BACKGROUND: The 4. SS-Polizei-Panzer-Grenadier-Division, (4^TH SS-Police-Armored-Infantry Division), was originally formed as the Polizei-Division by order of September 18^TH 1939, with the personnel drawn mainly from the Ordnungspolizei, (Order Police). On its formation it wasn’t considered a true SS Division, but after proving itself in combat, it was accepted as a full SS Division on February 10^TH 1942 and given the designation, "SS-Polizei-Division". On April 15^TH 1942 divisional personnel were authorized wear of a cufftitle with the standard police emblem of a national eagle encompassed by an oak-leaf wreath. On December 1^ST 1942 a newly designed, second pattern cufftitle was introduced with the RZM style, machine embroidered script, "SS-Polizei-Division", for EM/NCO’s and a woven, silver/aluminum, flat-wire version for Officer’s. In early 1943 a machine woven BeVo version was also introduced for wear. Of Note: In September 1943, the division was given its final designation as, 4.SS-Polizei-Panzer-Grenadier-Division. 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, RZM pattern, machine woven, black rayon construction cufftitle featuring machine embroidered, SS runes and Latin script, "SS-Polizei-Division", in silvery/grey, rayon 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 a white, paper RZM/SS tag with black printed script and the black, inkstamped manufacturer’s numerical code. The printed script to the tag includes both the RZM logo and the SS runes within circular borders. The cufftitle is in overall excellent, unissued, condition with minimal age toning.

GRADE ****1/2                             PRICE $1,695.00