BACKGROUND: As early as 1938 Reichsführer-SS, (National Leader of the SS), Heinrich Himmler and the Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), began recruiting volunteer "Germanische", (Germanic), personnel who were considered to be suitably "Nordic", to serve in the SS-VT, SS-Verfügungstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops). Originally these Germanic personnel were drawn from Dutch, Belgian, Danes and Norwegians but with only minor success. In March 1940 with the formation of the Waffen-SS, (Armed-SS), recruitment of the Germanic personnel began to increase slightly and with the outbreak of WWII additional Germanic volunteers came forward to join the ranks of the Waffen-SS. The invasion of the Balkans in 1941 brought forward another pool of suitable Volksdeutsche, (Ethnic Germans), personnel available for "voluntary" enlistment in the Waffen-SS. The invasion of Russia on June 22^ND 1941 and the war against Bolshevism resulted in the Waffen-SS experiencing another surge in recruits willing to serve with the Germans in the fight against communism. As the war continued and man-power shortages became severe the standard criteria for acceptance into the Waffen-SS was decreased dramatically and numerous personnel who would have been unacceptable in 1939 were readily conscripted into service with the Waffen-SS. By the end of the war more then half of all the personnel serving in the Waffen-SS were non-Germans. On May 25^TH 1940 the first Dutch volunteers were assigned to the newly formed "Westland" regiment. In November 1941 the Dutch volunteers were issued a distinctive national sleeve shield to be worn on the upper right sleeve of the uniform. The identifying Dutch sleeve shield underwent four minor variations through-out the war. This example was worn by Dutch personnel serving in 11.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Nordland", the 23.SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Nederland" (niederlandische Nr.1) and the 34.SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Landstorm Nederland".

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Fourth and final pattern, German manufactured, officially sanctioned, sleeve shield for Dutch volunteers serving in the Waffen-SS. The roughly, 2 1/2", (6.3cm), tall, 2", (5cm), wide, black wool construction flat topped, rounded, pointed tipped, bottom, shield shape base features three, machine embroidered, horizontal bars in the Dutch national colors of orange, white and royal blue. The insignia is in overall very good, unissued condition with minimal age toning and some minor fraying and moth nips to the outer edge of the black wool base.