BACKGROUND: The evolution of the 23.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Nederland", {niederlandische nr.1}, (23^RD SS Volunteer Armored Infantry Division Netherlands), can be traced back to the formation of the Dutch volunteer SS-Freiwilligen-Verband-Niederlande in July 1941. In August 1941 the unit was redesignated SS-Freiwilligen-Legion-Niederlande and in October 1943 the unit was upgraded to brigade level and again redesignated as 4.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Brigade "Nederland". Finally on February 10^TH 1945 the unit was upgraded to divisional status and received its final designation as 23.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Nederland", (niederlandische nr.1). Originally personnel serving with SS-Freiwilligen-Legion-Niederlande were allotted a Dutch manufactured cufftitle with the script, "Legion Niederlande" until November 1941 when the Germans introduced another cufftitle scripted, "Frw. Legion Niederlande". Shortly after the second pattern cufftitle was introduced the German spelling of "Niederlande" was altered to the Dutch spelling, "Nederland" and a third cufftitle was introduced with the script, Frw. Legion Nederland". With the upgrade to brigade status in October 1943 a fourth and final pattern cufftitle was introduced with the scripted title, "Nederland". 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 1/16" tall, 19" long, full length, circa 1941, RZM pattern, machine woven, black rayon construction cufftitle with machine embroidered, Latin script, "Frw. Legion Niederlande" 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 small glue and paper remnants. The cufftitle is in overall excellent, unissued, condition with minimal age toning.

GRADE ****1/2                             PRICE $3,400.00