Original Item: Only One Available. The SS (Schutzstaffel) was originally formed in 1925, ostensibly to act as a small, loyal bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf AH. Under the direction of the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the SS grew to be the most ruthless and feared organization of the 20th century. They were the vanguard of Germany, eventually controlling nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe.

During training for the various branches of the armed forces, German Soldiers in WW2 were often issued the M35 sport shirt, which was used during sporting competitions, recreation and basic training. These would have an embroidered insignia that was attached to the front of the shirt, specific to the branch they were a member of.

Embroidery was not easily accomplished on shirts, and it was much more economical to produce the insignia separately, and sew them on later as a completed patch. This patch would have been on the center of the chest and features an ᛋᛋ doppelte Siegrune (Double Sig/Victory Rune) machine embroidered insignia. This would have been machine produced, issued on a rectangular piece of fabric, which was folded under, as with this example. Proper training was paramount to the SS, who were supposed to be the pinnacle of the NSDAP German armed forces.

The patch still features the original RZM tag, which is a complete example! The tag features a ((RZM)) logo as well as the ((ᛋᛋ)) Doppelte Siegrune (Double Sig/Victory Rune) insignia. There is no ink stamped numerical designation of the Hersteller (manufacturer). The tag has the lot No 193567.

This example is in very good lightly worn condition, with a bit of age toning. There are a few small stains scattered.

Will make a great addition to any German WW2 collection!

The Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), was originally formed in May 1923 as the Stosstrupp Adolf AH, (Shock Troops Adolf AH), and was redesignated Schutzstaffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925 with the official acceptance of the name verified on the second anniversary of the failed Munich "Beer-Hall" Putsch on November 9TH 1925. On January 6TH 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed as Reichsführer-SS, (National Leader {of the} SS), and on July 20TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30TH 1934, purge of the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm Troopers) on the "Night of the Long Knives", the SS was rewarded by AH by being granted the status of an independent organization under direct control of the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party). The SS developed the distinctive SS style cap skull and cross bones on October 6TH 1934 and introduced the SS pattern national cap eagle in February 1936. After their introductions the skull and eagle were to be worn on all forms of SS headgear

In 1944 the SS developed a single piece of cap insignia which incorporated both the skull and eagle on a one piece trapezoid base for wear on the M43 field cap. Originally these trapezoidal pieces of insignia were produced in a machine woven version until a final, embroidered version was introduced in late 1944. The first versions of the trapezoidal cap insignia featured dual rows of teeth in the skull while later versions only had a single row of teeth. Panzer personnel’s cap trapezoids were produced with a black base to match the color of the cap it was to be worn on.