Numbered Allgemeine SS Cuff Titles

[derek]

According to my notes the coloured borders for armbands would appear to have been abolished in a document dated June 1938. I will have to seek it out. The new Standarte structure and coloured borders for Sturmbann I, Sturm 1-4 etc. were announced in June 1934.
The blue bordered band posted above is interesting. Dated 1935 it must be for a reserve Sturmbann although usually they have "Reserve" in script together with the sturm number.
Derek

[Donald Abenheim]

1937? 1938? Raetsel auf Raetsel

Dear Colleague Chapman, you always know best. I cite Mollo in his 1991 Nachtrag to vol. 1. I had throught there was some general revisions of Allgemeine SS dress regulations ca. 1937, in fact, to which I have found no reference in the secondary literature. In any case, I had wondered for decades why these cuff titles with alu borders were so plentiful vs. to scarcity of the colored bordered variety. Peter Jenkins showed me the RZM/SS price lists with the statement that the colored bordered titles were obsolete. sapere aude PS Colleague Johann's Lindau/Bodensee uniform with the alu bordered cuff title speaks to this assertion. It is such a trivial point, but it makes those black uniforms with intact colored cuff titles all the more remarkable things, really.

[derek]

Mr. Abenheim,
Here for your records is last mention I've found of the coloured bordered titles. It is from the 25th June 1938 and lists the bands that were to be worn out and replaced by the new versions. The list continues for another page including most of the coloured types. I will look up the previous order this one refers to and see what it says. Somewhere in all of these pages might be the original order abolishing these titles.
I have left in the order above it which may interest you as it forbids the further use of lacquered leather peaks on service caps.
Derek

[Donald Abenheim]

Danke vielmals

Dear Colleague, many warm thanks. This order makes things more clear, doesn't it. I imagine certain of these titles endured, while others were replaced. The bit with the leather peaks on caps is a hoot, since Himmler continued to wear one, as did figures in his retinue. I guess the proscription of Lackleder must have had something to do with the Four Year Plan. Were not these leather peaks also phased out in the party, itself, ca. 1937 or so? Once more, many thanks. Your Aktenfundus is a boon to us all.

[derek]

Yes, I think you're right. The other organisations controlled by the RZM seem to specify fibre visors only in their regs around 1938 or so. At this point economies of scale would certainly favour a consistent visor.
I also checked the earlier ziff mentioned in the one I posted above and it also specified coloured Honour title bands that were to be worn out. As that order is dated February I think we can assume the actual order abolishing the coloured armbands was prior to that. Most probably mid or late 1937.
Derek

[Donald Abenheim]

Ersatzstoffe

The Four Year Plan began in 1936. Ludendorff goes on at length in his Totaler Krieg about the problems with leather in the first world war. Thus, I am guessing, but the prevalence of caps with leather peaks in the SS and NSDAP before 1936 or so is noteworthy. In any case, thank you for your generous research in your treasure of documents. We all profit much from same.

[Nick E]

According to my notes the coloured borders for armbands would appear to have been abolished in a document dated June 1938. I will have to seek it out. The new Standarte structure and coloured borders for Sturmbann I, Sturm 1-4 etc. were announced in June 1934.
The blue bordered band posted above is interesting. Dated 1935 it must be for a reserve Sturmbann although usually they have "Reserve" in script together with the sturm number.
Derek

it has a fake tag 61/35 that's why