Description
Product Description: These Waffen SS Leibstandarte shoulder straps are an incredible set, very seldom available in the market. The highlight of this rare set is of course the LAH slip-on unit cyphers, worn by members of the 1. SS-Panzer-Division. The cyphers are absolutely textbook, with a machine embroidered LAH monogram rendered in silver-gray thread on a backing of typical SS black wool fabric with a visible, fairly coarse weave. The embroidery is perfect and totally consistent with other known original examples. These cyphers are on a fantastic pair of SS shoulder straps. The white piping on these indicates use by the Infantry branch which included Panzergrenadier units in the Waffen-SS. The rayon piping exhibits the correct weave. These shoulder straps are the late war M44 style that omits the wool backing on the underside as a material saving measure. They are slip-on style, as all the M44 boards were, with a black tongue and black twill reinforcement material. The buttonholes are the typical corded keyhole type. Every detail of the construction and materials here is consistent with factory production for issue to enlisted soldiers. These Waffen SS Leibstandarte shoulder straps are in outstanding condition, with only very slight age toning and minimal to no wear, and would likely be impossible to upgrade. The condition rates as excellent plus.
Historical Description: The origins of the SS began in 1923 as a small detail of men meant to protect Nazi Party meetings during the first years of the party. Under the leadership of Heinrich Himmler, the SS would grow to become one of the most feared, loathed, and yet in some instances, respected organizations in world history. From the early days of the Nazi party to its final moments, the SS were Germany’s foremost security, surveillance, and elite military organization. The SS was comprised of three main elements, the Allgemeine SS (General SS), the Waffen SS (Armed SS), and the SS Totenkopfverbande (SS Deaths Head Units). The Allgemeine SS were primarily responsible for policing, security, the Gestapo, and enforcement of racial policies. The Waffen SS were the organizations paramilitary combat troops who would eventually become the nucleus of Germany’s most elite formations during the Second World War, comprising of many divisions and volunteers from all over Europe. The role of the SS Totenkopfverbande is amongst some of the most notorious of the organization as their responsibility was overseeing and operating the concentration camps and death camps from 1933 to 1945. Additional subdivisions of the SS also included the Sicherdienst “SD”, and the Geheimestaatspolizei “Gestapo”. By the end of World War 2, the SS would have grown from a small unit of 8 men, to over 1 million, including volunteers from nearly every European nation serving in their ranks.
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