Help identifying a symbol.

[Enkpitt]

Whats its history? Why did they use it?

[Christoph Awender]

I guess you mean why did the 21.Waffen-Gebirgs-Division Skanderbeg use this symbol?

The division was formed from albanian personnel from other SS formations.
The eagle was the national symbol of albania. I think the albanian name for the country means something like "The eagle´s country" (I am no expert on albania )

\Christoph

[Enkpitt]

I didn't know albanian were in the SS. Thats cool.

[Starinov]

Thats cool.

[Enkpitt]

Do you guys have any info on albanians that served under the axis?
Does this mean anything?

[Starinov]

If I am not mistaken, this is the nation emblem of Albania....

Here is today's flag:

[Piaoliang]

Not being a native Albanian, only descended from one, I can provide some answers until one of the Albanian members gives a more detailed history...

Whats its history? Why did they use it?

The double-headed eagle was the symbol of the Albanian national hero, Skanderbeg (roughly, Lord Alexander, after Alexander the Great). He led the Albanian revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century, where his forces soundly defeated Turkish invasion time after time for decades. He is a symbol of Albanian solidarity and resistance.

I think the albanian name for the country means something like "The eagle´s country" (I am no expert on albania )

\Christoph

The Albanian name of the country is Shqiperia, and you're correct, it means "Land of the Eagle".

Do you guys have any info on albanians that served under the axis?
Does this mean anything?

A group of several hundred(?) Albanians served in a Waffen-SS unit. It was a thoroughly unfit unit for actual combat and IIRC it spent its entire existence in anti-partisan operations as desertions slowly drained its manpower. The unit was recruited partially because Himmler's race "scientists" had proposed that the Albanians were some of the most homogenous, pure Aryans in Europe. It was also one of the predominantly Muslim units, having Imams like the Handschar group. Their headgear was also unique- a fez, complete with a Waffen-SS eagle emblem!

The symbol is the national emblem of Albania under a helmet with goat horns, which represents Skanderbeg's helmet.

[ninoo]

Hi,

Enkpitt wrote:

Do you guys have any info on albanians that served under the axis?

Try to search in internet under the name of:
- SS Skanderbeg Division
- Ljuboten batallion
- Balli Kombetar
- Jon Marko Joni
- Midhat Frasheri
- Neshad Topcic

You also could look a little bit info in my site about some Albanians that joined with SS 'Handzar' Division at: [url]oktorino.tripod.com[/url]

Best Regards

Bless the people who like to help others.

http://oktorino.tripod.com
http://stosstruppen39-45.tripod.com

[Patrice]

Hello.
As Christoph wrote this symbol is that of the Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS"Skanderberg"(albanische Nr.1).
Some informations.
Division created by order of the SS-FFA April 17,1944.
April-August 1944,Waffen-Gebirgs-Division SS"Skanderberg"(albanische Nr1).
From August 1944 to May 1945,21°.Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS"Skanderberg"(albanische Nr1).
Composition;
Waffen Geb.Jäg.Rgt.der SS.50,51(alb.Nr1 and 2).
Waffen-Geb.Art.Rgt.21(alb Nr1).
SS-Aufkl.Abt.21.
SS.Pz.Jäg.Abt.21.
SS-Pi.Btl.21.
Ss-Nachr.Abt21.
SS-Felders.Btl21.
Kdr.SS-Geb.Nachsch.Tr21.
Command;
SS-Standartenf and after Ss-Oberf.Schmidhuber(17 April-14 August 1944).
SS-Ober-sturmbannf Graaf(15 August 1944 to 20 January 1945).
From June to September 1944 the Division is committed in the fights against the Resistance in the mountain of Gora at the West and North-West of Pac in Albania,fight where the Division undergoes heavy losses and records many desertions.
The Division is found reduced at the size of a Kampfgruppe,the Division leaves the aera of Pristina far that of Kraljevo always in Bosnia.
Allways attached to the XXI.A.K(Army Group"F")the Division fight in Bosnia,and as from December 1944 in the valley of Save against the Red Army inside of the V.SS-Geb.K.
In January 1945 she was part of the XXXIV.A.K.then dissolved ,its elements are versed in the "Prinz Eugen.
These informations are maynly part of La Luftwaffe La Waffen-SS 1939/1945 Editions Heimdal.
Patrice