Original Item: Only One Available. The SS (Schutzstaffel - 'Protection Squadron') 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 the NSDAP and eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe. When WWII began in earnest, the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) (SS Dispositional Troops) became the Waffen-SS ("Armed SS"), an official military branch of the SS organization. Its formations included men from NSDAP ruled Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands.

This is a fantastic most likely unissued rare WWII German Afrika Korps Waffen SS Tropical uniform tunic, made from what feels like a denim or soft canvas twill material. It is definitely intended to be a more durable version of the Feldbluse than the wool versions in use during the beginning of the war, and was specifically designed for the hot climate of North Africa, such as in Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt. It is the correct Dunkelgelb (dark yellow) tan color used by other branches in the Tropical campaigns. As with most Waffen SS material however, it definitely differs from the uniforms used by the branches of the regular Wehrmacht Armed forces.

On this example the most obvious difference is an extra layer of fabric, almost like a cowl, attached over the shoulder area, with neatly scalloped edges. This was most likely intended to protect from the heat of the hot sun, while still allowing air circulation underneath. This was not adopted by other branches however, so we have no idea if it was effective at all.

The front of the tunic features 4 pockets with scalloped flaps, each retained by a button, though the chest pocket "flap" is actually part of the extra shoulder protection on the top of the tunic. None of the pockets are pleated, though they are definitely quite large. The front closure features 4 pebbled buttons painted with the correct Tropical dunkegelb color, and unlike most tunics there are no loops to secure the collar: it was meant to be left open. The buttons on this tunic are retained by round circlips from the rear, and all are only weakly magnetic, probably made from zinc. All look to be maker marked on the back. The interior is not lined, just has some reinforcement under the sleeves where the ventilation grommets are located.

There are original maker and size markings ink stamped on the right interior on the flap over the button circlips:

0/0783/0101
42      43
96
67      67

The tunic is adorned with the usual rank and branch insignia used on German Waffen SS NCO tunics. The Waffen SS Tropical Sleeve Eagle is the correct NCO embroidered type with Beige threads on a black background, and is very neatly hand stitched to the sleeve in a fashion typical of wartime German tailor work. The button-attached style NCO Schulterklappen (Shoulder Boards or Epaulettes) are piped in kupferbraun (copper-brrown), the correct Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) for Reconnaissance in the Waffen SS. Inside the piping is a single row of 10mm NCO tress around the outside with no border at the edge, indicating the lowest NCO rank of SS-Unterscharführer (SS-Junior squad leader), equivalent to a Heer Unteroffiziere or a U.S. Army Sergeant.

A fantastic example of a very hard to find German WWII Waffen SS Tropical tunic, ready to add to your collection!

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 9.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 23.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 15.5”
Chest width: 19"
Waist width: 18"
Hip width: 21"
Front length: 29.5"

The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of their African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The term "Afrika Korps" is pseudo-German (so-called "cod-German"), deriving from an incomplete German title. The German term referred solely to the initial formation, the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK), which formed part of the Axis command of the German and Italian forces in North Africa. The name stuck, with both news media and Allied soldiers, as the name for all subsequent German units in North Africa. The unit is known for having been commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

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.