BACKGROUND: On October 10^TH 1939 the SS-Verfügungstruppe Division (mot.), (SS Special Purpose Division), was originally formed as the first division to be completely manned by SS personnel, and it would eventually evolve into the 2^ND SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich". One of the original divisional regiments was the SS-Standarte 2 "Germania" which was transferred out of the division in November 1940 to form the nucleus of the SS-Division (mot.) "Germania". As a result of Germania’s departure from the division they were eventually replaced with the newly formed SS-Infanterie Standarte 4. On April 20^TH 1942 the regiment was officially named, SS-Infanterie Regiment (mot.) 4 "Langemarck", and all personnel were authorized wear of the honor cufftitle "Langemarck". The title, "Langemarck" was of significant emotional value to the Germans referring to a WWI battle near the Belgian city of Ypers on November 10^TH 1914, after which the German high command issued a report that claimed that young German recruits had successfully advanced on the French line singing the German national anthem, Deutschland Über Alles, (Germany Over All), and had captured 2,000 French soldiers and assorted weapons and equipment. In reality this was most likely just propaganda to spur on German morale. Whether true or not the Germans perpetuated the story and it has gone down in German military annals as a great victory and an indication of the strength of the German spirit. The propaganda value of Langemarck was not lost on the NSDAP and they utilized it as a summons to the German youth to regain Germany’s greatness. Of Note: Another unit, the SS-Freiwilligen-Legion Flandern was renamed SS-Sturmbrigade "Langemarck", in May 1943 and personnel were also authorized to wear the "Langemarck" cufftitle. In October 1944 the unit received its final designation as the 27.SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Langemarck" (flamische Nr.1), and personnel retained the right to wear the cufftitle. Also 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, 17 7/8" long, full length, machine woven, black rayon construction cufftitle featuring machine woven, Latin script, "Langemarck" in bright, silver/aluminum, flat-wire threads. The cufftitle is bordered at both the top and bottom edges in six strand, horizontally woven, silvery/grey rayon threads. The full length cufftitle has folded over, machine stitched ends and the reverse has the typical "salt & pepper" patterned reverse with a woven, ribbed, protective, black fabric backing handstitched to the reverse of the embroidery. The reverse of the cufftitle also 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 minor age toning.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $3,570.00