All divisions in the waffenss were ordered in a single series of numbers as formed, regardless. The 3rd ss panzer division totenkopf skull, also known as the 3rd ss panzergrenadier division totenkopf and 3rd ss division totenkopf during its existence, was one of 38 divisions of the waffenss. Ss totenkopf the 3rd ss panzer division totenkopf german. It was unique because the majority of the men fighting in it were drawn from the hitler youth while the senior officers tended to. Sspanzerdivision totenkopf was formed october 1939 from. The division stayed in france until february, 1943.
Description 3rd ss panzergrenadier totenkopf division patch. All wear the ssvt pattern field cap and collar patch with numeral 3 alongside the runes a group of personnel from the sstotenkopf division on field exercises prewar. The 3rd ss panzer division totenkopf skull and crossbones the armed wing of. This division was a german waffenss armoured division during world war ii. To avoid further bridging operations for his heavy tanks, haussers two other panzergrenadier divisions. All divisions in the waffen ss were ordered in a single series of numbers as formed, regardless of type. Waffen 11th ss volunteer panzergrenadier division nordland. In february, 1943, the division was transferred to the east as a part of army group south.
To the best of our knowledge, all the examples shown are original pre1945 manufacture. The ss division totenkopf deaths head was formed in october 1939. Nov 18, 2017 waffen 11th ss volunteer panzergrenadier divisionnordland active 743545type. This is a discussion of all things military history and wargaming 3 ss totenkopf division. Schutzstaffel ss collar tab and shoulder board identification guide this is an identification guide for the many different collar tabs and shoulder boards worn during the 3rd reich period by the ss.
All are wearing the army m36 pattern field blouse, widely worn by this unit, with the early vertical pattern deathshead collar patch. Military coats of arms of waffenss wikimedia commons. Feb 16, 2018 waffen 10th ss panzer divisionfrundsberg engagements. On his left flank, the 3rd ss panzer grenadier division totenkopf deaths head crossed the psol on pontoon bridges on the 10th and immediately engaged the soviet 52nd guards rifle division and the 11th motorized rifle brigade. The 3rd ss division was formed from the totenkopf units that took part in the polish campaign and with other members of the totenkopfverbande and the allgemeine ss. It saw action on the eastern front during world war ii in september 1944, the sturmbrigade had its status raised to that of a division, but its strength never reached more than a brigade.
It was then that the division took part in the massive german counter. Third reich depot, military collectables, world war ii. This is a mint set of 6 uncut bevo world war 2 german ss tropical cap skulls. Insignia of waffen grenadier division of the ss hunyadi hungarian military. Panzer division totenkopf take a break during the french campaign. Its name, totenkopf, is german for deaths head, and it. Many of the highernumbered units were small battlegroups kampfgruppen, i. In march 1941, he transferred to totenkopf division as a battalionskommandeur and at this position won both the german cross in gold and the knights cross. The 3rd ss panzer division totenkopf skull, also known as the 3rd ss panzergrenadier division totenkopf and 3rd ss division totenkopf during its existence, was one of 38 divisions of the waffenss, the armed wing of the german nazi party that served alongside but was never formally part of the wehrmacht during world war ii.
Its formations included men from nazi germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands. During a blitzkrieg the sstotenkopfdivision sst went to the front on may. The totenkopf was formed from concentration camp guards and men from the ssheimwehr danzig. The waffenss was the military branch of the nazi partys ss organisation.
