BACKGROUND: The 21^ST Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS "Skanderbeg", (21^ST Armed-Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg), was formed in April 1944 primarily of Albanian Moslems with a cadre of German personnel and was intended to serve in an anti-partisan role in the Balkan region. The division proved to be so troublesome to the Germans, with allegedly over 3,500 desertions within its first two months of formation, that it was disbanded after about six months. The reliable personnel of the division were transferred to the 7^TH SS-Freiwilligen-Gerbirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen", to form the SS-Gebirgs-Jäger Regiment 14. On its formation the 21^ST Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS was allocated the honor cufftitle Skanderbeg in recognition of the Albanian national hero George Kastrioti, (1403-1468), also known as Iskander Beg or Skanderbeg. Skanderbeg a son of Prince Emathia, was captured by the Turks when he was seven years old, raised as a Muslim, and became a successful General under Sultan Murat II until 1444 when he renounced the Muslim faith, reverted to his Albanian roots and drove the Turks out of Albania. Skanderbeg was able to repel repeated Turkish campaigns and maintain Albania’s independence until his death in 1468. The Skanderbeg cufftitle was only manufactured in a unique, variant, BeVo-like weave which was only utilized on a small number of SS cufftitles. This BeVo-like weave is discussed and photographed in G. Williamson & T. McGuirl’s book, German Military Cuffbands 1784~Present, page 169, and also in Ulric of England’s book, A Collectors Guide to SS and Political Cuffbands, pages 72, 73 and 74. 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" long, machine woven, black rayon construction cufftitle with variant, BeVo-like, machine woven, SS runes and Latin script, "SS-Feldgendarmerie" in silvery/grey rayon threads. The cufftitle is bordered at both the top and bottom edges in horizontally woven, seven strand, silvery/grey rayon threads. The cufftitle has the typical "salt & pepper" pattern reverse. The cufftitle is in overall excellent, unissued condition with minor fraying to both of the unfinished ends and minimal age toning. Scarce cufftitle. Roughly, 1 3/16" tall, 17 7/8" long, machine woven, black rayon construction cufftitle with BeVo, machine woven, Latin script, "Skanderbeg" 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 cufftitle has the typical "salt & pepper" pattern reverse. The cufftitle is in overall excellent, unissued condition with minimal age toning and minor fraying to both of the unfinished ends. Scarce cufftitle.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $1,995.00