WAFFEN-SS ALBANIAN VOLUNTEER'S SLEEVE SHIELD
€125.00
As early as 1938 Reichsführer-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 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 22ND 1941 and the war against Bolshevism resulted in the Waffen-SS experiencing another surge in recruits willing to serve with the Germans. 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. The 21ST Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS "Skanderbeg", was formed in April 1944 primarily of Albanian Moslems 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 3500 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 7TH SS-Freiwilligen-Gerbirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen", to form the SS-Gebirgs-Jäger Regiment 14. As with other foreign volunteer units the Germans devised and produced a national sleeve shield for wear by the divisional personnel with the design based on the ancient Byzantine Empire flag that had been carried by the traditional Albanian national hero, George Castoria who was also known as Iskander Beg, or Skanderbeg
This sleeve shield was German manufactured. Black wool construction, flat topped, rounded bottom, shield shape base features a machine embroidered red shield with the black, double headed, Albanian eagle, with fanned wings and white eye detailing.
Unworn, perfect condition.
As early as 1938 Reichsführer-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 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 22ND 1941 and the war against Bolshevism resulted in the Waffen-SS experiencing another surge in recruits willing to serve with the Germans. 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. The 21ST Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS "Skanderbeg", was formed in April 1944 primarily of Albanian Moslems 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 3500 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 7TH SS-Freiwilligen-Gerbirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen", to form the SS-Gebirgs-Jäger Regiment 14. As with other foreign volunteer units the Germans devised and produced a national sleeve shield for wear by the divisional personnel with the design based on the ancient Byzantine Empire flag that had been carried by the traditional Albanian national hero, George Castoria who was also known as Iskander Beg, or Skanderbeg
This sleeve shield was German manufactured. Black wool construction, flat topped, rounded bottom, shield shape base features a machine embroidered red shield with the black, double headed, Albanian eagle, with fanned wings and white eye detailing.
Unworn, perfect condition.