Concentration Camp Guard Tab Photos?

[bwanek1]

Quoting from Bill Shea's site, this tab was "originally intended for use by Wehrmacht (Army / Luftwaffe) personnel assigned to temporary duty at a KZ (concentration camp), but Himmler later extended the usage to encompass ALL personnel, including men of the SS Totenkopf –Sturmbanne – guard Units who had previously worn the Totenkopf collar tab. The effective date of this order was 27 June 1944, from which time onward all personnel, regardless of original service branch, were to wear the double swastika tab."

Based on this, even though it was late in the war, there should be good photographic records of its use, but I haven't run across any in my reading. Can anyone provide me with good wartime photos of guards wearing this tab?

Thanks,
Brad

Hello Brad,

Photos of this tab in wear are scarce (as are all camp guard photos). There are 2 in Robin Lumsden's "A collector's guide to the Waffen SS".

Better yet, a forum member posted a group photo here...

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ika+collar+tab

Regards,

Fred

[bwanek1]

Thanks very much, Fred!

Hello Brad,

Photos of this tab in wear are scarce (as are all camp guard photos). There are 2 in Robin Lumsden's "A collector's guide to the Waffen SS".

Better yet, a forum member posted a group photo here...

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ika+collar+tab

Regards,

Fred

[nutmeg]

Here is another picture of the tab in use at a camp . This is from an allied booklet printed during the occupation, I'd guess early summer of 45 for the German populace to show what was going on under their noses. The picture is of guards removing bodies. The tab is somewhat more clear in the original photo, which I have cropped. Looks a lot like the same guard in the other pictures.

[nutmeg]

File is too large , will have to resize. dt

[nutmeg]

Again

[Robin Lumsden]

Here's a good picture of that tab in wear.

If you can get past the log-in shennanigans, that is.


http://daggers.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x/...792#5400013792

[nutmeg]

PS. The above picture was at Belsen.

[Robin Lumsden]

Here's the picture without the log-in.

[Michael Page]

How are these different than the ones worn by some Latvians?

[Sergey]

How are these different than the ones worn by some Latvians?

Michael do you mean the tabs of 19th latvian division? They used so called fire cross tabs with one swastika, not the tabs with double swastika.

[Michael Page]

Foreign Legions of the Third Reich Vol 4 attributes this to the 15th Division, as opposed to the conventional swazi you mentioned, which was used by the 19th. It also shows a couple examples, one of which was in bullion but presumabley never issued.

Thoughts?

Michael do you mean the tabs of 19th latvian division? They used so called fire cross tabs with one swastika, not the tabs with double swastika.

[Gary Wood]

Michael,
Its my understanding;
the 19th (and at first the 15th div) collar patch was the single armed swastika,
the 15th was assigned the sun and stars collar patch late 44,

There are plenty of period pictures showing these types in use by those divisions. as well as plain collar patches and runics Other than the picture above are there more photo's showing latvians wearing the double swastika patch?

The above assignment for those divisions collar patches is also listed in "Latvian Legion" by Arthur silgailis he makes no mention of the double armed swastika patch being attributed to either division, singailis served in both the 15th and 19th before his appointment as Chief of staff of the inspection general of the latvian legion.
cheers
Gary