Armbands 3rd ss panzer division totenkopf wwii german aged armband. Operation epsom,operation market garden,operation nordwind,halbe pocketformed at beginning 1943 as a reserve panzer division in anticipation of the western invasion of france,their first campaign was in ukraine,april 1944highly motivated after combat success in the ukraine,the unit moved back to the west,where it fought. Captured soldiers from the 12th ss panzer division of the hitlerjugend hitler youth. Sspanzerdivision totenkopf was one of 38 divisions of the waffenss of nazi germany during world war ii. Ss first took part in the campaigns in the west against the low countries and france in 1940, and did so as the ssv. In the first months of 1943, the sspanzergrenadierdivision leibstandarte ss adolf hitler was involved in all phases of the series of operations in the complex kharkov campaign. Home german cloth insignia divisional ss patches page 2. Cloth insignia 36th ss waffen grenadier division dirlewanger patch. Panzer, panzer grenadier, and waffen ss divisions in wwii stackpole military history series mitcham jr.
Originally formed for antipartisan duties against the polish resistance. The ssuntersturmfuhrer tank commander is wearing a sleeveless sheepskin jacket over his black panzer uniform. Iv in the center of kharkov in march 1943, just after the recapture of the city. We try, to the best of our ability and knowledge, to portray the german soldier of world war ii. The 25th waffen grenadier division of the ss hunyadi 1st hungarian was a shortlived infantry division of the waffenss, an armed branch of the german nazi party that served alongside but was never formally part of the wehrmacht during world war ii. Posts about 3rd sspanzergrenadier division totenkopf written by.
Clothmetal insignia archives page 3 of 4 vdg militaria. The division was formed in 1939 as part of the ordnungspolizei or orpo uniformed national police. These were drawn from ss panzer grenadier training battalion iii a. We try to further our knowledge of world war ii through public and tactical reenactments. Soldiers from the ss panzer division totenkopf deaths head advance durin. Its name, totenkopf, is german for deaths head the skull and crossbones symbol and it is thus sometimes referred to as the deaths head division. Meanwhile the panzerdivision hg was renamed as fallschirmpanzerdivision hg. Ss panzer division totenkopf sstotenkopf standarte oberbayern handembroidered em nco cuff title in thick offwhite threads.
Sspanzerdivision totenkopf was one of 38 divisions of the waffenss of nazi germany during world. The 28th ss volunteer grenadier division wallonien was formed from the 5th ss volunteer sturmbrigade wallonien which was a belgian waffen ss volunteer brigade comprising volunteers of walloon background. The division was formed through the expansion of kampfgruppe eicke, a battle. Those tagged with nationalities were at least nominally recruited from those nationalities. After the campaign against poland in 1939, a number of new ss divisions were formed. As shown in the photos, these skulls are correct in stitching, and completely intact with no stitching flaws to note. The panzer abteilung was upgraded to a regiment, and the two panzergrenadier regiments were given the honorary titles theodor eicke and thule. Including danish, hungarian, dutch, norwegian, finnish, french. Some portions of the 3rd ss division were formed from elements of ss heimwehr danzig which was originally ss totenkopf sturmbann gotze, renamed heimwehr danzig. On 1 oct 1944 order was came to expand the division into a panzerkorps. Commanded by theodor eicke, the sstv sstotenkpfverbande was created in 1936 to staff the concentration camps, which at this stage were used to hold political prisoners and similar undesirables. Number, division name in german, ethnic origin, last commander, years active, insignia, maximum manpower. Ww2 original german militaria nazi ss panzer totenkopf.
Two officers and men of sspanzergrenadierdivision totenkopf photographed on a pz. Panzer, panzer grenadier, and waffen ss divisions in. The tank turret visible in the foreground is from a pz. During the initial defensive fighting, the division held its sector for two weeks against the full weight of the soviet 3rd tank army, a remarkable feat in itself. In march 1945, the 3rd ss panzer division totenkopf takes part in the fruehlingserwachen spring awakening offensive, the last major german attack on the eastern front. The basic organization of panzergrenadierregiment hg was the same as that of the sspanzerdivision after feb 1944. Waffen sssa wehrmacht gestickt embroidered ricamate. Totenkopf symbol a skull or runic symbols ss on the collar patches. Completely flawless, this set came with an ss panzer grenadier westland cuff title in equally pristine condition.