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 H. 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 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. At first they tried to stay with Germanic groups, but eventually expanded to become a multi-ethnic fighting force.

One of these Non-German Waffen SS formations was the Osttürkische Waffen-Verbände der SS (Eastern Turkish Armed Detachment of the SS), formed mostly from Eastern Turkic Muslim "volunteers". This is a very nice unissued Ärmelstreiffen (cuff title) from the group, BeVo embroidered with white text on green with Osttürkischer Waffen-Verband der ᛋᛋ. The cuff title measures approximately 17 1/4" x 1 1/8", and is in excellent unissued condition, with no evidence of ever having been attached to a uniform. We have compared it to other period examples and it is completely correct.

Ready to add to your collection and display!

The Osttürkische Waffen-Verbände der SS
This formation originated from the Ostmuselmanisches SS-Regiment (East Muslim SS Regiment), which unfortunately was poorly led, leading to poor performance and behavior. 550 Troops of specific nationalities were sent to the SS Dirlewanger brigade in May of 1944. On October 20, 1944, the rest of the Ostmuselmanisches SS-Regiment was transferred from Ukraine to Slovakia and renamed "Osttürkische Waffen-Verbände der SS" and reorganized into 3 battalions organized along ethnic lines.

- 1 Waffengruppe Turkestan
- 1 Waffengruppe Aserbeidschan (2,851 soldiers)
- 1 Waffengruppe Idel-Ural

Each battalion would consist of staff, one staff company and five infantry companies. The Ostmuselmanisches regiment was integrated into the Osttürkische Waffen-Verbände der SS and was considered to be dissolved. In December 1944 The Waffen-Gruppe Aserbeidschan (commander W-Ostuf Kerrar Alesgerli) was transferred to the Kaukasiche Waffen-Verbände der SS. The disbanded Tatar Waffen Gebirgs Brigade der SS would replace the Azerbaijani soldiers; Commander: SS-Standartenführer Harun el-Raschid Hintersatz. (born Wilhelm Hintersatz (A German officer, born in Senftenberg, Lausitz, who had converted to Islam in 1919.)

The reorganizations began in January 1945 as follows:

- SS-Waffengruppe Turkestan
- SS-Waffengruppe Krim
- SS-Waffengruppe Idel Urals

Apparently, new “volunteers” were integrated because the Osttürkische Waffen-Verbände had increased from 5,000 men in January 1945 to 8,500 men in the period of February–May 1945. As Hitler's Reich crumbled, the Waffen-SS gave up all adherence to standards for recruit selection. If they could walk and shoot a rifle, they were good enough for the SS. At this time, all German military forces were scraping the bottom of the manpower barrel - for example, in January 1945, Heer and Waffen-SS recruiting centres were combined. Waffen-SS troops were increasingly transfers from other military branches of the Wehrmacht from paramilitary and labour formations. The whole unit arrived in March 1945 in Merate, 20 km north of Milan, northern Italy. Assigned to the area's defence, the Osttürkische Waffen-Verbände apparently participated in no larger operation against partisans. On 26 April 1945, Hintersatz signed a pact with the local partisan command, according to which the soldiers would remain in the barracks in Merate until the US troops arrived. This happened on 30 April 1945, the whole unit went into the 1st Armored Division's hands.