BACKGROUND: The 9^TH SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division, (9^TH SS-Armored-Infantry-Division), was originally formed in north eastern France beginning on February 1^ST 1943 as a sister division of the 10^TH SS-Panzer-Division "Frundsberg". On March 1^ST 1943 the division was allocated the honor title "Hohenstaufen" and personnel were authorized wear of a corresponding cufftitle with the honor title. The name Hohenstaufen was adopted by the Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich II, son of the legendary Friedrich I, Barbarossa. Friedrich II built a castle by Lorsch Swabia that became known as Hohenstaufen and adopted the name for himself. On October 22^ND 1943 the Division was upgraded to a Panzer Division and received its final designation as, 9^TH SS-Panzer-Division "Hohenstaufen". 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, 18 1/2" long, full length, machine woven, black rayon construction cufftitle with BeVo, machine woven, Latin script, "Hohenstaufen" in silvery/grey rayon threads. The cufftitle is bordered at both the top and bottom edges with interwoven, vertically stitched, silvery/grey rayon threads. The full length cufftitle has folded over, machine stitched ends and the typical "salt & pepper" pattern reverse. The cufftitle is in overall good condition with light to moderate age and usage toning and a couple of small frayed spots to both the top and bottom edges.

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