WWII German Temporary Camp Guards Collar Tab
Item #: WR40
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This is a German Nazi Temporary Camp Guards collar tab from World War II. This tab was worn on the right side collar and is constructed of black wool with machine embroidered, double armed swastika in silver/gray rayon threads. The tab is mounted on a light tan buckram backing. In August 1929 the SS incorporated the wear of rank collar tabs on the left side of the collar on the service tunic. The SS collar tabs were originally adopted from the earlier collar tabs used by the SA. Reichsfuher SS Heinrich Himmler's obsession with pagan runic symbolism manifested into the runic emblems used by the SS, the most famous of which was the dual sig runes introduced in Amy 1933. Additional styles were introduced at various times through out the war. The SS Totenkopfverbande, (Death's Head Units) were responsible for guarding the concentration camps from 1933 until 1939. In 1939 these personnel became the core of the newly formed Waffen SS Totenkopf Division. This formation resulted in the new Death's Head Guard Battalion units were formed and assigned to guard the concentration camps. As the war wore on and manpower shortages became critical the younger personnel of the Death's Head Guard Battalion were transferred into the Waffen SS units. Himmler was then forced to induct roughly 10,000 reservist over the age of 40 to fill the camp guard positions. This particular collar tab design was introduced late in the war, circa June 1944, to be worn by Heer and Luftwaffe personnel on temporary duty as guards at concentration camps. This is a unique piece of World War II history.
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