Hitler's uniform eagle

[major_morgonkröök98]

A question I have thought about for a time now with no good answer so far...

In some pictures you can see Hitler wear a eagle on his left arm. Since the eagle has the shape (and look over all) as the eagle used by Wehrmacht I assume that he wore it in the contexts as he were the highest commander of Wehrmacht. But why did he wear the eagle on his left arm and not above his right breast pocket? Wouldn't his way of wearing it just be associated with SS and NSDAP?

Regards Ed

[von thoma]

I've thought about that too.

But why did he wear the eagle on his left arm and not above his right breast pocket ?

The golden eagle appears when he was titled as Supreme Commander, the wreath and cockade on the grey peaked cap also.
The golden National Emblem on his chest can give him a "Marine look", when he is wearing crossed jackets.
Only the National eagle on any of his arms, can it be considered as "neutral" to represent the 3 branches of Wehrmacht.
Hitler liked simplicity in his uniforms, in this way he also emulated to Frederick II of Prussia.
As a complexed humble man in it's beginnings, he loved tuxedos and the expensive civilian suits.

Wouldn't his way of wearing it just be associated with SS and NSDAP ?

No.
Hitler always used the nazi armband, when he wants to be near the Party, for example ; Rallies, Congress, Official acts ( non military ), etc.

Hitler's Unifoms.jpg (50 KiB) Viewed 2624 times

[Dimitrov2012]

A question I have thought about for a time now with no good answer so far...

In some pictures you can see Hitler wear a eagle on his left arm. Since the eagle has the shape (and look over all) as the eagle used by Wehrmacht I assume that he wore it in the contexts as he were the highest commander of Wehrmacht. But why did he wear the eagle on his left arm and not above his right breast pocket? Wouldn't his way of wearing it just be associated with SS and NSDAP?

Regards Ed

On Sept 1, 1939, Hitler began wearing a golden national eagle on his jacket's left sleeve. It signified, as you said, his wartime role as the Wehrmacht's Supreme Commander.

Reportedly, by law, the Wehrmacht: Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine were the only group permitted to wear the national eagle on the right breast.

For this reason, Hitler wore the national eagle on his sleeve as had the SS when they began the practice. Neither he, nor the SS were technically a member of the Wehrmacht!

Hitler's sleeve eagles were also worn with both of his wartime feldgrau uniforms and both of his wartime greatcoats

At the end of August 1939, Hitler retired his brown uniforms and party armbands. Beginning Sept 1, with the outbreak of the war, his uniforms were only feldgrau in color adorned with the gold sleeve eagle.

Contrary to popular opinion, Hitler never wore his NSDAP armband during the war

hope this helps

[Br. James]

As noted by Dimitrov2012: "At the end of August 1939, Hitler retired his brown uniforms and party armbands. Beginning Sept 1, with the outbreak of the war, his uniforms were only feldgrau in color adorned with the gold sleeve eagle. Contrary to popular opinion, Hitler never wore his NSDAP armband during the war."

Hitler apparently tried to incorporate both of his major roles into his wartime uniforms -- political and military; as the nation's military leader, he replaced his NSDAP Traditions Brown Shirt and his brown tunic with a feldgrau tunic representing his position as head of the military services, and he replaced his brassard with the golden eagle on his left sleeve, representing his position as political head of the NSDAP. His uniform peaked cap, as seen in the photo above with Blondi, incorporated his two roles: a brown cap peak and brown cap band (political) with a feldgrau cloth top to his cap. His cap band was piped with white, representing his military role (Das Heer), and the top was piped with gold, representing his political role.

Br. James

[muller1945]

Rudolf hess also wore the eagle on the left arm, but wore the peak cap of the normal political type.

[Mark Costa]

Hess wore two different uniforms during wartime. At some military type events, such as the French surrender, he wore a feldgrau uniform with a FELDGRAU color visor -- see color photos of this event. Hess does NOT wear a brown party visor with the feldgrau uniform. At party events then Hess wore his usual Political leaders uniform with armband.

Mark Costa