Colors in the SS

Discussions on Axis uniforms, headgear and insignia. Hosted by John G & William Kramer.
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Oberfeld_Steiner
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 18:59
Location: France...Le centre du Monde...Gergovie !

Colors in the SS

#1

Post by Oberfeld_Steiner » 31 Mar 2016, 13:31

Hi all,

I'm currently looking up the best repro SS officer schirmmutze I could get. A lot of models are available with different piping. While I know piping was a thing in the HEER, I'm under the impression an officer in the SS would seldom wear anything but silver, red or pink piping. Silver, red or pink being the most commonly seen either on colored pictures or militaria. Hence my interrogations:

-Quid of the rest of the branch colors ? where they more of a personal NCO thing ?
-Didn't officers bother to buy the branched piping considering most SS divisions were Pzgrenadier or PzDiv at some point?
-Under what conditions would an SS officer wear his colored piped cap ?

thx in advance

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John G.
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Re: Colors in the SS

#2

Post by John G. » 01 Apr 2016, 10:51

Branch piping was "authorized" for only a short period of time for the Waffen SS- but was widely worn by EM/NCOs and Officers thru out the war... regulations said all were to wear white piping (except General ranks who wore silver) so that is by far the most commonly found (white).... all the other colors in their appropriate proportions of that branch... remembering that many wore the regulation "white" piping regardless of their branch.

During wartime, regulations are usually quite relaxed and some whim allowed... not so much in the strict discipline of the Waffen SS. Branch colors were a "tradition" in the German system, many wanted to display their "branch" proudly, just like their awards... I doubt it was much of an issue at the time.
John G.


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