wehrmact division or unit "patches"

[Felonius]

First off, thanks for having this site. This is an absolute treasure trove!

I am researching the 25th Wehrmacht panzer grenadier division. Particularly years 43-45.

I have seen unit designations for certain units such as SS GD Panzer Division, Hermann Goring panzer, Lehr, ect. They have an arm band and sometimes a collar mark.

Did "ordinary" units have a "patch" as did the US? I understand that much/all of German uniforms followed a Prussian tradition and were generally marked as a color of piping on shoulder boards or the like.

I'd appreciate anyone with any info or where I can look it up.

thank you for your time.

[Schulterklappen]

Unit Insignia

To my knowledge Heer unit did not have a "patch" like American units wore. Pre-war wore shoulder straps and shoulder boards with metal cyphers, metal numbers, embroidered numbers, and embroidered cyphers; these would help to identify the units that they belonged to. Though the cyphers and numbers were so supposed to be abolished for security reasons, they continued to be worn throughout the war.

The Grossduetschland and Feldherrnhalle units could be identified by their cufftitles and shoulder insignia.

Many units had "unofficial" cap badges that went as far as to issue a document with the badge. Here are some that I can think of:

1st Panzer Div. Oakleaves
23. Panzer Div. Arrow (actually worn on the shoulder)
26. Panzer Div. Hessian
16. Panzer Div. Unit Insignia
90. Panzergren. Div. Sardinian Cap badge
34. Infanterie Unit Insignia


These are just a few that come to mind. I don't know if the 25. Panzergrenadier used any insignia in such a way.


Here is a very useful thread on shoulder boards and straps:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=69690

Here is a thread on cap badges:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ght=cap+badges


Welcome to the Forum!

[djpool]

Foreign volunteers of the Army like the cossacks wore shoulder patches. I think the 23d PD also had a shoulder patch as well as a cap badge. Jim

[TrondK]

This GD soldier has a rather interesting piece on his arm.

[kyles bullets]

This GD soldier has a rather interesting piece on his arm.

Is it just me or does it look like the der stahlhelm symbol?

[Fred Green]

Kyles,

The divisional emblem for the GD was a white helmet painted on their vehicles. That is what this is supposed to represent.

Fred