars. Silver coloured metal, resp. silver embroidered rank badges.

The piping according to rank:

'SS.-Mann' - 'Obertruppfuhrer' - no piping when worn on the brown Blouse and white twisted cord (not always because of difference in manufacture) on black Service Tunic.

'SS.-Haupttruppfuhrer' - 'Obersturmfhrer' - black/white twisted cord in any case.

'SS.-Sturmhauptfuhrer' - 'SS.-Reichsfuhrer' - silver twisted cord.

The Ranks

1. 'SS.-Mann'

2. 'SS.-Sturmmann'

3. 'SS.-Rottenfuhrer'

4. 'SS.-Scharfuhrer'

5. 'SS.-Oberscharfuhrer'

6. 'SS.-Truppfuhrer'

7. 'SS.-Obertruppfuhrer'

8. 'SS.-Sturmfuhrer'

9. 'SS.-Obersturmfuhrer'

10. 'SS.-Sturmhauptfuhrer'

11. 'SS.-Sturmbannfuhrer'

12. 'SS.-Obersturmbannfuhrer'

13. 'SS.-Standartenfuhrer'

14. 'SS.-Oberfuhrer'

15. 'SS.-Brigadefuhrer'

16. 'SS.-Gruppenfuhrer'

17. 'SS.-Reichsfuhrer' in the rank of 'SS. -Obergruppenfuhrer'

1934 SS COLLAR PATCHES - Features

The material of the collar patches remained unchanged.
Members of the 'SS.-Stammabteilungen' wore grey collar patches (material according to rank) with bronzed stars and black braids with silver stripes.

Piping according to rank

'SS.-Mann' - 'Stabsscharfuhrer' (aluminium) twisted cord.
black/silver (black/

'SS.-Untersturmfuhrer' - 'ReichsWhrer-SS' - silver (aluminium) twisted cord.

18. 'SS.-Mann'

19. 'SS.-Sturmmann'

20. 'SS.-Rottentuhrer'

21. 'SS.-Unterscharfuhrer'

22. 'SS.-Scharfuhrer'

23. 'SS.-Oberscharfuhrer'

24. 'SS.-Hauptscharfuhrer'

25. 'SS.-Stabsscharfuhrer'

26. 'SS.-Unterfuhrer'

27. 'SS.-Obersturmfuhrer'

28. 'SS.-Hauptsturmfuhrer'

29. 'SS.-Sturmbannfuhrer'

30. 'SS.-Obersturmbannfuhrer'

31. 'SS.-Standartenfuhrer'

32. 'SS.-Oberfuhrer'

33. 'SS.-Brigadefuhrer'

34. 'SS.-Gruppenfuhrer'

35. 'SS.-Obergruppenfuhrer'

36. 'Reichsfuhrer-SS'

37. 1929 collar patch for Hitler's adjutants - black velvet with silver embroidered or white metal emblem and silver twisted cord piping. Right and left collar patch were identical.

38. 1934 additional collar patch of Reserve Battalions worn on both sides of the collar above the regular collar patches.

39.
1934 collar patch of 'SS.-Ehrenfuhrer' (Honorary Leader) in the rank of 'SS.-Standartenfuhrer'.

'SS.-Bewerber' (applicants) wore no collar patches.

'SS.-Anwarter' (candidates) wore plain collar patches without cord edging.

40. 1934 Chevron for 'Stabsscharfuhrer' worn on the right lower sleeve above the cuff.

Rudolf Kahl: "Uniforms and Badges of the Third Reich", Volume II, Military Collectors Service, C. 1968