BACKGROUND: The SS-VT, SS-Verfügungsrtruppe, Standarte III, (SS-Special Purpose Troops 3^RD Regiment), was originally formed shortly after the annexation of Austria in April 1938. At the NSDAP’s, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), Nürnberg rally in September 1938 the unit was allotted the honorary title, "Der Führer", (The Leader), and its personnel were authorized wear of a cufftitle with Gothic styled script. In October 1939 the Standarte became a component of the newly formed SS-VT-Division (mot.), which would eventually evolve into the 2^ND Panzer-Division "Das Reich". On transfer to the 2^ND Panzer-Division "Das Reich" personnel of the 3^RD Standarte retained the right to wear the cufftitle. Originally the cufftitle was manufactured with Gothic style script until December 1939 when the script was altered to Latin style script. The Standarte underwent three name designation, alterations during its time of service with the division receiving its final designation as 4^TH SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment "Der Führer" on October 22^ND 1943. Of Note: The RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster), was official founded in June 1934 in Munich by the NSDAP as a Reich Hauptamt, (State Central Office), and was based on the earlier SA Quartermaster’s Department. The functions of the RZM were not only to procure and distribute items to Party formations, but also to approve chosen designs and to act as a quality control supervisor to ensure items manufactured for the Party met required specification and were standardized. Starting in late 1934 items manufactured for the SS came under the quality control of the RZM and were marked by a cloth RZM/SS approval tag. The dimensions and design of these cloth tags was altered in 1935 and this second pattern tag remained in use until early 1938, when it was replaced by a paper tag. In 1943 the Waffen-SS assumed full control over their uniform item production and no longer fell under the authority of the RZM.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 1 1/8" tall, 19" long, full length, post-December 1939, RZM pattern, machine woven, black rayon construction cufftitle featuring machine embroidered, Latin script with an umlaut, "Der Führer", in silvery/grey, cotton threads. The cufftitle is bordered at both the top and bottom edges in seven strand, horizontally woven, bright, silver/aluminum wire threads. The full length cufftitle has folded over, machine stitched ends and the reverse has dual, white, paper RZM/SS tags with black printed script and the purple inkstamped manufacturer’s numerical codes to each. The printed script to the tags includes both the RZM logo and the SS runes within circular borders. Of Note: One of the RZM/SS tags would indicate the cufftitle manufacturer while the other tag would indicate the embroiderer. The cufftitle is in overall excellent, unissued condition with minimal age toning.

GRADE ****1/2                             PRICE $1,995.00